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

[jimbo]

And where and when were the casting audition calls published? Oh I was just wondering if it was an industry rule that some parts had to have open auditions not that I would be interested in one. j/k I am ok with Heathcote as Vicky the Governess/Josette. I am still debating if Haley is a good casting call for the Loomis role. Yes I would take a "better" actor than one who is younger and less talented. However there must be many young actors who are very talented who could play Loomis. I just have this image in my mind of Loomis being played by a younger actor. Then again this is a re imagination so we can expect to see some departures from the early incarnations. It does seem Variety is off its game a bit here and Deadline seems to have a good handle on what is actually happening.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I just have this image in my mind of Loomis being played by a younger actor. Then again this is a re imagination so we can expect to see some departures from the early incarnations.

Yes, one thing that we have to be careful of is thinking of the characters as we're used to seeing them. We know nothing about the script. And for all we know Willie has deliberately been aged in the script for some reason(s) that we're completely unaware of as of yet.

As for casting call sheets, they are often posted online - but I have no idea where...

And as for Variety's report, I can actually see the Depp/DS film possibly adapting the whole Maggie kidnapping/brainwashing storyline - especially when it hasn't been done since the original series and, therefore, is fresher territory than what was done with either hoDS or the '91 Series.

[jimbo]

That is true we don't know what is in the script. I have read something like 30 articles on this casting development and every writer said that Haley will make a perfect Loomis. I would still prefer a younger Loomis actor but I will digest this more.

[madscntst]

Hmm, I'm not really aware that there is any obligation on a filmmaker's part to hold open auditions for a particular subset of their roles, though of course oftentimes the more minor roles are cast that way.  Even when they are, I think it's usually pretty hard for us outside the industry to know many details-- as a Depp fan, the only casting calls I usually hear about are extras for films like Pirates or Public Enemies, but not for the main roles.

I *love* the idea of Jackie playing Willie.  True, he's not a young man-- I just looked him up, and he'll be 50 this year.  On the other hand, some were tossing Steve Buscemi's name around as a possible Wilie, and Steve is several years older.  I don't really think of Willie as having to be a particular age.  He's just a thug who gets more than he bargained for when he decides to do some grave-robbing    I think it could work very well.  Jackie is great at playing thugs, but I always remember how sweet his character is in Breaking Away, so I can definitely see him also being the meeker, more submissive Willie.

I only saw a few articles (MTV and a few others, saying that Bella would play Vicki, so I didn't know that Variety was reporting the character as a waitress.  (I tried to access the Variety article, and I was blacked out, so thanks for that info, MB).  If she *is* a waitress, don't forget that the characters in the movie may not be identical to the ones we know- you never know if they will alter them or even combine some characters together, so I will keep an open mind about that.  (Off topic but relevant- for The Rum Diary, which is also co-produced by Johnny, a few characters from the novel are combined and one is omitted altogether for the movie version.  Some are upset about this, but since I haven't read the novel I'm not sure of how the changes impact the story, but obviously they felt that they could tweak it to make it more amenable to a film screenplay.  So something like this could certainly happen in the case of DS, too).

Anyway, I was SO excited, after working overtime tonight and returning home late, that we're finally starting to hear some casting news!!!

Cathy

[petofi]

 I think Alexandra Moltke was, what, 20 when she got the part as Vicki.  John Karlen was well into his 30s playing Willie - not such a comparative stretch for the actors mentioned.  However, I agree that having too many specific expectations for the circumstances, plot, appearance, etc. of this film might result in a lot of disappointment.   I remember people having strong negative reactions to aspects of the '91 series because of what I felt to be unrealistic expectations, though some legit reasons as well.    Personally, I'm not expecting a replication, and hopefully, no serious rehash!

Petofi

[madscntst]

Good points, Petofi!!

Also, I am recalling the early days when Willie was coming on to (and being rather threatening towards) all the pretty young gals, and I'm thinking that Willie being a little older will only enhance the sleazebag/gross-out factor.  So yeah, I'm up for Jackie as Willie, for sure!

