This is exciting news for us Dark Shadows fans:

Daily Variety 07/27/07:


Depp lights up 'Dark Shadows'
Graham King to produce Warner feature
By Michael Fleming

Johnny Depp is getting in touch with his inner vampire.

Warner Bros. is teaming with Depp's Infinitum-Nihil and Graham King's GK Films to develop a feature based on the '60s daytime supernatural sudser "Dark Shadows."

Depp [b. 06/63] has said in interviews that he has always been obsessed with "Dark Shadows" and had, as a child, wanted to be Barnabas Collins, the vampire patriarch of the series. The role was originated by Jonathan Frid.

A rights deal just closed with the estate of Dan Curtis, the producer/director who created the soap that aired weekdays on ABC, from 1966 to 1971. Depp and King will produce with David Kennedy, who ran Dan Curtis Prods. until Curtis died last year of a brain tumor. Infinitum-Nihil's Christi Dembrowski served as the point person on the deal.

Over 1,225 episodes, "Dark Shadows" was a highly atmospheric, spooky soap that featured gothic horror staples like vampires, monsters, witches, werewolves, ghosts and zombies. The show has a continuing rabid fan base that populates Dark Shadows Festival conventions.

Numerous TV revivals of the series and pic adaptations have been attempted over the years but none with as high-wattage a star as Depp.

Depp, who is coming off "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" and who just wrapped the Tim Burton-directed "Sweeney Todd," is next expected to star in "Shantaram," a Mira Nair-directed adaptation of the Gregory David Roberts novel that Depp, King and Plan B are producing for Warner Bros. Depp, King and WB are also mobilizing to make a film about the life of Alexander Litvinenko, with Depp poised to play the former KGB agent, who was fatally poisoned.

Finally a part Depp can sink his teeth into! :rolleyes:

Seriously, I think Depp could do a great job with the right script.

There is no one better, than my Uncle Barnabas! But Depp might do.

Just the other day I was wondering why DS hadn't been remade yet.

Just the other day I was wondering why DS hadn't been remade yet.

You're exactly right. Of all movies that have been remade, a new treatment of House of Dark Shadows or something similar regarding DS would be more welcome than most. I think Depp has a lot of respect for it and, though a new twist on the theme is inevitable, it should be a satisfying treatment of the near epic storyline.

The only bad thing about this is that Lloyd will be insufferable with the new attention to his family name. :freak:

Just the other day I was wondering why DS hadn't been remade yet.
Actually, it's already been remade:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101075/

It seems as if Barnabas gets better looking with each version. Hope that holds true for the women.

The 1991 series was excellent, but it got staked after only one season, with a heck of a cliffhanger ending left, um, hanging. If nothing else, at least it brought us Joanna Going.

It's available on DVD (or it was) for the curious. I do recommend it.

Not really sure ow I fell about baby-face Depp as Barnabas, who's been played by craggy middle-aged men previously.

Not really sure ow I fell about baby-face Depp as Barnabas, who's been played by craggy middle-aged men previously.

He may be baby-faced, but he's currently the same age Jonathan Frid was when he started on Dark Shadows. He'll be a couple of years older by the time the movie comes out. Maybe he'll be craggier by then. :confused:

The Dark Shadows Soap Opera gave me the creeps when I was a kid. Johnny Depp will play Barnabas Collins? Hmmm, let me think about this...

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/NewBarnabasSmaller.jpg

Not really sure ow I fell about baby-face Depp as Barnabas, who's been played by craggy middle-aged men previously.

Then again, perhaps Hollywood is overlooking an even better option:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg

:eek:


:lol:

You're quite a bit scarier than Johnny Depp in the role--that's pretty obvious :D

Now thats funny Perfesser, took me a second to register why it looked familiar.

^^I'm just glad John keeps his sense of humor about it. :)

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg

The eyes.

They follow you as you scroll down the page. . .

The eyes.

They follow you as you scroll down the page. . .

:lol:

Good one!!

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpgAiiiiieeee!!! I cannot un-see what I saw!

Qapla'

SSB

OH GOD, please stopp re-quoting that picture!! :freak:
:lol:

It kind of grows on you after a while. :freak:

Anyone hear any more about this lately? :confused:

OH GOD, please stopp re-quoting that picture!! :freak:
:lol:


Which picture???

You mean THIS one???!!!


http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg

:D

This should be under the topic worst casting.

