Jonathan Frid Returns as Barnabas

Big Finish Productions have announced that Jonathan Frid will return to the role of Barnabas in The Night Whispers, a new Dark Shadows audio drama. Jonathan recorded his lines last week in Toronto, and the CD will be available in June.

The story also stars John Karlen as Willie Loomis and Barbara Steele (1991 Julia Hoffman) making her audio drama debut as Celeste. Big Finish have posted a teaser trailer for the release on their website, which can be heard here.

Audio Update

Big Finish Productions have been hard at word, as their range of Dark Shadows audio dramas gears up for a bumper crop of releases over the next few months. Out this week is Blood Dance, starring David Selby (Quentin) and Lisa Richards (Sabrina Stuart), which is now available on CD from the Big Finish website.

David also recently recorded London's Burning, which is out in June. The story features Quentin investigating cases of spontaneous human combustion in 1906, accompanied by former Doctor Who actress Louise Jameson as Rosie Faye. Louise is pictured above with the story's writer Joseph Lidster, and regular series sound designer and composer Nigel Fairs.

To keep up with the latest audio news, visit the Dark Shadows Audio Dramas Facebook Group. Big Finish have also posted a special Dark Shadows podcast, featuring writer Joseph Lidster and series producer Stuart Manning discussing the range, with story excerpts and teasers for future release. To hear it, click here.

Imax Treatment for Dark Shadows Movie

As pre-production on the Dark Shadows feature film continues, Warner Bros have announced that the film will be released in conjunction with Imax. The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed that Imax will showcase up to 20 Warner movies in the next three years, including Dark Shadows.

Imax is a high definition format, projected on much larger screens than conventional cinema, and can accommodate 3D movies. In recent years, Warners have released 10 3D titles, though it's unconfirmed that Dark Shadows will be a candidate for 3D treatment.

New Action Figures

Spectre Toys have announced that they are to produce a new range of limited edition Dark Shadows action figures. Each 8-inch scale figure will feature a detailed likeness, with authentic clothing, styled like the famed Mego action figures of the 1970s.

July sees the release of Barnabas Collins, in present day clothing with walking cane, and a 1795 Angelique figure, each limited to 3,000 pieces, available from July. There will also be a Werewolf Chris Jennings figure issued as an exclusive for July's San Diego Comic Con, which is limited to just 500.

The Barnabas and Angelique figures are available to pre-order now from Spectre's website. The company is also running a poll asking which Dark Shadows characters fans would like to be produced as figures in the future.

Actor Appearances

• Julianna McCarthy (1991 Mrs Johnson) is to return to The Young as the Restless as a regular cast member. Julia has played matriarch Liz Foster intermittently for over 20 years and should be on screens later this year.
• Rebecca Staab (1991 Daphne) can be seen this weekend at the Hollywood Show, taking place in Burbank, California. For more information, click here. On June 18-20, she's appearing at the Florida Supercon in Miami. For full details, visit the event website.
• Roy Thinnes (1991 Roger) is making a personal appearance in Maryland at the Mid-Atlantic Nostalgia Convention, which runs from September 23-25. Roy will be signing autographs and discussing his work on The Invaders. Visit the website for more information.

A Visit to the Studio

As we recently reported, the old Dark Shadows studio on Manhattan's West 53rd Street has become the home of The Wendy Williams Show. Gene and David, readers of this site, paid a visit, and shared these photos.

"We walked by on a Friday when Wendy was not taping, but we were invited inside," says Gene. "We were asked not to photograph beyond the lobby; we did not have a full studio tour. I travel into Manhattan and walk the streets around this address frequently. I never got around to taking photos until last week. I just felt the urge. Many of the surrounding buildings are being torn down and replaced by high rise condos. I hope the studio remains forever!"

Own a Bobblehead!

Amazon have recently begun offering MPI's series of officially-licensed Dark Shadows bobbleheads, caricatured sculptures of classic characters from the show. Each one is fully-painted and cast in resin. The set of five is made up of Barnabas, Angelique, Quentin, Josette and the Werewolf. To order, click on the hyperlinks.

Dark Shadows Festival Update

The Dark Shadows Festival has updated its official site with membership details for its 2010 convention. The weekend-long celebration takes place on July 16-18 at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel, located in Burbank, California. Newly confirmed guests include Michael Brockman (Unit Manager), Sy Tomashoff (Scenic Designer) and Bob Cobert (Music Composer).

