Dark Shadows just got a little hotter! According to the Hollywood Reporter, Michelle Pfeiffer is in talks to join the adaptation as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the head of the Collins family in the soap opera from the 60s. She joins Johnny Depp, Jackie Earle Haley, Eva Green, Bella Heatcote, and Helen Bonham Carter for director Tim Burton.

I wonder if Burton will be going ultra serious or will have a more lighthearted/dark comedy tone to Dark Shadows. I can only assume that Warner Brothers wants to launch this into a series of movies, and not just a stand alone piece.

I have an undying love for Pfeiffer and I’ll watch anything she does. She last teamed up with Tim Burton on Batman Returns, where she was the only bright spot in the otherwise disappointing sequel.  Pfeiffer is currently filming two projects, the star-studded (and likely awful) anthology flick New Year’s Eve and Welcome to People, which costars Elizabeth Banks, Olivia Wilde, and Chris Pine.

It looks like Warner Brothers and Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows remake is coming together very nicely.  First Burton cast his good luck charm Johnny Deep in the leading role of Barnabas Collins, followed this week by news of Eva Green possibly signing on to portray Angelique, the witch that curses Barnabas with the vampiric curse. Now we can add three more names into the mix…

Watchmen‘s Jackie Earle Haley is in talks to portray Willie Loomis, Australian actress Bella Heathcoate is up for Victoria Winters, and Burton’s gal pal and one of my favorite working actresses, Helena Bonham Carter is “in talks” for the role of Dr. Julia Hoffman (by in talks we can assume that she has been cast in the role from the beginning, no way should Burton do any films without Carter).

For those unfamiliar with the classic series, Willie Loomis is a violent drifter that releases Barnabas Collins from his coffin and sorta becomes his manservant.  Haley has the right creepiness to make this role even more memorable than it could be. Victoria Winters is the innocent “good next door” type that serves to bring the audience into the world of Dark Shadows. She is a governess with a mysterious past. In various incarnations of the series she has been portrayed by Alexandra Moltke, Betsy Durkin, Carolyn Groves, Joanna Going, and most recently in 2004 by Marley Shelton in a failed television pilot by the WB. Dr. Julia Hoffman is a human character that attempts to cure Barnabas of his vampirism among other things over the very long history of the series. It’ll nice for a change to see Carter in a role that is more normal. Right off that bat you’d think that Burton would cast him as an evil vampire or crazy witch.

The movie begins shooting in April, so we can expect to see a lot more casting news in the near future.

Flash back to the mid-90s when we almost got Superman Lives, an abomination of a movie that was set to be directed by Tim Burton with Nicolas Cage as Superman, and of course Jon Peters producing. We’ve gotten so many stories about giant spiders, fighting polar bears, merging Lex Luthor and Brainiac into a new villain called Lexiac, Superman not allowed to fly, and the unforgettable idea about Luthor’s cuddly space dog (what villain shouldn’t have a cuddly space dog).

In the past we’ve seen some concept art from the project, but now, thanks to special effects designer Steve Johnson we have our first real photos of tests that were done for the film. Included in the mix are different suits that Superman would have worn in the movie. They wanted to have Superman in the traditional suit for as little as possible. Burton wanted him to look more alien and for the movie to be dark and creepy. One thing common about all of the designs is that they aren’t fit for Superman, that is for sure. Click on the image to be taken to Steve Johnson’s gallery over on Facebook.

Cinespia is hosting a free screening of the scariest film from my childhood, Tim Burton’s “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure”. The screening is part of their summer Cemetery Screenings at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

The screening is on Saturday, September 13. The gates open at 6:30pm with dj Carlos Nino spinning music before the film starts at 8pm. While it is a “free Screening”, they ask for a 10 dollar donation at the door. Hollywood Forever Cemetery is located at 6000 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles.

The event’s official description: “Our annual screening of this comedy classic is back! The genius of actor and writer Paul Reubens, aka Pee Wee Herman, has been cherished for generations and made this one of the best loved films of the 80s. The brilliant collaboration of Pee Wee and director Tim Burton is one of the most original films ever made, and one of the most hilarious! When pee wee’s prize possession is ruthlessly stolen, he embarks on a cross country adventure, encountering one of the strangest and funniest casts of characters.”

For more information, you can out Cinespia’s official website.