Cathy

[Mysterious Benefactor]

OK, even though I don't like doing this, considering that it's probably blacked out for the majority of people, here's the complete text of Variety's article (at least I can tell myself that the link to the article is posted in reply #1746):

Posted: Wed., Feb. 2, 2011, 2:24pm PT

'Dark Shadows' ready for the light
Burton-directed pic stars Depp; newcomer Heathcote in talks
By Justin Kroll

After years of trying to get "Dark Shadows" off the ground, Johnny Depp and Tim Burton may have a sign that their passion project is finally ready for production.

Bella Heathcote, the young, up-and-coming actress starring next year in David Chase's first post-"Sopranos" feature film "Twylight Zones," is in early talks for the female lead opposite Depp in the supernatural Warner Bros. pic.

"Dark Shadows" is based on the 1960s supernatural TV soap opera that followed the life of vampire Barnabas Collins, to be played by Depp. He's forced to deal with all sorts of monsters, ghosts and other supernatural creatures. Heathcote would play a waitress whom Collins takes a shine to because of her resemblance to his long-lost love.

Seth Grahame-Smith has penned the script, and Depp, Graham King, Richard Zanuck, Christi Dembrowski and David Kennedy are producing. Production starts this spring with a release date set for sometime in 2012.

Warner Bros. acquired the rights from show creator Dan Curtis in 2007 and has been trying to get a movie going in the years since.

Depp signed on early, but the writers strike derailed the project. Once it was resolved, Burton came on to direct and brought on John August to pen a first draft.

But August fell out, Burton and Depp's busy schedules got in the way and the project continued to be pushed back. Then, last summer, "Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" author Smith was brought aboard in July to rewrite the script.

If Heathcote gets locked in soon, a greenlight should follow, making a spring production start realistic.

Though Heathcote is a fresh face to American auds, the Australian thesp's career is clearly taking off. Besides Chase's "Twylight Zones," she's also been cast opposite Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake in "Now."

A greenlit "Dark Shadows" has the potential to solve another problem for Warner Bros.: the need for a franchise to replace the waning "Harry Potter" series. Though "Green Lantern," "Superman" and any number of DC Comics-centered pics are on the way, the studio is light on fantasy projects along the lines of "Dark Shadows" that can also appeal to female auds.

Though Burton and Depp haven't talked of franchising "Dark Shadows," there's a trove of material for them to work with should it fare as well as their past collaborations such as "Alice in Wonderland" and "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."

Besides her upcoming slate, Heathcote was most recently seen in the indie "Beneath Hill 60."

She is repped by WME and Jackson-Medavoy Entertainment.

Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Interestingly, I see where the articles has since been rewritten a bit, with a few minor things added (the year 2007 added in reference to when the rights to DS were acquired) and a few other things dropped (the references to AiW and CatCF), so what I've posted is a combination of both versions. However, both versions say that Heathcote would play a waitress - that hasn't changed.

A photo of Heathcote has also been added...

[jimbo]

Several minutes ago I posted a comment but it vanished. Wasn't one of my memorable ones anyway j/k

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I agree that having too many specific expectations for the circumstances, plot, appearance, etc. of this film might result in a lot of disappointment.   I remember people having strong negative reactions to aspects of the '91 series because of what I felt to be unrealistic expectations

The truly odd thing is that some of the most negative reactions came from people who, before character details were released, had been saying that they really hoped things would be changed and that the '91 Series wouldn't just be a complete remake of the original series. Yet once changes were revealed (like Vicki being Josette's reincarnation, Maggie being psychic, and even Roger being an artist), they complained the loudest that changes had been made. And what's odder is that it wasn't even about the actual changes - it was simply that changes had indeed been made...

Personally, I'm not expecting a replication, and hopefully, no serious rehash!

In general, trying to avoid any specific expectations and keeping an open mind is always best whenever anything you love is being adapted and/or transformed into a new version/form...

