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

[JS]

I just wanted to get a few opinions on the new Dark Shadows movie that Johnny Depp is going to produce. I am hoping that whoever is going to play Barnabas looks more like Jonathan Frid than Ben Cross. I never could get into the Dark Shadows revival series because Ben Cross just didn't look like Barnabas.

[Raycheetah]

It is my understanding that Johnny Depp, himself, intends to play Barnabas. Given the chameleonic range of roles he has assumed, I believe Johnny Depp may be expected to do a good job with his portrayal, whether or not he can achieve a close physical resemblance to Jonathan Frid.

Here is an interesting history on Johnny's intended portrayal of vampire Barnabas Collins (scroll down toward the bottom of the page):

http://www.johnnydepp-zone.com/reeljohnny/

"Coincidentally, series creator Dan Curtis gave his blessing to Johnny playing his most famous character in an interview published online on five years ago (September 18, 2002). Responding to a suggestion that a DARK SHADOWS film remake would work if Johnny Depp were cast as Barnabas, Curtis replied: "I agree that Johnny Depp would be great as a new Barnabas."

You don't get a stronger endorsement than that.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=

[MagnusTrask]

But... Dan Curtis wasn't crazy about the idea of Jonathan Frid as Barnabas, was he?

A cool thought just occurred... I'm sure plenty of people here know the answer to that, but now we have someone on the board who can give a firsthand answer....!

[JS]

Johnny Depp would do justice to the character of Barnabas. I have read on another forum that Depp is only going to produce the movie and that some one by the name of Daniel Craig will play the role. Does anyone know anything about Daniel Craig? I am of a strong opinion that Jonathan Frid had so much class that he put into the role of Barnabas that it will be too hard to top him. He was a vampire but also the epitome of a perfect gentleman. Who could possibly live up to that standard?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's news to us that Daniel Craig is going to play Barnabas. I've seen speculation (on sites like tv.com) that Craig might make a good Barnabas, but I've never seen it said in any official capacity that he's been cast. And given Depp's oft expressed childhood dream to play Barnabas, it seems nothing short of odd that he would give up the role to another actor. Though Craig could have potential. Perhaps his turn in the latest Bond film doesn't show it, but his earlier work does...

[JS]

I hope that you are right. Anyway it looks like the new Dark Shadows movie should be released sometime  in 2009 from what I have gathered. Either way I am looking forward to it. Wouldn't it be great if some of the original DS stars could get cameo roles in the new DS movie?

[Barnabas'sBride]

Daniel Craig, IMO, is fabulous, but Depp's the only man I want to see playing Barnabas in this new film. I haven't heard anything about Craig being Barnabas.

[Julia99]

"Coincidentally, series creator Dan Curtis gave his blessing to Johnny playing his most famous character in an interview published online on five years ago (September 18, 2002). Responding to a suggestion that a DARK SHADOWS film remake would work if Johnny Depp were cast as Barnabas, Curtis replied: "I agree that Johnny Depp would be great as a new Barnabas."

You don't get a stronger endorsement than that.

That was a DC change of heart. . .he didn't want Depp for the 90s revival series.  Depp was recommended by Sam Hall and auditioned for the part to my understanding.  Depp was 27-28, more in tune with Barnabas' **supposed** age?

[JS]

I don't know about the rest of you but, as much as  I liked the "House of Dark Shadows" it was a bit disappointing in a couple of ways which I hope that the New Dark Shadows movie will not replicate. The movie diverted from the television show greatly. [spoiler]Barnabas never attacked members of his own family. It was terrible that Barnabas was killed as well as many other members of the Collins family.  The "House of Dark Shadows" seemed to aim at killing off the show completely.[/spoiler] Even the sequel "Night of Dark Shadows" seemed a bit boring with most of the Collins family gone. I am looking forward to the new movie, I just hope that it gives life to Dark Shadows and not another death blow.

[Gothick]

Hi JWS,

As I am sure others will point out, regarding the House of DS movie:
[spoiler]In the original 1967 storyline, Barnabas did attack Carolyn.  They obviously liked how the Frid/Barrett fanging chem took onscreen because they also wrote it so that Barn attacked Barrett's characters again in 1795 and in Parallel Time.  As far as kiilling off the whole family, this happened as well in PT 1970.  I know it may seem ghoulish but I kind of felt as if, at this stage of the game, they wanted to liven things up by, erm, hacking up a bunch of the family.  (Forgive my bizarre sense of humor--or, as Miss Winters would have phrased it, "How ... macabre!" [/spoiler]

All that said, I thought the HoDS film was way too much blood, fangs and violence and not enough of the character or mood stuff that was where the real magic of DS lay.

I'm frankly not optimistic that the Depp project will focus more on character and mood, but I suppose it is possible.   I am mainly looking forward to the Depp project because Warners just might FINALLY authorize spending the funds to restore the original films!  Not that I am holding my breath!

G.

[JS]

Hi G.

I think that you nailed it right on target. There was some fangs and gore maybe a little too much. The personalities of the characters is what made us love them. Most everyone loved Barnabas not because he was a vampire but because he came across as very human and we all felt bad about him being cursed by Angelique. In a way I wanted Barnabas to be cured but in away I wanted to stay a vampire so I could keep feeling sorry for him too. I'm sure that probably doesn't make sense but Dark Shadows was full of emotions of every kind that was brought out by the television show that was missing in the movies. It was also missing in the Resurrection of DS. I just didn't have the same feelings for Ben Cross as I did for Jonathan Frid. Frid is just such a marvelous actor you can't help but love him.  I would really love to ask Jonathan Frid about his perception of the House of Dark Shadows in comparison to the television show.

Since Depp is supposed to be a real Dark Shadows and Barnabas fan I am hoping that he will do what is right. I'm not sure if the script has been written for the movie but if it hasn't I hope that the writers are reading this forum.

js

[borgosi]

I hope there are three new movies about Barnabas.

In the first he would start out seeming to be a your classic bad guy vampire much like "House" but as we get into the story we would learn that he doesn't like what he is as Dr. Holfman offers his her cure. She would turn on him after finding out the he loves Maggie. He would age and Maggie would be transported back in time.

In the second movie we would get the story of Barnabas, Angelique and Josette, it would end with Barnabas being chained into his coffin.

The third movie would be set back in the present and it would either tell of the cure or death of Barnabas, maybe both endings could be filmed.

[Uncle Roger]

But... Dan Curtis wasn't crazy about the idea of Jonathan Frid as Barnabas, was he?

A cool thought just occurred... I'm sure plenty of people here know the answer to that, but now we have someone on the board who can give a firsthand answer....!

Don't know if this is urban legend but it's still just plain funny.  Wasn't one of the other finalists for Barnabas Burt Convy?

[D_Friedlander]

While I doubt Convy would have had the "presence" or VOICE that would have made "Barnabas" the success Jonathan Frid managed to accomplish, he was no slouch in the brooding dark good looks department, BEFORE he developed his 1970's "game-show fro."   

There are still some good pictures from this period on this archived website:

http://web.archive.org/web/20050204061441/bertconvy.net/main.html

[JS]

I agree Bert Convey would have made a great Barnabas with the looks anyway, But would he have been as good an actor as Jonathan Frid? You have to admit Jonathan Frid is awesome. Plus he has more class in his little finger that most actors.