Tim Burton remains on board to direct from a screenplay by Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter author Seth Grahame-Smith. John August had written the previous script.
One assumes that the film will retell the origin of Barnabas Collins, with Collinwood handy man Willie Loomis inadvertently freeing him from his chained coffin, at which point he tries passing himself off as a cousin from England. It's easy to imagine Depp's performance as a man out of time who is desperately trying to figure out where and when he is and fitting in as though he belongs.
Dark Shadows has appeared on the big screen twice before in the form of 1970's House of Dark Shadows and 1971's Night of Dark Shadows.
The character of Barnabas was originated by Jonathan Frid on the soap opera, and was portrayed by Ben Cross in a 1991 prime time version and Alec Newman in a 2004 pilot that didn't go to series.
Below are a couple of covers from Dark Shadows comic books, just one example of the merchandise created around the franchise.
