Dark Shadows: Reincarnation (The CW)

[Sawyer]

Dark Shadows CW, Warner Bros Television Pilot Script Mark B. Perry – Deadline

The re-imagined show will be a modern-day continuation of the strange, terrifying, and sexy saga of the Collins family of Collinsport, Maine — a mysterious, influential, publicity-shy group hiding a ghastly secret: For the past 400 years, they’ve lived under a curse that bedevils their blue blood with every imaginable supernatural creature and horror. The intention here is to harken back to the original, which was so popular it actually saw Shakespearean actor Jonathan Fridbecome as popular in the teen magazines as the young heartthrobs of the moment, for his role as the vampire Barnabas Collins.

As a kid, Perry ran home from school to catch the gothic soap — it aired each weekday after school — and for the past two years had been aggressively pursuing the rights.

Said Perry: “As a first-generation fan, it’s been a dream of mine to give Dark Shadows the Star Trek treatment since way back in the ’80s when Next Generation was announced, so I’m beyond thrilled and humbled to be entrusted with this resurrection. And while I could never hope to fill Dan Curtis’ very large shoes, I do aspire to carry them a little farther into the future. I also want to reassure the fans of the original that this version will treat the show’s mythology with the same reverence given to Star Trek, but will also make the show accessible for audiences who aren’t yet familiar with the macabre world of the Collinses. My plan is to take as few liberties as possible with the Dark Shadows canon, while bearing in mind a quote from a 1970s episode delivered by the inimitable Oscar-nominee Grayson Hall as Dr. Julia Hoffman: ‘The Collins family history is not particularly famous for its accuracy.’”

Yes please.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I was there until I saw 'CW'. I see this becoming another YA targeted, 'beautiful people' relationship drama. With vampires.

I look forward to seeing who they cast as Barnabas Collins. Thank **** Amell's got that wrestling drama coming up.

 

[sueb1863]

Part of the original show's charm was the fact that they only had enough money to shoot every scene once, which made it more or less a live show. It didn't matter if the actors forgot a line (Frid was notorious for this), microphones were in the shot, or you could very clearly see the big drums that were used to add smoke or dry ice fog behind the scenery - they had to use the shot.

Somehow when they have a big budget, it's just not the same.

And didn't they already do a reboot back in the 1990s with Ben Cross as Barnabas?

 

[Sawyer]

I was there until I saw 'CW'. I can see this becoming another YA targeted, 'beautiful people' relationship drama. With vampires.

If it's anywhere near The Originals, it's better than you've deserve.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

If it's anywhere near The Originals, it's better than you've deserve.

Never saw it.

 

[Teelie]

And didn't they already do a reboot back in the 1990s with Ben Cross as Barnabas?

And a movie with Johnny Depp.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

And a movie with Johnny Depp.

I went into the cinema with such hopes for that

 

[Sawyer]

I kind of enjoy the movie in an Addams Family kind of way (plus I loved Elfman's score), but I get why the fans weren't happy.

 

[Deck Rickard]

I never actually saw the old show but I remember really enjoying the revival with Ben Cross. I remember being sad that it didn’t make it. I did see House of Dark Shadows, the film with Frid that was made after the TV show. It was okay, but kind of your run-of-the-mill vampire movie and Barnabas wasn’t very interesting in it. I tried watching the Depp movie and found it an agonizing experience.

I wouldn’t expect much out of this TV show, but maybe it could work.

 

[sueb1863]

The movie was a huge misstep. Fans wanted a straight adaptation and they got a campy comedy that basically made fun of the show.

Depp would have been great as Barnabas in a serious retelling. They sure missed their chance.

 

[Sithborg]

Sadly, that was still within his Jack Sparrow phase, so he was a terrible choice.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

The movie was a huge misstep. Fans wanted a straight adaptation and they got a campy comedy that basically made fun of the show.

Depp would have been great as Barnabas in a serious retelling. They sure missed their chance.

Exactly this

 

[Pennywise]

Matt's Inside Line: Scoop on Titans, Virgin River, Supernatural, S.W.A.T., Chicago Fire, Dark Shadows and More

Any word on that Dark Shadows reboot announced a while back? –Andrew
Dark Shadows: Resurrections — which would have been a continuation of the 1969-71 cult classic, catching up with the supernatural Collins family in modern-day Collinsport, Maine — never made it to the pilot stage and at this point is no longer in development at The CW.