[michael c]

most articles are referring to heathcote as victoria winters so the "waitress" thing is confusing.

the whole "gothic governess" angle is so pivotal to the DS mythology(not just vicki but also rachel and daphne)i'd find it stunning and disappointing if that's what they went with.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Several minutes ago I posted a comment but it vanished.

Hmmm - I just checked the messages database and there aren't any post ID numbers missing, so apparently something happened and your post never actually went completely through.  

Try posting again.  

[Mysterious Benefactor]

most articles are referring to heathcote as victoria winters so the "waitress" thing is confusing.

It does come across that way. Though the sites that are citing a source, are citing deadline.com, and that report is saying the female lead is a governess. It would be nice to think that everyone does their own fact checking - but 99% of the time these sites run with the same info from the same source without any concern to whether it's right, wrong, true, or complete fabrication. So, sadly, the number of sites reporting one thing vs. the number reporting another doesn't always reflect who's got the correct info and who's got it wrong.    If only it actually was otherwise...

the whole "gothic governess" angle is so pivotal to the DS mythology(not just vicki but also rachel and daphne)i'd find it stunning and disappointing if that's what they went with.

It certainly would be stunningly different if there was no vicki at all. But perhaps, if they really are going with some version of the Maggie kidnapping storyline, Vicki is still on the canvas but she's simply in a supporting role in this particular story.    But as I said, only time will tell. I'm guessing that once Shadowgram gets a chance to speak to the casting, the matter will probably be cleared up...

[arashi]

Maybe they're combining the character of Vicki and Maggie and doing away with the governess angle to "modernize" the story? Though I think having her be a waitress is going to make people not aware of the original show think they copped it from True Blood.

I'm wondering what the heck the plot of the movie will be if they're going with the kidnapping Maggie storyline. Where would the story end? When she escapes?

I was hoping for a period piece myself, but I'm excited about this regardless!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Maybe they're ... doing away with the governess angle to "modernize" the story?

That's a possibility that hadn't occurred to me. The feeling may indeed be that the target audience for the film, which, let's face it, is none of us, wouldn't necessarily relate easily to a governess. And one thing we shouldn't forget is that we were warned fairly early on that they planned to make some significant changes to the story. I believe it was producer (and former DCP exec) David Kennedy who was really adamant that such changes take place.

Though I think having her be a waitress is going to make people not aware of the original show think they copped it from True Blood.

Quite possibly.

I'm wondering what the heck the plot of the movie will be if they're going with the kidnapping Maggie storyline. Where would the story end? When she escapes?

It is fascinating to contemplate. Though it's probably best to wait until the governess/waitress question is settled by a reliable source before getting too deep into such contemplation.  

I was hoping for a period piece myself, but I'm excited about this regardless!

A lot of fans seemed to think a Barnabas origin story might have been fun as the first film.

[Cousin_Barnabas]

Having Maggie be Josette makes a great deal of sense, especially considering she "was" Josette for the first two incarnations of the show, and I believe that this is where Depp and Burton will be drawing the most material.  It really wasn't until the '91 series when this notion was turned on its head - and while creative at the time, definitely could appear to be "just too easy" for the new version of the show.  I mean, most of us have already accepted that this is a given.  It might be nice to have it NOT be so.    

That being said, as was done with the original show, I think it is entirely possible to have Maggie and Vicki coexist.  Maggie, the waitress, is held captive by Barnabas, while snoopy, little governess Victoria gets dangerously close to discovering the secret.  However, that would pretty much require two leading ladies, and I don't see the reports leaning in that direction.  But, I would definitely like that take on the story.  

In regards to Willie, while I was expecting someone closer to Karlen's age (or younger), if they went with a more Renfield-esque character, I can see Haley working just fine.  

We just don't know enough at this point.  But, I do hope Collinwood maintains a governess, as that really is a key element of Dark Shadows, whether she be Vicki or Maggie, or Josette, it doesn't matter to me, as long as she is included in the story.