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

All I did was state what I would do if they did more than one movie, no more, no less.

A sequel isn't a sure thing - but if Johnny Depp loves the character and the first movie is successful, there could be a sequel. It isn't an impossibility. And if there were others movies or just one more, it wouldn't be too hard to believe the idea of Quentin would be thrown about in the writing room. But all I was doing was stating what I would do.

That's how Quentin came into the conversation.

Even with no sequel, I still believe 1795 is the best starting off point.

How would seeing Barnabas as a good man, a human, in love with Josette, a caring older brother to Sarah not develop the character? How would that not get the audience to care about him or make the story compelling. 1795 has never needed the present day to be compelling to me. It's a compelling story all by itself. The impact of him becoming a vampire would be more tragic from the start - you would get to see how he began and then see what he becomes.

I think whatever approach is used would be monumental, including in problematic situations.  If the movie starts in the present, there would have to be adequate character development to allow the audience to identify without it appearing rushed or packed.  For example, would it start with Victoria's arrival and sweep into Barnabas' release and her being his Josette, etc.?  Would Maggie be his Josette with everything else flowing around that?  Would the character of the governess, whether Victoria or Maggie, already have been at Collinwood, ala HoDS?  How would it end - would it allow for the screaming desire for a sequel going back to the 1790's?

If it starts in the 1790's, would it be a telling of the tale as if you-know-who didn't travel back in time?  Would that make Phyllis Wickes a major character?  Would it end with Barnabas being you-know-what, therefore screaming for a sequel set in the present?  If that happens, how would the sequel end?  Would you-know-who go back in time?  Well, then they'd need to remake the sequel, or otherwise how would the present play out?

Depp has a great deal to consider.

Gerard

That's interesting, MB, I didn't know that about DC's plans.  I will try to keep an open mind no matter what they do, but I tend to agree that the best story will probably introduce Barnabas as a vampire so that we know him as what he becomes, first.  I love the idea of a trilogy or even a sequel, but don't want to bank on that too much, as I haven't heard any indication that they intend to do more than one movie (has there been any real hint of this?)

I just got the online Shadowgram, which says that if all goes well, it should start filming "before year's end."  Actually, I hope that they are still aiming for late summer!  I have heard that Johnny's animated film, Rango, has wrapped, and The Rum Diary is on schedule, so it seems late summer is still possible.  Let's hope!

That's interesting, MB, I didn't know that about DC's plans.

It seems like so few fans are actually aware that DC wanted to translate the '91 series into feature films. The subject is definitely OT for this topic, but when I get a chance I'll dig up some of the info I have about it and post it as its own topic...

the Depp/DS film hopefully won't be released before fall 2010.

The Official Dark Shadows News Updates Yahoo Group
Marcy Robin's Cyberspace "Dark Shadows" News Updates
An Internet Publication of SHADOWGRAM

Number 192. February 24, 2009.

...

*** UPDATING: NEW DS MOVIE PLANS

... it would not be released to theaters before late 2010 at the earliest.

The best news is the latest update AFAIC. 

Something else from the latest SG Update struck me as I was just finishing reading last week's Entertainment Weekly:

...

*** UPDATING: NEW DS MOVIE PLANS

The long-awaited Warner Brothers feature film to star Johnny Depp as "Barnabas Collins" is still very much in the works, despite rumors to the contrary that have appeared in print and online. ... The next SG # 115 will announce confirmed casting

Will EW be reporting these casting details around the same time? And if so, what form will the report take? I mean, will they actually backtrack on their erroneous impression from back in October?    Or might they simply report the casting news as if their October report never happened?    Time will tell...

One thing that I do find odd in the October situation is that EW is published by Time Warner, and one might think that would allow them to be better connected to what's happening at Warner Brothers - but apparently not. 

For the first time ever I did not receive the latest online ShadowGram and I thought my last several posts here of the publication were highly favorable. Glad it was posted here.

Ramblings. John August is still working hard writing the script? I find this hard to believe but I guess anything is possible-maybe the producers are asking for rewrites or the next War and Peace. Halloween 2010 does not sound like a bad release date. It may have to go against SAW number 20. Still find it a bit odd that Warner Bros has yet to comment publically about the DS movie project. Hopefully vampires are still "hot" by the time this movie comes out.

I lost faith in EW but if they heavily publicize the DS movie maybe I will forgive them. I think EW did a good job on the 1991 series and gave it a good review but I can't be sure. MB I  would like to see DC's plans for trying to continue the 1991 series/theatrical movie using the 1991 cast. I believe NBC actually apologized to DC several years later for cancelling the show.

The latest ShadowGram references the infamous MPI collector plates. Oh my. Now I know why I did not receive the last issue. jk

John August is still working hard writing the script? I find this hard to believe but I guess anything is possible

The Variety article about August that I posted the link to back on February 2nd (reply #763) certainly seemed to indicate that he was still working on it.

Halloween 2010 does not sound like a bad release date.

Well, technically SG didn't say the film will come out then - only that the hoDS/NoDS DVD set "could appear as soon as Halloween 2010." Though the film is to closely follow. But how closely wasn't indicated. 

Hopefully vampires are still "hot" by the time this movie comes out.

Vampires always seem to enjoy varying degrees of hotness. And the good thing is that I think we can pretty much be sure that the Depp/DS film will be nothing like the Twilight films, so it should appeal to a much wider audience.

