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

[Mysterious Benefactor]

This writer says don't trust that imdb DS website page.

That writer might want to keep the "people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones" saying in mind. I mean, "Robert Collins"?!    

But, sadly, he is dead on that not everything on the IMDb can be believed...

[Cousin_Barnabas]

Well, I hope that Roger won't look like Sheen does in the interview!     Let's hope that Roger is still the stuffy old snob we know him to be.  He's the FUNNIEST part of DS - and, as funny as this film is supposed to be, I would hope they would keep him as is.   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Are you implying that someone can't be stuffy with curly hair and a beard. Trust me, people can.    Though I wouldn't necessarily say that Roger is stuffy because that tends to imply dullness, staleness, and humorlessness - and Roger is rarely dull or stale and, as you rightly point out, he has a biting sense of humor with which he tends to skewer almost everyone and everything around him.  

Maybe the term we're looking for is conservative. But sometimes conservativeness is more a state of mind than it is an appearance as I'm often surprised that people who look like they wouldn't have a conservative thought in their heads turn out to be ultraconservative.    So even if Roger were to look like Sheen does in the interview, underneath it all Roger could still be very similar to the Roger we know and love.  

But be that as it may, I have to confess that I'm not going to fully believe that Sheen isn't in the Depp/DS film until we received confirmation that someone else has been cast in the role of Roger. Although, nowhere was it actually said with certainty that Sheen would play Roger. It was all speculation on the parts of the sites that reported Sheen's interest in reading the script. What is interesting, though, is that as recently as April 4th, when Sheen appeared on BBC Radio 2's Drivetime show, he supposedly indicated (as per collinwood.net's DS News blog) that he would be appearing in the film. Go figure...

[Gothick]

The latest rumor on the Net is that Dame Edna Everage is being tapped to play Roger Collins.  The ascots will be WAY beyond Neon and the acid retorts only slightly less toxic than the levels of vodka in Roger's martinis.

And you think I'm joking ... hahahaha.  Just remember, I was right about HBC playing Julia...

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I don't know about Dame Edna (through the picture you paint is hysterically funny ), but her alter-ego Barry Humphries could be interesting. Though they'd have to make Roger older than Elizabeth. 

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I see that IMDB has changed the status of the Depp/DS film from "Pre-production" to "Filming". Of course, that contradicts the listing on myentertainmentworld.com that says production won't begin until the 15th. I would say that the info on myentertainmentworld.com tends to be more trustworthy because it has proved more trustworthy in the past. But, as per usual, who knows? 

I also see that IMDb has updated the Locations list - but only to add Pinewood Studios to Bourne Woods.

On the other hand, IMDb has not removed Michael Sheen's name from the cast...

[Midnite]

Although, nowhere was it actually said with certainty that Sheen would play Roger. It was all speculation on the parts of the sites that reported Sheen's interest in reading the script. What is interesting, though, is that as recently as April 4th, when Sheen appeared on BBC Radio 2's Drivetime show, he supposedly indicated (as per collinwood.net's DS News blog) that he would be appearing in the film. Go figure...

I listened to that Drivetime interview from BBC Radio 2 back when it was available, and no offense to Stuart because he was merely quoting another source, but that source got it wrong-- what Sheen actually said was, "I am maybe doing a film with Tim Burton this summer."  I clearly heard the word "maybe" and so I didn't mention it.

I've really been hoping he'd be in the movie!

[Stuart]

I listened to that Drivetime interview from BBC Radio 2 back when it was available, and no offense to Stuart because he was merely quoting another source, but that source got it wrong-- what Sheen actually said was, "I am maybe doing a film with Tim Burton this summer."  I clearly heard the word "maybe" and so I didn't mention it.

I've really been hoping he'd be in the movie!

Thanks for the clarification, Midnite – I've corrected that on the blog. Pity he's not going to be in the film. I think he'd have been great casting. My other choice for Roger would be John Slattery from Mad Men, though perhaps he'd look a little old opposite Michelle P.

[Julia99]

My other choice for Roger would be John Slattery from Mad Men, though perhaps he'd look a little old opposite Michelle P.

MP is actually older than John..she was born in '58 and he in '62.   (Shocking right?!)  Just goes to show how much stock we put in hair color.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Depp has a cover story in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly. Sadly, there's no mention of DS in the print issue. However, there is supposed to be an additional Web site only section which does include Depp's thoughts on DS: ew.com/johnnydepp - but it doesn't seem to be working at the moment.   

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I've really been hoping he'd be in the movie!

As have I. And it really does seem unlikely he will be in it. But what I find fascinating is how Sheen has said he can't really talk about why he won't be doing it. Why? Does Burton have a confidentiality agreements that even covers not disclosing why an actor won't be doing the film? I can certainly see why Sheen can't discuss the film itself because he probably did have to sign a confidentiality agreement just to read the script. That's often standard practice. But he can't even say something like "we couldn't strike a deal" or "in the end it just wasn't the right part for me" or "I wasn't right for the part" or whatever? Odd... But I suppose that whenever that elusive time arrives when the (cue the echo chamber) Edict of Secrecy (shut down the echo chamber) is lifted, we might find out...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Hmm...ew.com fixed the link, but what comes up isn't exactly as advertised. The issue says:

"MORE ON EW.COM: For more from Johnny Depp, including his thoughts on Dark Shadows and his upcoming 21 Jump Street cameo, go to ew.com/johnnydepp"

However, what actually comes up is an article that's virtually exclusively about Depp's cameo and only mentions DS in passing - and that passing isn't even Depp's own thought. Very odd. Not to mention very disappointing from a DS perspective...

[Zahir]

Also, in the '91 Series Josette had no problem accepting Barnabas when he was in full-on vampire mode. In fact, she took his face in her hands and made Barnabas look directly at her to show that nothing had changed for her and she wasn't afraid. The very same sort of situation could take place in the Depp/DS film. After all, it's a classic beauty and the beast type of moment. Altering the vampire make up need not necessarily affect the love story one iota.

A similar moment happened in the second season of Buffy between the title character and Angel while in full 'game face.'  He tried to hide himself, but she insisted upon looking at him.  In True Blood a similar something happened between Bill and Sookie, because he felt deeply ashamed of his fangs.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Not to mention very disappointing from a DS perspective...

On a much more engaging and rewarding front, collinwood.net has posted some interesting highlights on its DS News Page from Eva Green's European Harper's Bazaar cover story: Eva Green in Harper's Bazaar . Among other things, she mentions how the special effects team has done a plaster body cast of her. The mind boggles at the possibilities that suggests!  

[madscntst]

MB and all, here is an Entertainment Weekly bit that does have more about DS.

Johnny Depp on 'Dark Shadows': Can a vampire get corn stuck in his fangs?

I'm a little concerned about the "corny" thing, but time will tell