Audio Drama Recording Continues

The Dark Shadows cast were back in the studio in Los Angeles this weekend, as recording on the new series of full-cast audio dramas continues. Jerry Lacy, Kathryn Leigh Scott, John Karlen and Andrew Collins will be heard in the four-part miniseries, Dark Shadows: Kingdom of the Dead, due out in July.

The new CDs are available to pre-order online here, plus series co-writer Eric Wallace has been busy documenting the recording sessions on his blog, which can be viewed here.

Johnny Depp's Dark Shadows Hopes

In a press junket for his new movie Alice in Wonderland, Johnny Depp has spoken about the upcoming Dark Shadows feature film. The project's status has seemed uncertain of late, with Depp's commitment to the new Pirates of the Caribbean film, On Stranger Tides, which is due to shoot later this summer.

Depp confirmed that Dark Shadows is "coming along now", adding that "I see it going [into production] this year. I hope it does." To read the complete interview, click here.

New Audio Dramas for 2010

Big Finish Productions have announced a number of new titles in their series of Dark Shadows audio dramas, with five new Dramatic Readings and a new four-part full-cast series due out in 2010.

The full-cast stories return in July with a four-part serial Kingdom of the Dead, picking up from the cliffhanger ending of The Rage Beneath. Recording has taken place in Los Angeles, New York and London. Confirmed cast members include David Selby (Quentin), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie), John Karlen (Willie), with Nancy Barrett (Carolyn), Marie Wallace (Eve), Lysette Anthony (1991 Angelique) and Alec Newman (2004 Barnabas) making guest appearances.

Kingdom of the Dead is written by Stuart Manning and Eric Wallace, and directed by Darren Gross. It will be available from July as a limited edition box set, or as four individual CDs from July to October. To pre-order online, click here.

The two-hander Dramatic Readings continue with Final Judgement, available now, followed by an additional four titles in the coming months. April sees the release of Blood Dance by Stephen Mark Rainey, starring David Selby and Lisa Richard (Sabrina Stuart), which features Quentin in prohibition-era Chicago.

Other stories in preparation include The Doll House by Torchwood and Being Human novelist James Goss and London's Burning by Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures script writer Joseph Lidster. For more information on these stories, click here. To pre-order upcoming stories on CD and download, click here. Listeners can also follow the productions on the Big Finish Dark Shadows Facebook Group.

2010 Festival Update

The Dark Shadows Festival has issued an update on its 2010 event, taking place on July 16-18 at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel & Convention centre in Burbank, CA. Guests include Jonathan Frid (Barnabas), David Selby (Quentin), Lara Parker (Angelique), John Karlen (Willie) and, making a debut appearance, Kathleen Cody (Hallie Stokes). There will also be an "extra-special pre-convention event" taking place on the Friday afternoon before the convention, and the Festival encourages fans to arrive on Thursday 15, so as not to miss out.

The Festival has arranged a discount rate at the convention hotel for the event of $129 per night plus tax (valid Thursday-Sunday). To reserve a room, call 1-818-843-6000 (Ask for Reservations Department). You must mention Dark Shadows to get the discount rate.

Actor Updates

• David Selby (Quentin) was a recent guest on Canadian talk show Unscripted. The episode can be viewed online here. He's also due to appear in the upcoming story of Facebook movie The Social Network, scripted by The West Wing's Aaron Sorkin.
• Lisa Richards (Sabrina) is currently on stage at the Pittsburgh Playhouse in Pulitzer Prize-winning drama The Buried Child, which runs from February 5-21. For more information, click here.
• Julianna McCarthy (1991 Mrs Johnson) guested in the February 2 episode of CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles. The episode can be viewed online here.

Dark Shadows Movie Update

In an interview with Collider.com, Dark Shadows movie producer Graham King has updated the status of the proposed feature film, set to star Johnny Depp as Barnabas. Contrary to earlier indications, King says that filming is not due to begin until 2011, as work continues on the script.

"I know that Johnny is dying to do it and passionate to do it..." says King, adding that production cannot progress "until everyone feels that the script is in a good place." As previously reported, John August has been working on the screenplay for Dark Shadows.

To read the full interview, click here.