If you’re familiar at all with Johnny Depp, you’ll know about his love of the 60’s Gothic show Dark Shadows. He’s said that as a child he was so obsessed with it he wanted to be Barnabas Collins – the 175 year old vampirical main character of the show.
Now he can be.
Deadline reported that production on Dark Shadows is currently slated to begin in April, but Depp was also attached to star with Tom Hanks in the Kathryn Bigelow-helmed Triple Frontier, which is scheduled to shoot in February. So now he’s dropping out of that project to concentrate on re-teaming with Tim Burton for the 6th time, and the chance to play one of his dream roles.
Dark Shadows is being written by Seth Grahame-Smith (writer of the Abe Lincoln Vampire thing), who has 1,245 episodes from the daytime soap he can use for inspiration. The show was highly melodramatic, had bad effects, over-the-top music and campy storylines.
Naturally it was great, and has had a huge influence on a wide variety of things from movies to TV to vampires. You’ve got to figure Burton and Depp will aim for the same tone they achieved in Sleepy Hollow (maybe darker), and while I’m sure everyone is sick to death of vampires the chance to see Depp play out a fantasy from his childhood is going to be near impossible to resist.
19 comments
If they can capture the spirit of Sleepy Hollow – they might be able to save any and all faith I have in Burton, who hasn't done anything worth while since.
Yet another Depp/Burton outing? I wish Depp would work with other people more often. While Time Burton has done some good work, in my opinion, only about half of his movies are good, with my favorites being way back in the 1980's (Bettlejuice & Pee-wee's Big Adventure)
Blech. Soap operas (vampiric or otherwise) are the lowest of the low, the worst of the worst melodramatic bullshit. Burton, try doing something EXITING and I'll be interested. When you and Depp are done reliving your fantasies you had when you were children and too young to realize how stupid this was, I'll be over here watching Beetlejuice for the hundredth time. Oh, and Burton, how about working with Michael Keaton again?!
Really?!? He dropped out of a film with Tom Hanks directed by this year's Best Director winner to go do another fucking campy Burton movie? Dude is putting the nails in his own coffin.
Yeah, this is crazy. Drop out of what is sure to be a major Oscar contender directed by Bigelow and starring the most popular actor in the world? For this? I would have loved to have seen this when I was 14, now I want to see Johnny Depp act again! The dude is so talented, but he just wastes his time doing anything the once-great Tim Burton asks him to do. Don't care if it's a fantasy of his to be Barnabas, he got snubbed by the Academy for Fear and Loathing, now it's time to make up for it with some work that is worthy of the award. That entire film was snubbed. Del Toro for Supporting, Gilliam for Director, Cinematography, and adapted screenplay. Sorry, almost went off on a tangent, I'm just still not over the lack of acknowledgment that film received. Anyway, Depp must be on drugs again. He is making terrible decisions.
Christ, who gives a shit?
Not you, my son.
Oh sure, nail in his own coffin? His last two collaborations with Tim Burton only gave him an Oscar nomination and the biggest hit of his career.
This man has spent so long playing freaks and oddballs – mostly with the same director – that he's completely lost touch. Just looking at the trailer for The Tourist can tell you that. Supposedly he's playing an everyday bloke, but it seemed like a struggle. Burton hasn't made a truly great film since Ed Wood and probably never will.
Let me guess: It's going to be shot mostly on a green screen, have a built in Hot Topic product line and have nothing to do with the original Dark Shadows.
Hmm another one well i just hope Helena Bonham Carter is the love interest,Cause nothing says Tim Burton like her unwashed hair ass in a dark poorly made remake of a film or story,..Cant wait !!! at least the sound tracks are good
Just for clarity: Edward Scissor Hands, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Alice in Wonderland.
So this will be the 8th Burton/Depp collaboration.
Yikes. Forgot Sweeney Todd from the list.
This is exactly how I felt when they announced Batman 8. Chris Nolan and Christian Bale working together again, with Bale playing yet another brooding, miserable introvert?! Booooring. Need to mix it up, fellas!
I can't wait for this one — was a fan of the original Dark Shadows from when I was a kid (when my Nanny watched the series incessantly after Sesame Street and the Electric Company); only hope the furry Quentin Collins makes an appearance…
Really? People are bitching about Burton and Depp together again rather the fact that this is gonna be yet another movie where a vampire is just a hurt brooding misunderstood type rarther than a blood drink monster? Hollywood–Vampires used to be the bad guys…not the sex symbols. They are just better looking smart zombies.
This is the 8th team up not the 6th.
Edward S-hands
Ed Wood
Corpses Bride
Alice in Wonderland
Sweeney Todd
Sleepy Hollow
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Sounds cool actually…But the idea of Burton and Depp together makes me want to vomit. Even if this does sound like the perfect project for them.
They better make Depp look scary.
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