Warner Bros hides Tim Burton's Dark Shadows

[romantico]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 7:20pm

UPDATE:

There's a new Tim Burton coming out from Warner Bros. in just over two months. Aside from a couple stills and some half hearted interview statements from the cast and Mr. Burton, we haven't heard or seen a thing from it. No posters, no trailers,no TV spots, nothing. It's October of 1996, and I'm of course referring to Mars Attacks!. Many of my readers are too young to remember way-back-when, but the near absence of marketing materials for Tim Burton's $80 million private joke (which today plays like half blockbuster deconstruction and half-right wing political fantasy) was a source of frustration for a 16-year old Tim Burton fan who was eagerly awaiting that first preview. Today we stand in the same boat with another Warner Bros-funded Tim Burton 'comedy'. But just over fifteen years later, what was a source of frustration is now a pleasant surprise.

Nine weeks to go, and I really don't need to see an onslaught of spoiler-filled marketing materials for the upcoming Dark Shadows. Ten weeks to go, and I have absolutely no idea what kind of film Tim Burton and his merry band have delivered. I don't know what it looks like, what the tone is, or all-that much about the plot. And in this era of 'spoil the movie a year in advance', that's a special thing indeed.

Whether because Warner Bros. didn't know how to sell the sci-fi horror/comedy or because they saw the writing on the wall and tried to limit their financial losses, the studio waited until 4 weeks prior to release to unleash that first Mars Attacks! trailer. Attached to Space Jam, the 2.5-minute trailer was pretty much all we saw of the film in America, aside from a TV spot or two until Thanksgiving weekend, when Warner Bros. held a national sneak preview. I attended that sneak preview, loved the hell out of the movie, and spent the next two weeks trying (in vain) to convince friends and peers that it was absolutely worth checking out. But, in retrospect, it was a pretty stupid idea for Warner Bros to sneak a genuine cult film so that the few die-hards could see it two weeks early and not contribute one dime to the box office (all ticket sales went to Space Jam, which played for free afterward). But come what may, the ad campaign only got serious the week before release, with a single TV spot playing in heavy rotation before it (not surprisingly in hindsight) crashed and burned with just under $9 million on opening weekend.

(more)

http://www.hollywoodnews.com/2012/03/04/warner-bros-hides-tim-burtons-dark-shadows/

Updated On: 3/4/12 at 07:20 PM

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 7:30pm

I loved the tv show when I was a kid!

Can picture Depp as Barnabas.

[nmartin]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 7:40pm

Thanks for posting. I didn't know about this. I used to race home from school to watch Dark Shadows.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 1:20am

NO! Enough! No More! Seriously! Let me guess Helena playing is Victoria?

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:02am

I'm glad they're trying something different.

At least we won't have to watch some dark, twisted, almost black-and-white set with Depp wearing pale makeup and acting all etherial ...

... oh, wait.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:36am

Zzzzzzzzz...

Alice in Wonderland turned me off Burton until he tries something new.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 12:23pm

I'm annoyed that this is delaying the beginning of filming of Burton's Maleficent.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 2:19pm

I wonder who Tim Burton will get to do the score?

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 7:43pm

GOOD GOD NO!

I loved Dark Shadows and do not want to see it Tim Burtonized!

My friends and I watched the show every day after school. I had the Dark Shadows board game. We all had a crush on Quentin.

For English class we had to do a group skit. We chose to do a scene from Dark Shadows. To the music from my DS album, I played Barnabas (the short hair in the group) going after Angelique. Nowadays a snerty student would have captured the skit on a cell phone and posted it on YouTube.

Actually I would rather see a student YouTube tribute than Tim Burton's vision of Barnabas... which I'm guessing will resemble Jim Carrey in A Series of Unfortunate Events.

Please...no.

[fflagg]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:21pm

If it happens:

1. use the score done by the late, great Robert Cobert!
2. shoot in b/w.
3. casting will be important:

a. Angelique: Angelina Jolie
b. Vicki: someone bland and simpering, like Jennifer Garner
c. Elizabeth: Annette Bening
d. Roger: Kevin Spacey
e. David: who cares?
f. Dr. Julia Hoffman: Joan Allen
g. Carolyn: Britney Spears :))

[Q]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 8:35pm

"I used to race home from school to watch Dark Shadows."

nmartin - me, too

[romantico]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 10:33am

Filming starts in February.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/scifimediazone/news/?a=23619

I just hope Tim Burton's vision of Barnabas Collins does not have pink hair and purple eyes.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 12:07pm

Sorry I will not have Burton ruin the fine memories I have of Dark Shadows. I have had my fill of the Burton/Depp/ Girl friend (wife du Jour) with a score by Elfman crappola he has been shoveling out constantly.

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 12:38pm

After Sweeney, I am kind of over Tim Burton. If I see this, it will be a rental.

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 12:39pm

I'm annoyed that this is delaying the beginning of filming of Burton's Maleficent.

I'm not. Unless he suddenly gets a whole new bag of tricks, Burton best stay away from Maleficent.

[romantico]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 1:57pm

Tim Burton has become George Lucas. Making $$$ Is all he cares about nowadays.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 3:26pm

I'll take Tim Burton's bag of tricks over Christopher Nolan's, Rob Marshall's, or Zack Snyder's.

Or basically most of the name directors out there right now.

[fflagg]

Posted: 10/13/10 at 11:26pm

If Burton had guts he would shoot it in b/w and use the original score by Robert Cobert.

[SNAFU]

Posted: 10/14/10 at 1:30am

If Burton had guts, he would cast someone other then Depp as Barnabas.

[romantico]

Posted: 9/13/11 at 11:11pm

I don't know. I'm reacting like I did the first time I saw Johnny as the Mad Hatter. Thoughts?

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=82067

[clever name]

Posted: 9/13/11 at 11:53pm

Is that him as Barnabas or Michael Jackson?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 9/13/11 at 11:54pm

Dark Shadows was not in Black and White during its successful seasons.

I say Fear No Art. We'll always have our memories of rushing home to watch the continuing saga of Collinwood. No new version will ever change that. Did the 1990 night time edition with Ben Cross erase your memories? What? I'm sorry, what were we talking about?

[Craig]

Posted: 9/14/11 at 4:20pm

Will wait before judging - but gut just sunk at this news - esp after they both destroyed Charlie and the Chocolate factory.

So - anyone taking bets if this will be in 3D?

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/15/11 at 9:47am

All I see in that photo is "Barnabas Wonka, the Scissorhands Barber of Wonderland."

Updated On: 9/15/11 at 09:47 AM

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 9/15/11 at 10:20am

"Barnabas Wonka, the Scissorhands Barber of Wonderland Hollow."

Fixed it.