‘Dark Shadows’ Trailer Reveals Johnny Depp’s Vampire Transformation

Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp

Pale skin, black hair, dark circles under the eyes. That has to mean Johnny Depp and director Tim Burton are working together again.

22 years after "Edward Scissorhands," their first collaboration together, Depp and Burton are back at it with "Dark Shadows." It's a big-screen adaptation of the beloved cult soap opera that originally ran from 1966-1971. It casts Depp as Barnabas Collins, a vampire from the 18th Century who is unearthed in 1972. Take a look at the first trailer.

This is the eighth time Tim Burton has directed Johnny Depp in a film. Their last effort, 2010's "Alice in Wonderland," was a big hit domestically and an even bigger success internationally, bringing in over $1 billion worldwide. "Dark Shadows" seems to have many of the hallmarks of their previous work: dark gothic style, extreme characters, and a dash (or more) of zany humor.

"Dark Shadows" also features Burton's longtime love Helena Bonham Carter in her seventh appearance in one of his films. The cast also includes Eva Green ("Casino Royale") as the evil witch who curses Barnabas, Michelle Pfeiffer as his modern descendant Elizabeth, and Chloe Grace Moretz as Elizabeth's daughter Carolyn.

In a recent interview with Yahoo! Movies, Chloe Moretz had nothing but praise for Tim Burton. She said, "Tim is so hands-on and straightforward, and he's so collaborative... If I had the chance, I would work with him in literally every movie I have to do." Moretz was cagey about revealing too many "Dark Shadows" details, saying only, "[My] character has a very interesting moment in the movie that I'm sure you'll all be very surprised."

[Exclusive: Chloe Grace Moretz discusses making 'Hugo']

Johnny Depp isn't finished bringing classic TV shows back to the big screen. He's currently filming "The Lone Ranger," where he'll play the Western hero's Native American partner Tonto. Last week the first photo of Depp and costar Armie Hammer in costume was released, and it showed that he'll be putting his own unique stamp on the role (and a crow on his head). And last month it was announced Depp enlisted director Edgar Wright ("Shaun of the Dead") for a movie adaptation of "The Night Stalker," another creepy TV series from the early '70s that featured vampires (though in that one, Depp will be the the one with the wooden stake, not the fangs).

"Dark Shadows" opens May 11.