The Festival is also hosting a separate event on Friday July 16, with Jonathan Frid (Barnabas) as guest of honour. The Vista Theater in Hollywood will play host to a special matinee screening of House of Dark Shadows on the big screen, which will be followed by Jonathan putting his handprints in cement. For more information, visit the Festival website.

News in Brief

• The Dark Shadows studio, located on West 53rd Street, New York City, has a new tenant. For several years, the facility housed The Montel Williams Show, and is the home of The Wendy Williams Show. Tickets for upcoming tapings can be obtained here.
• Barbara Woronko Anzalone, who guested as Nurse Pritchett on Dark Shadows as Bobbi Ann Woronko, has written her autobiography, The Girl Next Door. The book includes reminiscences of Dark Shadows and can be ordered online by clicking here.
• And finally, birthday wishes to Humbert Allen Astredo (Nicholas Blair), who celebrated his 81st birthday this weekend. This particular legion of the damned salutes you.

Comics Collection Delayed

The first reprint edition of Dark Shadows comic books, originally due out this month, has been temporarily delayed. Dark Shadows: The Complete Series Volume 1, collecting the 1960s Gold Key strip stories, will now be released on May 28. To pre-order the book from Amazon at a discount price, click here. Volume 2 is still on track for release in July.

Australian DVD Release

Dark Shadows is set to receive some new exposure down under, as the show's original episodes receive their first release outside of the US. Under a new distribution deal, Australian company Madman is to offer the first two Dark Shadows DVD collections as a combined box set in new packaging. Dark Shadows Collection 1 & 2 will be available as an 8-disc set from May 5 and can be pre-ordered here.

Dark Shadows Movie Set to Film in England

As press coverage of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland continues, a few more details about the director's upcoming Dark Shadows feature film have emerged. Speaking to FilmShaft, the project's producer, Richard Zanuck, reveals:

"I’m going to be doing Dark Shadows with Johnny [Depp] and Tim later towards the end of the year... But we’re shooting over here [London] even though the movie is set in Portland, Maine (sic). We’ve got the stages at Pinewood lined up."

Located in Buckinghamshire, England, Pinewood Studios is probably best known as the home of the James Bond movies; Tim Burton previously filmed Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Sweeney Todd at the studios. To read the full interview, click here.

Half Price DVDs

Amazon are having another sale on Dark Shadows DVDs, with prices slashed to half price for a limited time. Most of the box set episode collections are reduced to $27.49, and last year's two compilation titles, The Vampire Curse and The Haunting of Collinwood are now just $9.99. Here are ordering links:

Compilations:

The Vampire Curse, The Haunting of Collinwood

Dark Shadows: The Beginning (pre-Barnabas episodes):

Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6

Dark Shadows DVD Collections (episodes from Barnabas' arrival onwards):

Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6, Collection 7, Collection 8, Collection 9, Collection 10, Collection 11, Collection 12, Collection 13, Collection 14, Collection 15, Collection 16, Collection 17, Collection 18, Collection 19, Collection 20, Collection 21, Collection 22, Collection 23, Collection 24, Collection 25, Collection 26

It's a Wrap!

It's a wrap! Recording on Kingdom of the Dead, the new series of full-cast Dark Shadows audio dramas concluded in Los Angeles yesterday, bringing the mammoth two-month production to a close. From left to right: Director Darren Gross; actors Jerry Lacy, Lara Parker, David Selby, Kathryn Leigh Scott, James Storm, John Karlen, Jamison Selby and Andrew Collins; with series co-writer Eric Wallace.

Kingdom of the Dead is available from July and can be pre-ordered on CD by clicking here.

Audio Dramas in Studio

The cast of Dark Shadows have been busy in studio, as Big Finish Productions continue recordings for this year's slate of audio dramas. Here are some photos from the recent sessions...

Alec Newman and Lysette Anthony recording guest appearances for Kingdom of the Dead, the new four-part miniseries, available from July. Alec played Barnabas in the WB's 2004 Dark Shadows pilot, while Lysette played Angelique in the 1991 Dark Shadows remake. Both play new characters in the new series. But who is Dr. Rankin, and what is the secret of her patient?

Lisa Richards (Sabrina) recording Blood Dance, a new dramatic reading. The story features Quentin embroiled with a mysterious nightclub in Prohibition-era Chicago and is due out in April.

Andrew Collins and Jerry Lacy (Trask) recording Kingdom of the Dead. To pre-order upcoming titles on CD and download, visit the Big Finish website.