Originally airing from 1966–1971, the Dan Curtis-created TV series "Dark Shadows" brought, and continues to bring, horror fans together for afternoons in the the Collinwood Mansion, where the vampire Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid) and his family were forced to deal with both treacherous humans and monsters.
Now, Deadline reports that the series is ready for new blood, as The CW and Warner Bros. TV are developing "Dark Shadows: Reincarnation," a sequel series to the original "Dark Shadows".
The pilot for the hour-long gothic horror drama will be written by Mark B. Perry (Revenge, Ghost Whisperer).
The site reports that 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."
Deadline also notes that "the intention here is to hearken back to the original."
"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," Perry expressed. "And while I could never hope to fill Dan Curtis’ very large shoes, I do aspire to carry thema 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.’"
This isn't the first time that a new version of "Dark Shadows" has been in the works, as Curtis himself attempted to revive "Dark Shadows" in a 1995 series and 2005 telepic, and Tim Burton also directed a campy feature on the subject, which was released in 2012. The documentary, Master of Dark Shadows, was also released earlier this year.
Source: Deadline