'Dark Shadows' confirmed for next April

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton's Dark Shadows will begin shooting next April, says Deadline

The film, which marks the duo's eighth collaboration together, is based on the '60s supernatural soap that featured vampires, werewolves, ghosts and zombies. Depp will lead the cast as Barnabas Collins, a vampire originally played by Jonathan Frid.

Seth Grahame-Smith, author of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, penned the script adaptation.

The Dark Shadows role will reportedly rule Depp out of starring with Tom Hanks in Kathryn Bigelow's Sleeping Dogs, which is due to begin production in February.