Dark Shadows:

Barnabas Collins = Johnny Depp
Angélique - Christina Ricci
Elizabeth Collins - Linda Carter
Carolyn Stoddard - Niccole Kiddman
Joe Haskall - Jack Black
Professor Stokes - John Goodman
Roger Collins - Tim Allen
Julia Hoffmann - Winona Ryder
David Collins - Haey Joel Osment
Willie Loomis - Steve Buscimi
Rev. Trask - Hugh Laurie
Vicky Winters - Paris Hilton
Adam(?) Matt Perry
Quentin - John Turturro

This should be under the topic worst casting.

Dark Shadows:

Barnabas Collins = Johnny Depp
Angélique - Christina Ricci
Elizabeth Collins - Linda Carter
Carolyn Stoddard - Niccole Kiddman
Joe Haskall - Jack Black
Professor Stokes - John Goodman
Roger Collins - Tim Allen
Julia Hoffmann - Winona Ryder
David Collins - Haey Joel Osment
Willie Loomis - Steve Buscimi
Rev. Trask - Hugh Laurie
Vicky Winters - Paris Hilton
Adam(?) Matt Perry
Quentin - John Turturro


:lol:

Then again, perhaps Hollywood is overlooking an even better option:

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg
Kinda looks a little like Raul Julia, doesn't it?

I could easily see this hanging prominently over the fireplace at stately Payne Manor. :D

Here's a nice little blurb:

http://www.celebuzz.com/johnny-depp-tim-burton-talk-s123251/

We're up to March 1968 (some 400 episodes down, 800 to go). Do you think my DVD player will last? Will we finish before the Depp movie comes out? Started in February this year...

This is much better than the portrait done of Jonathan Frid by the original show's artists.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/NewBarnabasSmaller.jpg
I think Johnny Depp would make a good Barnabas Collins. Most of his films are period pieces and he does them quite well in my opinion. Playing a vampire that "died" over 200 years ago should be right up his alley. I just hope that if and when this film is made they will keep some of the original elements intact and not change to much. We will have to wait and see!

I hope they keep that incredible music from the series and 2 feature films! Robert Cobert's score is still creepy as hell! Every Halloween my Wife and I put one of the soundtrak c/d's on while we are decorating the house! Puts us in the mood!

The original "Old House" from Tarrytown NY is gone. It burned down in 1969! It's a pitty! That house scared the hell out of me when I was a young lad and it would have been great if they could have used it for the new film! Maybe they will find a look alike. Time will tell.:wave:

I think Johnny Depp would make a good Barnabas Collins. Most of his films are period pieces and he does them quite well in my opinion. Playing a vampire that "died" over 200 years ago should be right up his alley. I just hope that if and when this film is made they will keep some of the original elements intact and not change to much. We will have to wait and see!If Tim Burton's involved, you can bet it will be very different from the original series. :rolleyes:

I think Tim Burton should be Barnabas, because he scares me more than Depp!

I won't mind change if it's at least reasonably authentic historically and keeping in the spirit of the original.

Burton's good at hitting on certain creepy factors that are very reminiscent of the original series.

We're up to March 1968 (some 400 episodes down, 800 to go). Do you think my DVD player will last? Will we finish before the Depp movie comes out? Started in February this year...

This is much better than the portrait done of Jonathan Frid by the original show's artists.

http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg

ACK!!! :lol:

ACK!!! :lol:

John:

Look carefully in the drawing room of that fancy dollhouse your wife finished a while ago. You'll find this portrait hanging on the wall! :p

TB ruined POTA so bad I cant imagine what he might do this time. Oh well. DS was campy anyway. And Johnny Depp is good in everything he does. Itll probably be great

Good point regarding POTA. It had some good moments but the absolutely last thing ANYONE should when making a movie is have Kris Kristofferson in even a bit part. That is the kriss of death.

Burton's handle on the macabre could be the perfect thing for the DS franchise which has one heck of a potential for a new series of movies and television series.

If Burton's still with Helena Bonham Carter, she may play a very quirky Dr. Julia Hoffman in love with Barnabas. I could dig that.

