New director, first casting for DARK SHADOWS

[darthzirock]

Creature Corner, citing an item on the Collinwood DARK SHADOWS site, reports that P.J. Hogan has taken over the directorial reins on the WB’s new reincarnation of DARK SHADOWS. Hogan, whose credits include mostly lighter fare like MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING and the recent PETER PAN, replaces X FILES veteran Rob Bowman, who dropped out due to commitments to the DAREDEVIL spinoff film ELEKTRA that he’s doing for Fox. In addition, the site says that Marley Shelton and Ivana Milicevic are the first actresses cast in the show, taking the roles of Victoria Winters and the evil witch Angelique respectively. Shelton’s credits include the lead role in the slasher flick VALENTINE and a duplicitous princess in Ronny Yu’s fantasy WARRIORS OF VIRTUE; model-turned-actress Milicevic has guested on BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER and other shows and appeared in films including VANILLA SKY.

OK, so we still don't know who playing Barnabas Collins, yet. I wonder how young they'll go with the part. Both previous Barnabas actors (Jonathan Frid and Ben Cross) were middle-aged, but I'm guessing that The WB is going to go younger--early 30s at the very least, since Marley Shelton is 29. Then again, why not just get Borreanaz?

[darthzirock]

Television News
An Atreides cast as a vampire in DARK SHADOWS
Alec Newman is the new Barnabas Collins
Dateline: Wednesday, April 7, 2004
By: PATRICK SAURIOL, News Editor
Source: Variety

Filming has begun on the new DARK SHADOWS series, to be broadcast on The WB Network this fall. The cast of the new SHADOWS has now been filled out and starring as the gothic vampire Barnabas Collins is Alec Newman. The Scottish-born actor is best known to genre fans as Paul Atreides in The Sci Fi Channel's adaptations of FRANK HERBERT'S DUNE and CHILDREN OF DUNE. Newman also recently made a guest appearance on another WB series, that being none other than ANGEL. Irony indeed.

The remaining cast members include Marley Shelton as Victoria Winters; Ivana Milicevic as Angelique Winters; Martin Donovan as Roger Collins; Jessica Chastain as Carolyn Stoddard; Matt Czuchy as Willie Loomis; and Alexander Gould as David Collins. PETER PAN director P.J. Hogan is directing the pilot episode and the network is committed to making five more episodes at least.

Well, I was right! The WB went fairly young with Barnabas Collins. I'm not too happy with the casting of Newman, as I thought he was fairly unimpressive in the two SCF Dune movies.

[darthzirock]

Television News
Lady Deathstrike examines vampires
Kelly Hu joins the cast of DARK SHADOWS

Dateline: Wednesday, April 14, 2004

By: PATRICK SAURIOL, News Editor
Source: Variety

Actress Kelly Hu has joined the cast of The WB Network's DARK SHADOWS. Hu will play the part of Dr. Julia Hoffman, a physician that makes the startling discovery that one of her patients is deceased -- because they are a vampire. The character of Dr. Hoffman was originally played by Grayson Hall in the 1966 DARK SHADOWS TV series, then by Barbara Steele in the 1990s version of the show.

Hu, last seen as the captivating and deadly Lady Deathstrike in X2: X-MEN UNITED, also starred in the CBS series MARTIAL LAW and NASH BRIDGES.

Alec Newman, Alexander Gould, Blair Brown, Marley Shelton, Martin Donovan, Ivana Milicevic, Jessica Chastain and Matt Czuchry round out the new DARK SHADOWS cast.

Kelly Yu as Dr. Hoffman? Dr. HOFFMAN??? Um, I think we're starting to take multi-culturalism and ethnic diversity and stretch it waaaay beyond the bounds of belief with this one, folks! Then again ... Yaphet Kotto as a cop named Giardello on HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET never made me bat an eyelash, so maybe it'll work out.

[SithDroid]

Kelly Yu as Dr. Hoffman? Dr. HOFFMAN??? Um, I think we're starting to take multi-culturalism and ethnic diversity and stretch it waaaay beyond the bounds of belief with this one, folks! Then again ... Yaphet Kotto as a cop named Giardello on HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREET never made me bat an eyelash, so maybe it'll work out.

Yeah I agree. But she could be married to a guy named Hoffman, so it could work I guess. Though I sometimes agree that they should cast to type. A perfect example is I just saw Dracula: The Musical in New York and the guy playing Van Helsing was African American. I normally don't have a problem with stuff like that, but come on now Van Helsing . How did he get a a name liek that. And if he had done a decent job the I wouldn't have had a problem at all, but his performance was terrible.