Tim Burtons to start shooting Dark Shadows soon

While talking about his new Alice in Wonderland film Tim Burton got onto the subject of his adaption of the vampire infested soap opera, Dark Shadows.

“That’s something that [Depp and I] both love and are excited about,” the director told MTV News. “When I’m done with this (Alice) I’ll definitely focus on that.”

Shadows” will be based on the ‘60s soap opera of the same name, an ABC daytime TV show that incorporated elements of gothic romance, science fiction and supernatural phenomena like ghosts, zombies and vampires. Depp will reportedly play vampire Barnabas Collins.

“It’s another challenge because it was such a weird soap opera,” Burton explained. “Part of the energy of it was the tone and weirdness of it. That’s our challenge, to try to capture that vibe.”
That vibe was part campy melodrama, part dead serious—and decidedly odd—storytelling. Which direction does Burton plan on going?

“It’s always a fine line,” he said. “That remains to be seen. That’s a question and a challenge we talk about a lot. I haven’t arrived at the answer. That’s definitely a main issue, the tone and the vibe of it because as we all know melodrama can cross over. It’s one of the more interesting things about it.”

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Johnny Depp talks Dark Shadows and The Mad Hatter

While talking at a recent press conference in LA for Public Enemies, Johnny Depp spoke about some of his other projects. Frosty of the excellent Collider got the details. Here is what Depp had to say about Dark Shadows, the remake of the old American TV show.

“‘Dark Shadows’ is happening. Tim is working on ‘Alice in Wonderland’ which is obviously quite a large piece of work there. So when Tim is done with ‘Alice’ and we get the script, which is very, very close, in order we’ll probably attack it next year. It’s exciting, very exciting. It’s like a lifelong dream for me. I loved the show when I was a kid. I was obsessed with Barnabas Collins. I have photographs of me holding Barnabas Collins posters when I was five or six. I’m very excited to do it.”

This also seems to confirm that Tim Burton is attached to direct as previous news cast doubt on that.

Then Depp was asked about what research he had done for his role of the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland.

Well, certainly the book. The book is the basis for everything. There are little mysteries, little clues in the book that I found fascinating that were keys to at least my understanding of the Mad Hatter, like him saying, “I’m investigating that begin with the letter M.” That was huge for me because when you do a little digging you realize you’re talking about a hatter, a man who made hats and if you go back and look at some of the historical hatters there’s that term that this guy or that guy is as mad as a hatter. There was a reason for that and the reason for that was mercury poisoning. So I found out what the M was and why they went nuts. So that became a huge thing. Then it was just kind of what I saw and what I thought the guy should look like. I made my little weird drawings and water colors and brought them to Tim [Burton] and he brought me his weird little drawings and water colors and they were not dissimilar [laughs]. You could’ve put them right together and they were pretty darn close. There’s a lot of color and brightness and then de-saturation in The Hatter. He’s like a mood ring I suppose.

Thanks to Pam for sending me the link and the photo. Are you excited about Alice in Wonderland? How about Dark Shadows? I've never seen it but it does intrigue me.

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The Random - Dark Shadows, The Expendables, Terminator Salvation, Howl, V, Piranha 3D, Twilight: New Moon, Robin Hood, Nanny McPhee, London Boulevard

"For some reason a Japanese Warner Brothers press book for 2009-2010 releases indicates a winter 2010 release in Japan for the long in development "Dark Shadows" feature with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp..." (full details)

"Though long rumored and pretty certain, actor Terry Crews has confirmed Arnold Schwarzenegger will be cameoing in both "Terminator Salvation" and "The Expendables"..." (full details)

"Firefly's Alan Tudyk, and Smallville's Laura Vandervoort have joined the cast of the "V" mini-series remake. Morena Baccarin (Firefly), Scott Wolf (Party of Five), Morris Chestnut (Ladder 49), Elizabeth Mitchel (Lost) and Joel Gretsch (4400) also star in the pilot currently shooting in Vancouver..." (full details)

"Eric Roberts is apparently in talks to star in the Alan Ginsberg trial flick "Howl" currently in production with James Franco and Paul Rudd..." (full details)

Elisabeth Shue is coming back and has apparently joined the cast of Alexandre Aja's "Piranha 3D" according to Moviehole. Shue will play "Sheriff Julie Forester, a take-charge authority figure in the community of Lake Victoria" and the mother of one of the lead characters.

"Frost/Nixon" and "Underworld" star Michael Sheen has joined the upcoming "Twilight" sequel "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" for Summit Entertainment reports Variety. The story centers on Bella (Kristen Stewart) being drawn into the world of werewolves while threatened by the Volturi, an Italy-based coven of vampires. Sheen will play Aro, the leader of the Volturi.

William Hurt has joined the cast of Ridley Scott's upcoming "Robin Hood" project at Universal Pictures says The Hollywood Reporter.

Maggie Gyllenhaal will join Emma Thompson in "Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang", the upcoming sequel to her family fantasy hit in 2004 says Production Weekly. Set a century after the first film, this time the magical nanny deals with city children and country children who are evacuees during World War II.

Ray Winstone (Beowulf), David Thewlis ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban") and Anna Friel ("Pushing Daisies") have signed onto the crime drama "London Boulevard" reports Variety. Colin Farrell plays a freshly-paroled London criminal who becomes involved with Keira Knightley's reclusive actress. Winstone will star as a former crime boss, Thewlis will play Knightley's agoraphobic business manager and Friel plays Farrell's sister.

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Depp's Dark Shadow may not fall on Tim Burton

Warner Bros.' big screen version of the TV vampire soap opera cult classic Dark Shadows, starring Johnny Depp as vampire Barnabas Collins, is reportedly gearing up for production, but the schedule of its rumored director Tim Burton appears to have impacted the project.

MTV recently caught up with Sam Sarkar, director of development for Depp's production company Infinitum, who advised them that Dark Shadows "is very active. ... The studio will be making some announcements regarding it pretty soon. Very soon, probably."

Sarkar was coy, however, when asked about Burton, neither confirming nor denying his involvement with the project. The reason for that appears to lie in Wonderland.

Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that the start date for filming Dark Shadows may have to be postponed because of production on Burton's Alice in Wonderland, also starring Depp, which Disney has slated for release on March 5, 2010. Unfortunately, Warners has already reserved studio space to shoot Dark Shadows, with a Depp insider telling DHD, "It is our intention to still start the movie in the fall. We're trying to work it out. ... And Tim Burton is Johnny's first and only choice to direct."

Thanks to Pam for sending me this.

Source: IGN

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