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

[Gothick]

She has stunning hair.  Despite the name she's from Baltimore MD and married to someone named Corey van Wagner.

I wasn't even sure that Vicki would be a character in the new film... interesting.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

An, uh, interesting take on why the Depp/DS film should be a hit:

Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows Promises Cult Appeal with No Edge

But there is no denying that 13-17 year olds are the ones who actually control the film industry.

[Miss_Winthrop]

I'm hoping for Anne Hathaway.  However, the idea of an English actress is fine by me.  They usually get pretty good training to be actors and there's not such a heavy emphasis on beauty when they are cast for roles such as here in the US.  I kind of like the idea of Carey Mulligan in the role of VW.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's amazing how some Web sites only want to see doom and gloom where there is none. In the last few days certain entertainment/horror sites are parsing some of Depp's recent comments and coming away with the notion that the Depp/DS film is somehow in trouble and may not get made. And to back up their interpretations of Depp's remarks, they're citing the reports that the film was supposedly going to begin shooting in January but that start was postponed. How ridiculous is that?! While it might have been true that the film was hoping for a January start, Warner Brothers never officially announced a January start. However, WB has officially announced an April start - a fact these doom and gloom Web sites are completely ignoring in their reports in favor of saying things such as, "Although we last heard that the Burton/Depp big screen redo of Dark Shadows would start filming in January, it doesn't look like that's happening," despite the fact that that isn't the last we heard. 

Sheesh, can't these sites get anything right?    It's like the parsing of the 10/10/08 speculative report in Entertainment Weekly all over again - only this time there are actual facts to contradict what they're coming away with - but they choose to ignore them. Or perhaps they're even completely ignorant of them...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I kind of like the idea of Carey Mulligan in the role of VW.

I agree that she could make for a very interesting Vicki, but Carey Mulligan recently signed on to play Daisy Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann's remake of The Great Gatsby, so that might actually take her out of the running for even being considered for the Depp/DS film if its shooting schedule conflicts with Gatsby's. And if IMDb's listing is actually correct, then the part has already been cast, which would definitely take her out of the running.  

[madscntst]

I'm glad I haven't seen those sites, MB- in the last few days, I've mainly only come across reviews ripping The Tourist to shreds     (BTW it's not nearly as horrible as they say; not an Oscar contender, but just a sweet and funny trifle).  Anyway, from the sound of it, what you're seeing on those sites is probably just reverb from a couple of months ago.  The silly tabloid/rumor sites seem to repeat the same silly things over and over when they are bored or on a slow news day   

I haven't seen a peep other than IMDb about this Kirsten gal, so it'll be interesting to see if she is indeed cast.  If not, I think I like the idea of Ms. Mulligan.  We'll see!

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I've mainly only come across reviews ripping The Tourist to shreds     (BTW it's not nearly as horrible as they say; not an Oscar contender, but just a sweet and funny trifle).

(Clearly The Tourist can't be that bad because I see where it's just been nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Picture Musical or Comedy. And Depp's performance in it is almost nominated. Though he's also nominated for Alice in Wonderland - and in situations where an actor is nominated twice in the same category, they often don't win for either because the double nominations split the vote. But I suppose we'll see. The Golden Globes are nothing if not unpredictable.  )

[jimbo]

Based on comments JD has made the writer of this article believes Depp's performance as Barnabas will diverge wildly from Frid's performance. Well let's hope not too wildly.

http://newsok.com/article/3523640

[Gothick]

Ha. I could see Depp playing Barnabas as a throwback to the early 18th century, complete with grand perruque, white face powder, beauty marks and lipstick, like the Patrick Magee character in Barry Lyndon.

G.

[madscntst]

Ha. I could see Depp playing Barnabas as a throwback to the early 18th century, complete with grand perruque, white face powder, beauty marks and lipstick, like the Patrick Magee character in Barry Lyndon.

Oh, he would love that!!    I do want Barnabas to be played quite darkly.  I don't mind if he wants to inject some humor into the character, but I just hope he won't overdo it.  Something like Sweeney Todd would seem perfect to me, but the thing is, he never really plays his characters the same way, so we're probably in for a surprise.

[joe integlia]

did anyone else notice that Depp is wearing a Barnabas style BLACK ONYX RING in 1 scene of THE TOURIST?

[madscntst]

did anyone else notice that Depp is wearing a Barnabas style BLACK ONYX RING in 1 scene of THE TOURIST?

Oh gosh, I DID notice the ring during the movie, and then completely forgot about it!  Haha, I wonder... (Johnny does love rings in general, though).  We'll have to get a screen capture, or a movie still of that later

Cathy

[Miss_Winthrop]

Yes Please get a screen capture.  I saw part of an interview with JD but didn't notice the ring.  I'm slipping I guess.  I usually notice details.  It will be interesting seeing another actress fill the shoes of Mia Farrow in The Great Gatsby.  I recall KLS was also in the film.  I haven't seen it in years.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Not sure why it's happening all of a sudden and specifically now (particularly considering that jimbo noticed and posted about it two weeks ago), but in the past couple of days several Web sites have jumped on the Kirsten Van Wagner has been cast as Victoria Winters in the Depp/DS film bandwagon. Some are even going so far as to include detailed bios on her. However, all are citing IMDb as their source - and a few are also pointing out that the info on that site isn't always reliable. And interestingly, there still hasn't been a peep out of any of the trade papers supporting IMDbs info, so as I said before, it would really be fascinating to know just where the person who posted on IMDb got the info. It would be nice to believe that someone actually connected to the film posted it, but quite often that is not the case, which is why the IMDb info isn't always as reliable as it should be...

Of course, what would really be fascinating isn't if it isn't true but if it is because the info seems to have just come from out of nowhere.

[jimbo]

There is a verification process at imdb's site for any information submitted. I think the site requires a link or document for any submission. Hardly a fool proof system but its better than having none like some of the other sites. I just think the producers will be going for a bigger name actress for the critical Victoria role. Plus I discount the information posted at imdb. I base it on the fact that Tim Burton is so overly secretive when comes to casting. I think if a confirmed actor was leaked out like at imdb that it would have been quickly pulled off the site by TB and company. Just my opinion of course.