"Dark Shadows" Animated Series in Development

The 1960s cult TV show "Dark Shadows" will be reimagined as an adult animation series at Warner Bros. Animation (WBA).

WBA announced the project during its studio focus panel at Annecy, where Peter Girardi (executive vp alternative programming) and Shaleen Desai (senior vp adult series) previewed the studio’s adult animation slate.

"Dark Shadows," created by Dan Curtis, followed tormented vampire Barnabas Collins and his supernaturally dysfunctional family.

The gothic soap opera aired weekdays on ABC from 1966 to 1971 and gained a devoted following. It was one of the first hit daytime series and became an enduring cult classic.

"Dark Shadows" spawned several film adaptations, most famously Tim Burton’s 2012 feature starring Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer.

The animated reboot will continue the saga of the Collins family. The official log line reads, “Blending gothic, horror, and supernatural genres, this coming adaptation promises all the dark twists and romantic intrigue that defined the transformational series across its 1200-plus episode run.”

Lisa Holdsworth, creator of Channel 4 series Dreamers and a writer on Sky’s Discovery of Witches and the BBC’s Call the Midwife, will executive produce and be the showrunner on the series.

Other exec producers include Cathy Curtis, Tracy Curtis, Eric Homan, Kevin Kolde, and Fred Seibert.