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

[madscntst]

I don't think that filming has started yet, or at least Johnny is not filming yet.  There have been reports that Johnny is/has been in London but they were all suspect- and had some contradictions with each other.  Plus, there was an unrelated rumor claiming that he was in New Orleans earlier in the week, filming his cameo for the 21 Jump Street movie.

Today, though, there is photo evidence that Johnny is in Chicago.  He apparently taped an interview with Oprah and then visited a music store where he bought a guitar.  Here is the report with a photo:

Sighting: Johnny Depp at Chicago Music Exchange store

(We also heard today that he will be taping an interview with Larry King- don't know where or when that'll happen, though).

[Mysterious Benefactor]

There have been reports that Johnny is/has been in London but they were all suspect- and had some contradictions with each other.

I loved how one said he was staying in a five star hotel while another insisted Depp didn't want to stay in the hotel and was staying in a mansion with a wine cellar. Gotta love the English tabloids.    God only knows what sorts of stories we'll be getting once Depp really does begin shooting?  

Plus, there was an unrelated rumor claiming that he was in New Orleans earlier in the week, filming his cameo for the 21 Jump Street movie.

I saw a couple of those reports, too. Amazing how he can be in two places at once.  

Today, though, there is photo evidence that Johnny is in Chicago.  He apparently taped an interview with Oprah

Interesting. Though I suppose it'll be more of a promotional appearance for Pirates with little to no news about DS. But one can always hope...

We also heard today that he will be taping an interview with Larry King- don't know where or when that'll happen, though

I suppose one might also expect him to make his usual promotional appearance on Letterman at some point in May...

And thanks for all the info.  

[madscntst]

Yes, Oprah (and Larry King) are probably part of Pirates promos, and there are also scheduled press junkets next week, and several premieres the week after that.   You might be able to work filming around one or two things, but not all these events.

Photo from Oprah (which will air May 5)- note the shave and a haircut:

OPRAH PRESENTS THE LAST-EVER HARPO HOOKUPS

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I just noticed that the Depp/DS film has hit an all-time new high of 182 on IMDb's MOVIEmeter.

I've noticed that since reaching that high the Depp/DS film has currently fallen back down to 942 - this despite all the publicity Thomas McDonell has been getting recently. Though, if I correctly read the way MOVIEmeter works, the film may jump up in the next ranking because the effects of publicity seem to be a week behind when the actual publicity takes place - which, I suppose, only makes sense. We shall see...

And -

It's probably also worth noting that IMDb lists the cast members based on their personal STARmeter. Some may be shocked at how high Chole Moretz ranking really is (which is no doubt why her casting has caused the film itself to jump so high).

Here are their rankings (and even though HBC isn't currently listed on IMDb, I'm including her as well):

Johnny Depp ... Barnabas Collins    10

Chloe Moretz ... Carolyn Stoddard    12

Eva Green ... Angelique Bouchard    88

Helena Bonham Carter ... Dr. Julia Hoffman  127

Michael Sheen    173

Michelle Pfeiffer ... Elizabeth Collins Stoddard    328

Jackie Earle Haley ... Willie Loomis    542

Thomas McDonell ... Young Barnabas Collins    1,298

Bella Heathcote ... Victoria Winters    2,275

Gulliver McGrath ... David Collins    12,591

- the actors have been playing a bit of musical rankings themselves. They currently place:

Johnny Depp ... Barnabas Collins    7

Helena Bonham Carter ... Dr. Julia Hoffman (rumored)   78

Chloe Moretz ... Carolyn Stoddard    113

Michael Sheen ... Roger Collins    155

Eva Green ... Angelique Bouchard    206

Michelle Pfeiffer ... Elizabeth Collins Stoddard    477

Thomas McDonell ... Young Barnabas Collins    566

Jackie Earle Haley ... Willie Loomis    910

Bella Heathcote ... Victoria Winters    4,091

Gulliver McGrath ... David Collins    27,296

with

Gabriel Freilich ... Hippie 3 (uncredited)   59,774

Depp, Bonham Carter, Sheen, McDonell, and Freilich (who was down at 119,426 before his casting) have all risen (McDonell quite significantly), while Moretz, Green, Pfeiffer, Haley, Heathcote, and McGrath have fallen.

