According to The Hollywood Reporter, it looks as though Tim Burton and Johnny Deep’s next project will indeed be the long-expected DARK SHADOWS feature film.
As a child, Johnny Depp was a big fan of the the Dan Curtis produced Gothic soap opera, which featured the tragic and romantic vampire Barnabas Collins, played with theatrical èlan by series star Johnathan Frid.
The ABC show was the cross-generational TWILIGHT of the late 1960’s – early 70’s, attracting children, and teens, who would rush home to watch its mix of monsters and the mundane, as well as the adult women who were the usual audience for afternoon dramas.
Several years back, Warners Brothers had made an abortive pilot for the WB Network, which is now merged with the remains of of UPN as The CW Network.
Now, after three or more years of development, Warners has set an April 2011 start date for the project. The screenplay was written by John August, with the latest draft by Seth Grahame-Smith.
Richard Zanuck, Graham King and Christi Dembrowski are set to produce.
In addition to the original half-hour daytime series, Dan Curtis made two modestly budgeted feature films HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (1970) and NIGHT OF DARK SHADOWS (1971) for MGM.
In 1991, NBC ran a revived 60-minute version of the series starring Ben Cross as Barnabas Collins. Despite generally favorable reactions, the Dan Curtis/MGM Television show— often interrupted or pre-empted by Gulf War coverage—only lasted a single season.
Tag: SUPERNATURAL
'The Sandman' to Dream on TV?
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Neil Gaiman’s comic books series The Sandman is in development as a TV series by Warner Brothers Televsion.
It’s early days yet, rights to the property have to be worked out with DC Entertainment, and thus far creator Gaiman has not been involved.
The article indicates that Eric Kripke, who created had produced the first five years of Warner’s SUPERNATURAL for the CW Network is favored to be the show-runner.
Neil Gaiman’s version of The Sandman ran from 1989 until 1996, 75 issues under both the DC and Vertigo imprint. Dealing only rarely with the DC universe of superheroes and villains, it explored instead themes of horror, fantasy and mythology. It followed the experiences of Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, part of the family of the Endless. They are the embodiments of Destiny, Death, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium.
BLEACH Features On Adult Swim
Viz Media asks us to remind folks that Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim will be showing the two BLEACH feature length films on Saturday, August 14th at 1:00 am and 3:00 am.
Or wouldn’t that be actually be Sunday morning? Set your DVRs or stay up (or stagger in) to watch, if you’re a fan.
BLEACH THE MOVIE: MEMORIES OF NOBODY begins as unidentified beings known as “Blanks” start popping up. They are soon followed by a Soul Reaper named Senna who makes them disappear. Puzzled by these unknown beings and the even more mysterious girl, Ichigo and Rukia set out to learn more, but uncover an evil plot when a menacing clan tries to kidnap Senna. Banished from the Soul Society long ago, the clan’s leader has sent sending the World of the Living and the Soul Society on a collision course, and Senna seems to be the key to his diabolical plot for revenge. Can Ichigo and his fellow Soul Reapers save the two worlds from annihilation?
BLEACH THE MOVIE 2: THE DIAMOND DUST REBELLION continues the action-packed adventures of Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki. After the treasured Ouin is stolen, Toshiro Hitsugaya disappears and becomes suspected of treason. When the Soul Society calls for his capture and execution, Substitute Soul Reaper Ichigo Kurosaki vows to prove Hitsugaya’s innocence. Will the secret of the Ouin and Captain Hitsugaya’s motives be revealed before his honor, his life, and the Soul Society are destroyed?
The BLEACH manga and animated series follows the adventures of Ichigo, a 15-year old student with the ability to see ghosts. When his family is attacked by a Hollow — a malevolent lost soul – Ichigo encounters Rukia, a Soul Reaper, and inadvertently absorbs her powers. Now, he’s dedicating his life to protecting the innocent and helping tortured souls find peace.
Nicolas Cage to Reprise GHOST RIDER
Last night on THE LATE, LATE SHOW With Craig Ferguson, guest Nicolas Cage revealed that the GHOST RIDER sequel was going foward, and that he had just made the deal that day to reprise his role as Johnny Blaze.