Dream cast:

Johnny Depp ... Barnabas Collins

Helena Bonham Carter ... Dr. Julia Hoffman

Reese Witherspoon ... Carolyn Stoddard *per Steve244

Kate Jackson ... Elizabeth Collins Stoddard

Anne Hathaway ... Victoria Winters *per Steve244

Gary Oldman ... Roger Collins

??... Maggie Evans

Edward Norton ... Quentin Collins

Audrey Tautou ... Angelique

Alan Rickman ... Professor Timothy Stokes

Simon Pegg ... Willie Loomis

Viggo Mortensen ... Gregory Trask

?? ... Daphne Harridge

?? ... Todd Blake

?? ... Jeff Clark

Good point regarding POTA. It had some good moments but the absolutely last thing ANYONE should when making a movie is have Kris Kristofferson in even a bit part. That is the kriss of death.

Burton's handle on the macabre could be the perfect thing for the DS franchise which has one heck of a potential for a new series of movies and television series.

If Burton's still with Helena Bonham Carter, she may play a very quirky Dr. Julia Hoffman in love with Barnabas. I could dig that.

Dream cast:

Johnny Depp ... Barnabas Collins

Helena Bonham Carter ... Dr. Julia Hoffman

?? ... Carolyn Stoddard

Kate Jackson ... Elizabeth Collins Stoddard

?? ... Victoria Winters

Gary Oldman ... Roger Collins

??... Maggie Evans

Edward Norton ... Quentin Collins

Audrey Tautou ... Angelique

Alan Rickman ... Professor Timothy Stokes

Simon Pegg ... Willie Loomis

Viggo Mortensen ... Gregory Trask

?? ... Daphne Harridge

I'm kinda seeing Anne Hathaway as Victoria Winters. What a fan-boy I am...


Oh and:
http://photos.hobbytalk.com/data/500/medium/JohnPayneasBarnabasCollinsSmall.jpg

I'm kinda seeing Anne Hathaway as Victoria Winters. What a fan-boy I am...

I like her, too. I'm really more familiar with the older stars so I wasn't sure of her being "just right." Now that you mention it, however, I'll go with your judgement, sir! :thumbsup:

I am sure I saw on Google, that the above painting is in the Louvre.

I like Kate Jackson as Elizabeth - bringing it some continuity.

I like Kate Jackson as Elizabeth - bringing it some continuity.

Actually, I only included her because in third grade I had a HUGE crush on her, a fellow Alabamian. :p

We need to cast Joe Haskel/Forbes and Matthew/18th century guy/Stokes. Burk Devlin deserves a part too.

I put in Alan Rickman as Stokes--if you're talking about the Professor--the only male Stokes I can recall from the series.

Not sure if Burk would fit into the movie but there does need to be one or two such male characters along the lines of Jeff Clark and Todd Blake as in the HODS movie.

I put in Alan Rickman as Stokes--if you're talking about the Professor--the only male Stokes I can recall from the series.

Not sure if Burk would fit into the movie but there does need to be one or two such male characters along the lines of Jeff Clark and Todd Blake as in the HODS movie.


oops missed that. Yeah Thayer David played at least 3 parts (technically 8 I guess (http://darkshadows.wikia.com/wiki/Thayer_David)). I'm only up to part 2 where he plays Ben Stokes (not the Dr. in 1795). He kidnapped and abused Victoria early on in the first year as Matthew. Rickman is perfect.

Yeah, can't you imagine Rickman's stentorian tones combined with Thayer David's saliva-filled delivery of lines such as:

"Julia, do you believe in the existence of vampires?"

Reese Witherspoon (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000702/) as Carolyn.

Reese Witherspoon (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000702/) as Carolyn.

Hmm! I had considered her but didn't think I could fairly judge her.

Again, however, I'll defer to your judgement. :thumbsup:

Excellent choice in another respect since the original series had a blond from Tennessee as well.

HEllo Just ran across this while going to the R/C section.. I loved Dark Shadows going up at grandmas after school... I might make a sugestion for the Cast... On Day's Of our Lives you have 2 or three that would fit well the One that Play's Nicole (Arianne Zucker )for Angelique Anyway Looking forward to checking this thread out more often...

Actually, I only included her because in third grade I had a HUGE crush on her, a fellow Alabamian. :p

From the moment I first saw her, I had (and still have) a crush on her, as a heterosexual male! I didn't buy The Rookies on DVD for the scintillating social morality stories.

From the moment I first saw her, I had (and still have) a crush on her, as a heterosexual male! I didn't buy The Rookies on DVD for the scintillating social morality stories.

eeek, the kiss of death. Didn't you also have a crush on Lindsay Lohan?

Who didn't?

But I think Kate is safe at this point in her career. :lol: