Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley Join Tim Burton's 'Dark Shadows'

Eva Green,Jackie Earle Haley, andBella Heathcoateare all in various stages of negotiations to join Tim Burton’sDark Shadowsalongside producer and star Johnny Depp.

Scheduled to beginshooting in April, the eighth collaboration of Burton and Depp is an adaptation of the supernatural daytime soap opera that aired from 1966 to 1971. Depp, 47, will play Barnabas Collins, 175-year-old vampire.

Green, who broke out in 2006’sCasino Royaleas James Bond’s cat-eyed love interest, has not worked with Burton before, but certainly possesses the Gothic chic look we’ve come to expect from the director’s leading ladies. According toDeadline, the 30-year-old actress will play Angelique, a powerful witch originated by Lara Parker in the series. The character is a powerful witch and the spurned lover of Collins’ who casts the curse that turns him into a vampire.

Jackie Earle Haley is negotiating to play Willie Loomis, a conman who releases Collins from his sealed coffin only to be attacked and enslaved as the vampire’s manservant. Haley was one of the originalBad News Bearsbefore leaving the business, only to return with an Oscar-nominated performance inLittle Children. He recently played Freddy Krueger in the rebootedNightmare on Elm Street.

Relative newcomer Heathcoate is reportedly playing Victoria Winters, the young governess of the Collins estate. She was mentioned as one of the possible choices for Snow White that will likely go to Kristen Stewart instead.  Heathcoate also joined the cast of“Sopranos” creator David Chase’s film,The Twylight Zones.

Burton has filled out a particularly solid cast thus far, which just leaves a casting announcement for Josette du Pres Collins, Barnabas’ true love. But it’s hard to imagine Burton wouldn’t cast his partner, Helena Bonham Carter.

According to the UK’s Sun newspaper, Depp is on a strict green tea and“low fructose fruit” diet to shed pounds and look“as gaunt as possible” for the role. His target is a reported 140 lbs., which is probably about 20 lbs. less than his current figure.  It’s not exactly a Christian Bale-like transformation, but still the kind of dedication Depp is willing to endure for his“childhood dream” and a film he’s been prepping for three years.

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