[David]

Prom's a box office bomb, BTW.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

As far as the Depp/DS film goes, it doesn't really matter how Prom does - all that might matter to us is what sort of reviews Thomas McDonell is getting - and he's garnering great reviews. That being said, though, I don't know if one can say Prom is a bomb simply based on one day's estimates. But even if it doesn't reach its predicted $8 million take for the weekend, it's not like it won't easily make its money back because it only cost $10 million to make. I suspect Disney will come away with a nice profit - especially once the DVD is released...

[joe integlia]

not surprised to hear that PROM is bombing. McDonnell was great but the story wasn't.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

This reviewer seems to think Thomas McDonell is a cross between Keanu Reeves and Depp: Prom – Movie Review. I haven't seen enough of him to comment. But the review also references DS and says there's not one poor performance in Prom.

And while we're on the subject of McDonell, with regard to the Depp/DS film, once again he's said "It’s filming right now": Thomas McDonell Interview - JustJared.com Exclusive. Who knows? Either he has no idea what he's talking about or they really are filming - something. But who the hell knows what? I wouldn't consider things like the camera tests like the ones that fabric place said were upcoming (before they had to stop supplying info because of the confidentiality agreement they'd signed) to be filming. Filming is actually something that's intended to be in the film...

[michael c]

with the inclusion of a young barnabas i wonder if the intention here is to have Depp "launch" a DS franchise and then movie into a 'twilight" type series with Mcdonell in the lead as a teen heartthrob.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I just saw on collinwood.net's DS News Page that Bella Heathcote tweeted on April 25th that she had two weeks left before going to London, which I suppose would put her in London on May 9th, so apparently she's not filming yet. She also tweeted on the 26th: "I am counting down my days till London very excited Tim Burton again some one please pinch me".

Also, checking out her other tweets I discovered that the dark haired Victoria purists should be happy because it looks like Bella has dark hair again. Check out this photo she posted on the 26th: Liam and Chris Hemsworth. All across fandom I can hear a sigh of relief that Victoria won't be blonde again.    She might be a waitress instead of a governess - but she won't be blonde.  

[michael c]

has it been confirmed that vicki will be a waitress or are we still going on the old "variety" postings?

with david on board and a much younger carolyn i would have thought they'd need a governess up at collinwood.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Beyond the facts that Depp is starring as Barnabas, Burton is directing, Seth Grahame-Smith and John August wrote the script, the film will be shot at Pinewood Studios, and the names of some of the key behind the scenes personnel, practically nothing has been confirmed. The only other things that we know for sure are that Bella Heathcote, Eva Green, Chloe Moretz, Jackie Earle Haley, and Thomas McDonell will be appearing in the film - but only because they've said as much in interviews and/or tweets. None of the other actors have said anything for certain and all the reports simply said they were "in talks" to appear. They probably are going to be in the film, but nothing has been said for certain. And when it comes to the plot of the film it's mostly all rumor. I tend to trust Variety's and the Hollywood Reporter's actual reports (as opposed to their blogs) more than any of the other Web sites that have reported on the film, so we can possibly believe that Elizabeth hasn't left Collinwood for 10 years and that Victoria is a waitress - but who knows? Some day, hopefully, we will know. But who the hell knows when that day will be? And as I keep saying, I'm certain that Burton is thrilled to death that we know so little for sure. Otherwise he wouldn't have people signing confidentiality agreements...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Oops - I forgot to add that Thomas McDonell said that he's looking forward to meeting Helena Bonham Carter and Michelle Pfeiffer, so that should mean that they're also in the film. But then he's also said that the film is already shooting even though there's been no real indication that it is. In fact, everything has been saying not until May. So once again, who knows?

[Mysterious Benefactor]

In another blow to Thomas McDonell's credibility on the film is already shooting front, I see where deadline.com is reporting today that Graham King Films "is about to start production on the Tim Burton-directed Johnny Depp-starrer Dark Shadows": GK Films Hires Focus Exec Kahli Small

However, on the IMDb MOVIEmeter front, McDonell's recent publicity did help the Depp/DS film to rise to 804.

[jimbo]

Myentertainmentworld.com website reported today that the shooting date is now May 15. We shall see.
DARK SHADOWS - May 15, 2011 - UK; Details Are only Available By Subscription.. STORY: The film is about Barnabas Collins, a vampire who lives in an isolated manor house in the sleepy seaboard town of Collinsport, Maine. (Posted: March 16, 2010. Revised: May 2, 2011)