Back in July we brought you the news that Seth Grahame-Smith had been brought on by Tim Burton and Johnny Depp to replace John August as the writer for the long-gestating theatrical version of Dark Shadows.

Now, Deadline reports that the Tim Burton (Frankenweenie) directed, big-screen adaptation of Dark Shadows will begin filming in April, this has been moved up from the January start that was reported back in July when Grahame-Smith was hired.

The film will be based on the 1966 TV series, and stars Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) as the vampire Barnabas Collins.

A release date for Dark Shadows has yet to be confirmed.