Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

The contemporary fascination with the bizarre confluence of history, literature, and fantasy, which has seen Jane Austen's heroines take on zombies, continues in Fox's summer tentpole adaptation of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which will debut on June 22nd. This film's geek cred comes more from its producer (Tim Burton) and director (Timur Bekmambetov, who helmed the movie version of Wanted) than from its author Seth Grahame-Smith, who also wrote Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

Michelle Pfeiffer Heading for "Dark Shadows"

Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Catwoman in Tim Burton’s 1992 Batman Returns, is in talks to team up with the director again in Burton’s feature film adaptation of the vintage TV soap opera Dark Shadows, which also stars Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins.

According to Deadline Hollywood, Pfeiffer is up for the role of Elizabeth Collins Stoddard, the reclusive matriarch of the Collins clan and owner of Collinwood (a part that was played by Joan Collins in the TV series), while Helena Bonham Carter, who has become a recurring fixture in Burton’s films (and in his life), will likely portray Dr. Julia Hoffman, a specialist in psychology and rare blood disorders.

'Jane Austen Zombie' Scribe Signed for 'Dark Shadows'

Seth Grahame-Smith, the Charles Dickens of the mash-up novel who began the craze with Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, has been signed to write the screenplay for a feature film based on the long-running vampire soap, Dark Shadows. Johnny Depp is attached to star as Barnabas Collins and Tim Burton will direct, a combination that pretty much insures that the Dark Shadows film will have a great chance to be a blockbuster, if it gets made.

Warner Bros. has not yet announced a date for the film, though Variety reports that it was included on a list of up to 20 films that Warners plans to release via IMAX through 2013. Scheduling for Dark Shadows is complicated, because Johnny Depp reportedly wants to take some time off after finishing Pirates of the Caribbean 4 and Burton is involved in numerous projects.

Grahame-Smith is already working on an adaptation of his historical mash-up Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter for Burton (producer) and Timur Bekmanbetov.

Lee and Rickman Join Alice

Christopher Lee and Alan Rickman have joined the cast of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland remake, DigitalSpy reported. Lee has taken on an undisclosed role, while Rickman will play the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, the site reported.

Eleanor Tomlinson is another new addition. She will star as Fiona Chataway, a friend of Alice created specifically for the Burton adaptation. Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael Sheen and Matt Lucas are also among the star-studded cast. Alice In Wonderland is scheduled for release in 2010.

Depp Does Burton's 'Alice'

Johnny Depp has signed to play the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton’s upcoming Alice in Wonderland,as presented at a Disney event at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles and reported by the Hollywood trades and others. Burton and Depp have worked together frequently throughout their careers on films that have become cult and merchandise hits, and Alice has the potential to join that list.

The studio also announced that Depp will reprise his role as Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean 4, and will play Tonto in the upcoming Lone Ranger film

The other big news at the event was primarily about Disney’s animated line-up. Cars 2 will be moved up to summer 2011 from 2012 (see "Disney Going 3-D"), and in the run-up, a series of animated Cars shorts will be shown on Disney Channel and before films in the theater. A new theme park attraction based on Cars will also open in Anaheim in 2011.