Legendary director Tim Burton’s next project is Dark Shadows starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Johnny Depp, and new stills from the project have been released online, ahead of the movie’s May 2012 release, with both of its stars looking more than a little macabre.
The picture tells the tale of an ancient vampire, played by Depp, who tries to reconnect with his descendants, having spent the two centuries before in a tomb.
Pfeiffer takes the part of one of these relatives, and, as you would expect, and as at least one of the images reveals, the reunion is not a happy, smooth-running affair.
Burton, who is the partner of English actor Helena Bonham-Carter, has a reputation for dark and quirky-themed movies, from Edward Scissorhands to Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd. This latest venture is no exception, and seems to have all of Burton’s trademark weirdness.
“It’s got such a strange vibe,” he explained in an interview. “All the cast got into the weird spirit of what Dark Shadows was. It has a sense of heightened melodrama: we just had to feel our way through it to find the tone.”
Burton is also reportedly toying with the idea of returning to another Gothic classic with the production of another Beetlejuice movie.
He enthused, “I love that character and Michael Keaton is so great in it.”
Apparently, Burton has told Seth Grahame-Smith to show him any new ideas he may have for a new Beetlejuice project, and the screenwriter seemed delighted at the prospect of being involved.
Photo © Phuong Nguyen – Fotolia.com