It's official: Dark Shadows returns as a film with Johnny Depp

[jimbo]

Here is one Director who is against the studio converting his film into 3D.
http://chud.com/articles/articles/23132/1/MICHAEL-BAY-IS-FIGHTING-THE-3D-POWER/Page1.html

[KMR]

I couldn't believe that Mr. "Too Much Is Nowhere Near Enough" Bay would be against 3D; so it turns out he just doesn't want his conceived-and-filmed-in-2D movie converted into 3D. Which I can totally understand.

Still feeling slightly queasy about the idea of DS being done in 3D. Just makes me think that if it's really being considered, they aren't taking the material seriously but rather for the "camp" factor (which I think the news & opinion media always make WAY too much of).

[Cousin_Barnabas]

3D is fun, but it's just a gimmick.  I mean, remember the last time 3D was big?  Then it went away and was scoffed at for about 30 some odd years.  Now it's back... for the moment.  3D may seem like the wave of the future now, but it also seemed that way the two times before when it was big.  It's just a diversion to make more money.  I want to see Dark Shadows in 2D, but I also want Dark Shadows to be serious and lacking CGI.  I really wonder if we will get that or not... especially now.   

[Doug]

The article doesn't surprise me. Lastweek it was reported that Bay was against shooting Transformers 3 in 3D.

But it is hard for me to say it will be great if the Dark Shadows movie will be shot in 3D.

[jimbo]

The writer of this article is suggesting Anne Hathawayand Rachel McAdams for the Dark Shadows movie-see lower bottom for DS topic.

http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2010/03/30/can-anyone-fill-julia-roberts-shoes/

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I wouldn't mind seeing either or both in the Depp/DS film. And several DS fans and I believe one other article have already suggested Anne Hathaway.


Getting back to 2D vs. 3D, there was an interesting development on Monday. It seems that Dreamworks' stock dropped significantly due to disappointment over the weekend boxoffice for How To Train Your Dragon. Only in Hollywood could a $43.7 million take be a "disappointment." But with Avatar opening to $77 million and Alice to $116.1 million, apparently expectations were high for similar opening numbers to continue. And considering they didn't, perhaps the industry will be reassessing if they want to put out as many 3D films as they were speculating just last week. I suppose a lot will depend on how Clash Of The Titans opens this coming weekend. Considering its demos are wider than Dragon's, I suspect there are huge expectations for it - probably even more so than there were with Dragon...

[jimbo]

I read that too somewhere that Dreamwork had promised its stockholders or whatever a weekend gross over 60 million and now they expect it to gross about 150 million which to them seems a big disappointment. I heard that the reviews for Clash of the Titans were not good and that cost something like 200 million to make. So 3D is no longer a certainty for a big box office although this trend will continue.

[KMR]

Clash of the Titans apparently has a ginormous promotional budget, so it will need to open very well to recoup its costs. I think it probably has more potential, though, because it's aimed at a different audience than Dragon.

I do kind of hope that this latest tide of 3D frenzy ebbs, if only to help ensure that Dark Shadows is done in 2D...

[Zahir]

For the record, I believe Anne Hathaway or Rachel McAdams would be wonderful in Dark Shadows, simply wonderful. 

[Robot_Quentin]

  You have my vote on those two also.

[quentincollins]

I've read a long time ago that Anne Hathaway was campaigning for the role of Vicki. The fact that she wanted the role so early in the production stage, and that she's talented and looks right for the part puts me on Team Anne.

[Mary]

It didn't seem to be on the TV Guide site but in next week's TV Guide on the Soaps page there's an article about the new DS movie.  The article quotes Jim Pierson as saying "...if all the supernatural forces are in order, production will start at the end of 2010" and "Everyone involved wants Frid to do a cameo.  The bite goes on!"  (Rolling my eyes at that last sentence -- LOL!) The article also states that HODS and NODS will be on DVD for the first time, although it doesn't say when, and says that NODS will have 30 minutes of never-seen footage -- is that official now?  Sure hope so!

[jimbo]

Thanks Mary for the TV Guide DS article which I picked up today. If they put the article any further back it would have been on its backcover. jk It's deserving of a page 3 placement.
Here is another article referencing the DS movie.
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-ca-zanuck11-2010apr11,0,1798363.story

[Mary]

You're welcome Jimbo.  That was an interesting article you linked -- I forgot about the DS connection and got interested reading about the Zanucks!  LOL!

[jimbo]

This writer stated in this article that based on insider information provided to him by WB studio executives, Dark Shadows is expected to be filmed in 3-D.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/04/is-there-any-movie-warner-bros-wont-make-in-3d-.html