Johnny Depp was born to play Barnabas Collins of the Dark Shadows series. Depp, who confesses in interviews to being a long-time fan of the show, has stated that he had as a child wanted to be Barnabas Collins. Now, he may have his chance to play the mysterious gothic vampire character in a film adapted from the original supernatural soap opera.
New Dark Shadows Film in the Works
A rights deal recently closed with the estate of Dan Curtis, the creator of the original Dark Shadows. Depp’s film production company Infinitum-Nihil and GK films have teamed with Warner Brothers to produce the new film. A script for the film rendition of the popular and long-running 1960s soap opera is definitely in the works. It comes as no surprise that Tim Burton, who has teamed with Depp before to create other dark masterpieces, will be director of the new film, which is planned to be released sometime in 2011.
The Original Dark Shadows Series
The original Dark Shadows TV series aired from 1966 to 1971. It was the first soap opera to have a supernatural atmosphere. Much like a traditional gothic romance novel, it centered around heroine governess Victoria Winter’s arrival at Collinwood Mansion to tutor 10-year old David. She finds the haunted mansion filled with creaks and groans and dark atmosphere. A haunting portrait of a mysterious woman named Josette plays a strong role in the storyline, who turns out to be Barnabas’s long-lost love.
Episode 211 marks the arrival of Barnabas Collins, originally played by Johnathan Frid. He cut a striking figure in his flowing black cloak, signet ring, and silver wolf’s head cane. After he is released from his coffin, the nearly 200 year old vampire arrives at Collinwood claiming to to be an English relative who bears a marked resemblance to his 18th century ancestor.
Because the series ran from 1966-1971 and incorporated a wealth of storylines, subplots and material which included werewolves, witches and parallel universes, it will be interesting to find out what parts will be left in the film and what will have to be taken out. One thing is for certain. The role of Barnabas Collins is one that will suit Depp well. Johnny Depp has played many dark characters in films before such as Edward Scissorhands, From Hell's Inspector Frederick Abberline, and Sweeney Todd.
Previous Films Based on Dark Shadows Series
In the past, several films were made based on the Dark Shadows series, including the 1970 House of Dark Shadows and the 1971 Night of Dark Shadows. In 1991, a short-lived television sequel was produced starring Ben Cross as Barnabas. Though it has been off the air a long time, Dark Shadows continues to have a strong fan base, one that is hungry to see a good rendition of a much-loved story. Though previous remakes have been fairly unsuccessful, this one just may be a winner.
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