Tim Burton to Direct 'Dark Shadows'?

Tim Burton has reportedly been confirmed as the director of Dark Shadows, the rights of which are held by Johnny Depp's Infinitum-Nihil shingle. No official confirmation has been made, but Depp has held the rights since last year, and a big-screen remake has been cooking over at Warner Bros.

According to IESB, while they were conducting an interview for Get Smart with director Peter Segel, he mentioned writer John August and how he was jumping between Tim Burton's Dark Shadows and Segel's own Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam.

So, at this point in time, John August is confirmed as the writer and Tim Burton is rumored to be the director. And while no cast has been announced, if Burton is directing, there is probably a 95% chance that Depp will don the vampire fangs as Barnabas Collins. Given Depp's proclivity towards the Gothic, and his much-reported obsession with the character, make that a 97%. Frankly, I didn't think Depp and Burton could top themselves after Sweeney Todd, but this could probably do it.

I had to read this twice to confirm it wasn't a crazy rumor or wishful thinking -- because, honestly, I always thought that "Johnny Depp as a vampire" line was born out of a bunch of Depp fanatics reading too much into his "I wanted to be Barnabas Collins" interviews. If it all ends up coming together, I will be among the excited -- I was pretty obsessed with the 80's reboot of Dark Shadows in my youth. If I saw it now, I would probably hate myself, but it's pretty hard to ruin that bodice-ripper of a story. What do you think, readers? Tired of the Burton-Depp thing, or eager to see them venture into the dark and pale once more?