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

[jimbo]

Writer John August uploaded an audio interview today at his website (interview took place today) and near the end of it at approximately 28:27 he stated that he would love to see Dark Shadows get made and that "it's fantastic" and reiterated that he hopes it will get made; and that Frankenweenie will soon start production. So it seems that the DS movie project is still in a holding pattern which I guess is of no surprise. John did say words to the effect during the interview that there are some projects where there isn't  much corroboration between him and Tim Burton.

http://johnaugust.com/archives/2009/blogtalkradio-interview

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's good to know that he's so high on his own script.   

[jimbo]

It would have been funny if August stated on the air that his script sucked jk Maybe he thought it was really great since Burton and Depp also thought it was great.

Frankenweenie has a release date of November, 2011 and this article does reference that DS was suppose to be Burton's next film.

http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2009/10/frankenweenie-could-come-to-us-in-black-white-3d/

[jimbo]

A Producer on Tim Burton's Frankenweenie was quoted as saying that it will take two years to film the movie.

The Producer was also asked about the Dark Shadows movie: Will he be working on a big screen adaptation of the "Dark Shadows" simultaneously?  Another "Maybe," Abbate says laughing.  "He's got to get through 'Alice [in Wonderland' first]."

http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2009-10-13-fantastic-mr-fox-producer-provides-new-details-on-tim-burton-s-feature-length-frankenweenie

[jimbo]

Article on why London is attractive to movie studio and producers. Some 2010 movies to be filmed in London are mentioned including Frankenweenie and possibly Pirates 4 but of course Dark Shadows is not mentioned.

http://www.screendaily.com/reports/film-hub/the-yes-factor/5006927.article

[Doug]

I think they should just forget about Tim Burton and find another director. But I wonder did Burton signed the contract to be the director?

[jimbo]

The news about this DS movie's development keeps on getting worse. Now Depp is most likely going to be filming The Tourist this coming February and there is zero mention of Dark Shadows in Variety's article. In fact The Lone Ranger is mentioned so it appears even that movie has pulled ahead of the DS movie.

http://weblogs.variety.com/bfdealmemo/2009/11/depp-charges-the-tourist-.html?nid=2854

[mm#7]

Is this movie ever going to be made? It is still so sad, because the powers at be are delaying the dvd release of the 2 DS films tobe released when the Johnny Depp DS film is released. I don't feel this film will ever be done. Release the two DS films on DVD already.MM#7

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I don't really see anything new or anything to get worried about in the piece in Variety. Variety is a movie industry resource, and most in the industry are well aware that Tim Burton is tied up with Alice in Wonderland and Frankenweenie and won't be doing the Depp/DS film certainly until Alice in Wonderland is complete and Frankenweenie is at least sufficiently to a point where Burton doesn't need to be hands on all the time. And that time is still months into the future. Those in the industry understand that it's common place for films to be delayed for a variety of good reasons and that those films will indeed be made when the time is right. They also know that it's been months since Depp intended the DS film to be his next film and that he's planned to do a fourth Pirates film while he waits for Burton to be free to do the DS film. The only things this article revealed is that Depp might actually slip The Tourist in before he does a film for Disney. It doesn't say both the Pirates film and The Lone Ranger will be done before the DS film. It simply says that to Variety the "emergence of Depp" being in talks to do The Tourist "is surprising, since he was expected to make his next film at Disney" - and one of the films he was expected to do was either "a fourth installment of 'Pirates of the Caribbean' or 'The Lone Ranger.'" Though I have to say that considering the Pirates film supposedly isn't going to begin production until April, it doesn't really surprise me that Depp might be willing to slip The Tourist in beforehand and beginning in February because he doesn't come across as a man who likes to be inactive for too long a time. I mean, even while doing films he found the time to do voice work for Sponge Bob and to narrate a Doors documentary. That's not a man who likes too much idle time. 

[jimbo]

Thanks MB for putting things into proper perspective. I may have misread the article and others that were put online today. Many of the related articles reflect the Lone Ranger movie so the context may have been strictly pertaining to the next Disney movie Depp was going to film so it would make sense that DS would not be part of that discussion. So essentially if JD films The Tourist that would not delay Pirates 4 and Dark Shadows. I guess we are back at square one. It now seems Depp will be in the Tourist and that will begin shooting in February; then Pirates 4 starts shooting in May; and Dark Shadow should start shooting in the fall of 2010. I guess at this point that we should not hold out hope that DS could possibly shoot before Pirates 4. Everything seems to be in order so hopefully WB is about to make an official announcement about the DS movie.

[jimbo]

DS writer John August has been attending the Tim Burton Exhibit here in New York. TB was also in New York for the Exhibit. Maybe John is reminding TB how great his DS script is. jk

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Maybe John is reminding TB how great his DS script is. jk

We should only be so lucky. 

[jimbo]

Very true MB.

Tim is signing books tomorrow and this is what he had to say today at HIS exhibit about the status of his Alice movie:

"I'm still working on it. I got a lot to do in a short period of time. ... I shouldn't even be here."

Actually as far as DS fans are concerned TB can take his time with Alice (not being sarcastic). We know now that Pirates 4 will be shooting in May and that has to be a 3 month shoot I would think and the earliest TB and JD could start working on DS would be in the fall of next year. So nothing really new here. He seems to be cutting it close on the Alice movie though.

Tim Burton Says He Has a Lot to Do in a Short Period of Time on ALICE IN WONDERLAND

[jimbo]

I will truly never fully understand the movie industry. Johnny Depp was interviewed in NY on Tuesday by MTV and he made a comment about Pirates 4 that he has not seen the script and he will base his decision on whether he will film Pirates 4 if he likes the story. That is a far cry from what Disney is saying that it is a done deal. It almost seems that JD is making Disney sweat it out.
See the story and the brief interview here:

More 'Pirates Of The Caribbean' For Johnny Depp Only If It's 'Worthy Of The Audience's Attention'

[Sara Monster]

In light of no recent news, can I state that I really hope they bring back the spikey bangs for Barnabas?

Best I could do, photoshop-wise, was give him messy bangs, but I think Depp could still pull them off.