I lost faith in EW but if they heavily publicize the DS movie maybe I will forgive them. I think EW did a good job on the 1991 series

Yes, EW was very kind to the '91 series and gave it quite a bit of coverage. And I can't say that I've lost faith with the magazine. I've been a subscriber for 18 years and have found the level of their reporting to be consistently high throughout that time. That's what makes the October incident so odd - mostly because it was merely speculation based on Depp's deal with Disney. But in EW's defense, and as I said at the time, they specifically chose to use words/phrases like "appears" and "for now" - and words/phrases like that allowed them to cover their collective ass should any developments with the Depp/DS come along sooner than they thought was likely at the moment they wrote what they did, which is quite obviously the case. It's just that some people chose not to see their reporting as speculation and those people took it as fact - and that misinterpretation took on a life all its own as, quite sadly, is often the case on the Internet. The only thing I'm curious about is if EW will ever acknowledge how the impression they reported was blown all out of proportion...

I was just pointed to this post by John August on his website, that he was in Paris last weekend for a meeting.

http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/on-being-here-or-there

Now, this may or may not be DS-related, but it just so happens that Johnny was in Paris last weekend and during the week (there are some photos floating around), and it has been claimed that Johnny and Tim Burton got together for dinner one night.  Sooooo, it's all at least consistent with the possibility of them all meeting to discuss DS.  And if DS is indeed "a project everyone wants to see done right", that's the best possible thing to hope for!     Let's hope!

By the way I don't think it's at all unusual if August is still hard at work on the script.  Yes, it may be mostly done but probably being tweaked and shaped to get it right.  Sometimes screenwriters are even available during the filming to make small changes.  It's all good!

As for EW, they're mostly a good publication, but I think they sometimes make offhand comments without good research.  The DS remark was probably foolish, but I don't think there is any chance they will call attention to what they said before- I think they'll just report the new news as it happens.

if DS is indeed "a project everyone wants to see done right", that's the best possible thing to hope for!   

Exactly. And circumstantially, at least, it is very plausible - particularly when one considers that August's other script projects at the moment are Frankenweenie and the earliest stages of Preacher.

I don't think there is any chance they will call attention to what they said before- I think they'll just report the new news as it happens.

That's pretty much my feeling too. But wouldn't it be fascinating if someone actually owned up to inadvertently causing an Internet frenzy of misinformation? 

Speaking as someone who is a writer, and has written adaptations as well as writing to the specifications of others--I have zero trouble believing August might still be hard at work.  Frankly, I don't see what the big deal about that might be.  Keep in mind that no matter what "tack" he is using in his adaptation, the amount of material to be considered is daunting:

All of the Barnabas storylines, upon which to draw.
The entire show, regarding hints and directions about all the other characters.
Other incarnations of DS, which he might want to consult if for no other reason so as not to repeat.

And so on...

Nice catch madscntst. Did you see comment number 28 under August's blog: "RainDogToo February 24th, 2009 at 7:57 pm
A meeting in Paris, WOW! That must some meeting. Did the two people you met with by chance happen to be named Mr. Depp and Mr. Burton? And was the project being discussed…”DARK SHADOWS”?!?!?!? I knew it!! I cannot wait see who the cast consists of. Here’ hoping WINONA RYDER will be cast. I cannot wait to see this on the big screen! It should be an epic film! I wish you and all involved the best of luck!". It is kind of interesting that August has yet to confirm at his own website that he is the writer of the DS movie and yet he allows these comments which he could easily not permit. Oh yes I am hoping that the script is done right. Maybe he is writing two scripts so that they can film two movies immediately back to back or at the same time depending on the scripts. Only dreaming of course.

I would be amazed if EW owned up to it's mistake unless the next article begins whith a "clarification" defense.

It is kind of interesting that August has yet to confirm at his own website that he is the writer of the DS movie and yet he allows these comments which he could easily not permit.

Especially when his involvement as screenwriter has been confirmed in the trades and the info in those sorts of articles is normally supplied by the actors'/producers'/writers' publicists. But who knows what his deal with Warner Brothers and/or Depp, King & company entails? Perhaps he's contractually obligated not to openly discuss his involvement until some point in the future. That sort of thing does happen - primarily so that there aren't any leaks about the script.

Three interesting though not directly related articles:


This blog in the Hollywood reporter is of the opinion that Depp has yet to pull off being "menacing -- true, bloodthirsty, win-at-all-costs menacing" and wonders if he'll achieve it as John Dillinger in Public Enemies:

Whose Johnny? Depp Tries a (small) reinvention

Well, if Depp doesn't quite achieve it there, perhaps he'll get another chance in the DS film since "true, bloodthirsty, win-at-all-costs menacing" is normally an integral part of Barnabas after he's first released from the coffin. And with Barn, he's literally "bloodthirsty." 


Apparently British film fans would pick Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie as the leading actors in their ultimate film:

Depp and Jolie are Brits' ideal movie leads

One wonders if Tim Burton is taking note and is planning how he can cast Jolie in the DS film. 


And I'm posting the link to this one purely for fun because, even though parts of it made me groan, other parts had me LOL (but that's the whole point of The Spoof site  ):

The Spoof!
Always there with the funniest spoof headlines

(And apparently Depp got a kick out of it too: 'Blown Away' By Spoof Pirate Saga. Must be the bit about the "full glorious color close-ups of rotten teeth and lip ulcers, and as in any other Depp inspired movie, profane full male nudity!")

Apparently news of the film is still spreading. This blogger may suffer a bit from DSFMS, but at least she got the bits about the Depp/DS film right (and her post generated a few interesting replies):

Hello Gorgeous: Sunday Night Confession