But will it be any good? are the first words that came to mind when I heard the news. Tim Burton is one of everybody's favorite directors but to say he has lost his form is an understatement. His recent Alice in Wonderland was one of the worse films I have ever seen and if somebody has tried to convince you otherwise they work for Disney. These guys made classic's together, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands.
Today Deadline report that a film looms on the horizon and will begin shooting in April 2011. Dark Shadows was a "Gothic Soap Opera" which first aired in the sixties. In July 2007, Warner Bros. [which now owns the two MGM-produced spin-offs from the early 1970s] announced they had purchased the film rights of the Dark Shadows television series from the estate of Dan Curtis [the creator, producer, and director]. Warner Bros. teamed with Depp to star in and produce [with his Infinitum Nihil production company] the film. Depp had a childhood obsession with Dark Shadows, calling it a "childhood dream" to portray the main Vampire Barnabas Collins. Deadline report the new production date but doesn’t give any further details about the film. We’ll have to wait for more casting info; meanwhile the basics remain the same. Tim Burton is directing, Johnny Depp is starring and the script is by Pride and Prejudice and Zombies novelist Seth Grahame-Smith, jumping off from a first draft by Big Fish writer John August.
Wikipedia offers the following on the original TV show; Dark Shadows is a gothic soap opera that originally aired weekdays on the ABC television network, from June 27, 1966 to April 2, 1971. The series became hugely popular when, a year into its run, vampire Barnabas Collins [played by Jonathan Frid] appeared. Dark Shadows also featured werewolves, ghosts, zombies, man-made monsters, witches, warlocks, time travel both into the past and into the future, and a parallel universe. A small company of actors each played many roles; as actors came and went, some characters were played by more than one actors. Dark Shadows was distinguished by its vividly melodramatic performances, atmospheric interiors, memorable storylines, and an unusually adventurous music score. Now regarded as somewhat of a camp classic, it continues to enjoy intense cult status among its followers. Director Tim Burton and pop icon Madonna have both stated they were fans of the series. As a child, Johnny Depp was so obsessed with Barnabas Collins that he wanted to be him. He is collaborating with Tim Burton on a theatrical film adaptation, in which he will play Barnabas.
