Warner Bros. Animation is resurrecting the tormented vampire Barnabas Collins, with the studio announcing on Friday that it is developing an adult animated series based on the cult classic soap opera “Dark Shadows.”

Jonathan Frid

Created by Dan Curtis and celebrating its 60th anniversary this summer, the series, which ran from June 27, 1966, to April 2, 1971, on ABC, starred Jonathan Frid as TV’s original anti-hero and the father of the modern-day vampire story, featuring alluring tales of gothic mystery and supernatural intrigue.

The animated project was announced during a Studio Focus panel at the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival as Warner Bros. Animation’s Peter Girardi (Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming) and Shaleen Desai (Senior Vice President, Adult Series) previewed the studio’s current adult animation slate.

According to a logline, the adaptation is an Adult animated series continuing the saga of the Collins family. Blending gothic, horror, and supernatural genres, the upcoming adaptation promises all the dark twists and romantic intrigue that defined the transformative series across its original 1,200-plus-episode run.

Lisa Holdsworth will serve as executive producer and showrunner, with executive producers Cathy Curtis, Tracy Curtis, Eric Homan, Kevin Kolde and Fred Seibert.

The animated TV series adaptation comes more than 14 years after studio sibling Warner Bros. Pictures last attempted to revive the series, albeit as a live-action feature film starring Johnny Depp as the iconic vampire with a conscience, Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard and Helena Bonham Carter as the live-in psychiatrist Dr. Julia Hoffman, whom Elizabeth calls upon to help with her family troubles.

You can check out the film’s trailer below.

Note: The post Warner Bros. Animation Announces Development On ‘Dark Shadows’ Adaptation Based On Cult-Classic Soap Opera first appeared on Soap Opera Network.

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How many more times are they going to attempt to revive Dark Shadows? I mean, maybe an animated series could work in a long-term format; however, I do feel like the IP should be left to rest at this point. After the main soap (1966–1971) and the two feature films in 1970 and 1971, there was the 1991 primetime series (which was not half bad), a failed 2004 primetime series for the WB (starring Jessica Chastain), and then the Tim Burton film (which could have done more had Burton/Warner Bros. Pictures gone that direction).

Throwing up the @Vee signal!

IMO, the franchise could work for a reboot, but I was hoping for a live action one.

4 hours ago, Khan said:

Throwing up the @Vee signal!

I mean I'm for it, but I think a live action is a better option. We should also let @DRW50 know.

The fact that it's described as an adult animation series gives me hope it'll be good, but I have no history with the people behind rebooting the show so I'll just have to wait and see. It does feel random as hell though, but good to know someone wants the show to continue its legacy for further generations.

26 minutes ago, Bright Eyes said:

The fact that it's described as an adult animation series gives me hope it'll be good, but I have no history with the people behind rebooting the show so I'll just have to wait and see. It does feel random as hell though, but good to know someone wants the show to continue its legacy for further generations.

Two of the producers are the daughters of Dan Curtis so hopefully they'll approach this with the respect for their father's legacy and not to crap all over it.

I honestly love how it takes a licking and keeps on ticking. But I'm very late to the party since it was the last 90s reboot that got me to discover this fascinating world.