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Tim Burton Confirms He's Shooting Dark Shadows Next Year

by Alex Billington
July 21, 2009
Source: MTV

Good news fans of Johnny Depp. Or fans of the vampire Barnabas Collins. Back in June, a few weeks ago, Depp told press that "Dark Shadows is happening." And that "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." Well, MTV talked with Burton recently and got a separate update that confirms that he is, indeed, shooting Dark Shadows next year. "That's something that [Depp and I] both love and are excited about," the director told them. "When I'm done with this I'll definitely focus on that."

"It's another challenge because it was such a weird soap opera," Burton explains. "Part of the energy of it was the tone and weirdness of it. That's our challenge, to try to capture that vibe." Dark Shadows was a horror TV show that ran on ABC from 1966 to 1971, logging over 1200 episodes filled with ghosts, ghouls, vampires, zombies, werewolves, parallel universes, and time-paradoxes. That vibe Burton is talking about was "part campy melodrama, part dead serious—and decidedly odd—storytelling." So which direction will Burton take this in? "That’s a question and a challenge we talk about a lot. I haven’t arrived at the answer."

So there you have it - as long as things come together, we'll be seeing Depp as Barnabas Collins sometime late next year (or early 2011). I'm sure we'll hear a lot more from Burton coming up soon as he's appearing at Comic-Con. And I'm sure we'll have a big update by the time Alice in Wonderland hits next March.

Filed under Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Ryan

Another Tum Burton goth-Depp-movie. Whoopty do. Most overrated Director ever.
memphistyler

just because people like tim burton's movies and are excited for future movies doesn't make him overrated. i like christmas, i don't think christmas is overrated. LET ME LIVE HATER.
Cody

Theres a difference between hating and thinking hes overrated...which I think he is. He uses his dark tones and overdoes it in pretty much everyone of his movies to make it feel different than normal ones, If he didnt have the grey-black depressing overtone to his movies people wouldnt like him nearly as much....thats what I call overrated. Seriously Ive watched almost all of his movies and I just dont get it. what #1 said also, to make it even darker he adds one of the most goth like actors to all of his movies. I understand he has a distinct style...uwe boll has his own style it doesnt make him good. But also die hard Burton fans which I know there are alot of, this is my OPINION..so no jumping on my back about it please.
John Has Button Eyes

Henry Selick directed Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton wrote it. Burton is one of my fav movie directors so this news makes me happy.
subcelsious5g

Burton and Depp need to get a room already.
SuicidalOptimist

What I wanna know...if Bonham-Carter and Burton ever get divorced, who gets Depp?
jane

Jonathan Rhys Meyers must be in this one with Depp
Caitie

I'm with #4
Clover

Best news ever!
Cyntia

It's pretty hysterical that anyone would choose this post to complain about the "grey-black depressing overtone" to Tim Burton's movies. Have you ever watched Dark Shadows? Gray, black, depressing, gothic - these all describe the show perfectly! Burton would appear an excellent choice to make the movie. And BTW - the definition of 'STYLE' is: "The combination of distinctive features of literary or artistic expression, execution, or performance characterizing a particular person, group, school, or era." Some of us like an artist with his own personal style. Just because you don't embrace Tim Burton's style (much like some people aren't huge fans of Quentin Tarantino's dark, campy action style or Michael Bay's over-the-top-never-slow-down action movies), doesn't mean he isn't a great director.
Callie

I personally love the Depp and Burton duo. I've enjoyed all the movies they've done together, I'm a huge fan of Alice and of dark shadows and I'm excited to see them done by the two of them. For everyone who hates the duo or dislikes one of the indivudals the solution is simple, stop watching! There are tons of directors and actors I don't like but you don't see me wasting my life going to all their sites and commenting on how overrated or horrible they are... Sheesh.... YAYYYYY DARK SHADOWS!!!! Oh I also hope they go with the dark and campy route honestly, rubber bat clearly hung on a pole by strings is one of the main reasons it went as far as it did. ((along with the intresting and great story line))