At that point my digital cable froze up, but Superherohype reports that Cage further went on to confirm that CRANK directors Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor will be at the helm of the new Marvel Comics supernatural hero film.
On the show to promote THE SORCERER’S APPRENTICE (pictured, currently in theaters) Cage seemed quite enthusiastic about the role, joking with Ferguson about putting the host’s cheesey flaming skull prop in the movie, or arranging a cameo in return for the gift of the skull.
Though not a critical favorite, the box office returns on the first GHOST RIDER appear to justify another film to the players involved.
The CW's Fall Genre Premieres
–Plus NIKITA Clip & MOONLIGHT–
Here’s a rundown on The CW Networks season premieres from the press release, including their new version of the female super-spy NIKITA, based on LA FEMME NIKITA.
Check out this preview video clip from the upcoming show.
On Thursday, September 9, the network’s #1 show, THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) returns for a second season and leads into new action-drama series NIKITA (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET). NIKITA stars international action-film star and martial arts expert Maggie Q (“Mission Impossible III”) in the title role as a spy and assassin for a top secret U.S. government agency, who rebels against the system that created her and will stop at nothing to bring their powerful operation to an end.On Friday, September 24, SMALLVILLE (8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) kicks-off its tenth and final season with the non-stop action and classic DC Comics characters viewers love, followed by the sixth season of SUPERNATURAL (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET).
And tonight on MOONLIGHT, the short-lived CBS vampire show, which the CW is buring off in its ‘Summer Season’:
“Mick (Alex O’Loughlin) hunts a teenaged vampire who is preying on female escorts he finds on the Internet. Meanwhile, Mick and Beth (Sophia Myles) try to avoid each other after sharing an intimate moment. Shannyn Sossamon and Jason Dohring also star.
ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT — Michael Fields directed the episode written by Chip Johannessen.”
Laserblast, June 15: Book of Eli, Supernatural, Sanctuary, The Stepfather
Tuesday June 15 sees the home video release of the box office hit THE BOOK OF ELI, along with season collections of the TV series SUPERNATURAL and SANCTUARY, plus a new Blu-ray release of THE STEPFATHER (1987). BOOK OF ELI – the post-apocalyptic adventure, starring Denzel Washington and directed by the Hughes Brothers – earned over $150-million world wide when it was released in theatres this January; it now arrives on DVD and in a combo pack containing Blu-ray, DVD and a Digital Copy. The Blu-ray is loaded with bonus features: a bonus view track providing an in-depth examination of the production; 35 minutes of focus points; an animated short; three featurettes looking at the film and its soundtrack; 3 deleted/alternate scenes; the disc is alos BD-Live enabled.
If you’re more a television fan, you can pick up SUPERNATURAL: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON on Blu-ray; it was previously released on DVD back in 2006. Also arriving SANCTUARY: THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON, on DVD and Blu-ray. For more details on the later, click here.
THE STEPFATHER was the subject of an unnecessary remake last year. Now the original, starring Terry O’Quinn (LOST) makes a reappearance courtesy of a new Blu-ray release. There was a DVD release last October, timed to the remake; the Blu-ray ports over those bonus features: audio commentary with director Joseph Ruben; The Stepfather Chronicles (an all-new retrospective featuring interviews with cast and crew); trailers; stills gallery. Although not a huge hit when released in the ’80s, THE STEPFATHER is a classic thriller that deserves to be seen.
As for the rest, budget-minded buyers can take advantage of discount double bills of DRILLER with DRILLER KILLER and SNAKES ON A TRAIN” with KING OF THE LOST WORLD. Really budget-minded buyers can obtain four titles from low-budget filmmaker Brett piper in the SHOCK-O-RAMA HORROR COLLECTION. And horror host Mr. Lobo strikes again with a Cinema Insomnia Slime Edition of GAMERA SUPER MONSTERS (1980), the final entry in the original series about the giant flying turtle, which relies heavily on stock footage from its predecessors.
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