Who Do You Want to See Cast in the Dark Shadows Movie?

[Richard]

I wish the producers would find a young actor, classically trained as opposed to method-trained, who has theater experience doing Shakespeare and the classics to be Barnabas. Such a background would give the young actor the same gravitas and deep range that Jonathan Frid brought to the role. Frid thrived on the contradictions in Barnabas; if depth wasn't in the writing, he brought it with him.

The last thing I want to see is an shallow egocentric pretty boy in another of Tim Burton's fetish films.

Sorry.


Richard

[Taeylor Collins]

Personally I would never call Johnny Depp shallow and egocentric but that is just me.  I respectfully disagree that he is either of those things.  Johnny Depp is one of the best actors we have right now.  His body of work speaks for itself.  He is so anti Hollywood so the statements that you made just sort of baffles me.  Plus, Johnny is good looking but I would hardly call him a "pretty boy" maybe when he was young but not now. He has a harder more worn look that I thik is perfect for Barnabas!  Again I am not trying to be hateful as you have every right now your opinion but I think it's time we are realized DS needs a fresh approach and it to me atleast it doesn't need another Shakespearn trained actor to play Barnabas just because it worked for Jonathan Frid.  That is just my opinion.  Again no disrespect! 

[Nightfall59]

On a somewhat shallow note, I'm not sure I would like to see a "young" actor as Barnabas and am glad that Johnny Depp is in his 40s.  Not trying to start an argument about how old  Barnabas was supposed to be--since no age was actually stated outright for him, I'm sure most of us have our own mindset on that topic anyway--but I think the character of Barnabas works better with an older, slightly worn looking actor in the role. I will miss that lovely, classically trained voice and range that Frid brought to the role, but I think that might be hard to duplicate anyway. Frankly, Barnabas could get away with saying the most absurd things, in my opinion, just because he said them with that voice. LOL! 

As to what Depp will or will not bring to the role, I'm reserving judgment on that because, dinosaur that I am, I have seen only two or three of his films. Not enough, I feel, to really form an opinion one way or another on his talent as an actor.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

As far as Depp's talent as an actor goes, one thing to keep in mind is that he already has three Oscar nominations to his credit. And they don't hand those out to just anyone. 

[Richard]

... three Oscar nominations to his credit. And they don't hand those out to just anyone. 

Yes they do.

I didn't mind Depp in The Ninth Gate, but he gives the same performance in film after film, always playing it cute (I said PLAYING it cute, not looking cute). I'm just not a Depp fan, I guess.

I would rather see Ioan Gruffudd put the life back into Barnabas on the basis of his Horatio Hornblower in nine British cable films. He also played Reed Richards in Fantastic Four, Prime Minister Tony Blair in W., and the legendary William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace, among other things. An actor's actor.

But it's a done deal, unfortunately, so this is just wishful thinking on my part.

I note that Kirsten Van Wagner has been cast as Victoria Winters.

Richard

[Midnite]

I note that Kirsten Van Wagner has been cast as Victoria Winters.

It's discussed on  what's currently the last few pages of the topic "It's official: Dark Shadows returns as a film with Johnny Depp" on the Current Talk board.