Video: Tour of the Lincoln Vault with "Vampire Hunter" Cast & Crew

From left: Producer Jim Lemley, director Timur Bekmambetov, star Benjamin Walker, and screenwriter and author Seth Grahame-Smith. Lincoln historian James Cornelius is holding President Lincoln's iconic hat.


In conjunction with the 203rd birthday of Abraham Lincoln and to promote the forthcoming film, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, a few of the top cast and crew members of the film were offered a very rare tour of the vault at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Chicago, Illinois.

Here's a video of what they discovered:

Surprisingly, they came across some unique artifacts that might catch the interest of fans eager to see the big-screen adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith's novel... (Click on any of the images to enlarge them.)



The last ax used by the president.




Part of President Lincoln's original sarcophagus.



Lincoln's iconic top hat. Time Magazine writes that that hat was "crafted from beaver pelt to ensure a waterproof finish. Of particular notice: The two discolored spots on the left side of the frame — where the president's fingers would go every time he doffed his hat in public."


Actor Benjamin Walker poses with the 16th president of the United States.


A silver-tipped spike that was discovered in the vault, alongside a bronze cast of Lincoln's head.


Photos courtesy of Eric Charbonneau / Le Studio.

David Kelly, 1929-2012

David Kelly with young Freddie Highmore in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

A bit of sad news: Irish character actor David Kelly passed away in his native Dublin on February 12th, 2012. He was 82.

Kelly is perhaps best known for his performance as Grandpa Joe in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Kelly is survived by his wife, actress Laurie Morton, and their two children.

Interview: Walker, Grahame-Smith Talk "Abraham Lincoln"

Flicks and Bits posted this interview with Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter writer Seth Grahame-Smith and star Benjamin Walker:

Portraying Abraham Lincoln, yet in a more supernatural/fantastical world, how did you approach that?

Benjamin Walker: Talking about genre, as an actor I try not to work in that world. If I, playing Abraham Lincoln, allow myself to think like that, or think in terms of genre, or start creeping out into the abstract, I’m not doing a service to the man. The joke is in the title and then the movie is the commitment to it. Down to the buttons on the jacket I wore, the amount of work that went into making it real meticulous and thorough was mind-boggling to me. For me it’s a drama, it’s Lincoln’s struggle with himself and the evil’s around him. Building his life, his legacy, and his family.

When we were shooting the scene when Lincoln was going to the theatre, one of our armourers, one of the men who’s job it is, is to make the weapons in the movie, he made me an exact recreation of the knife that Abraham Lincoln had in his pocket – the pocket knife that he had on the night that he died. You don’t see it in the movie, it’s in my pocket, there’s no need for it. But that attention to detail, the reality of who Lincoln was and how he lived, it’s very present in the movie.

Seth Grahame-Smith: That’s something I think will set it apart for people when they watch it. In that when they watch Benjamin’s performance, it’s like an otherworldly performance, it’s surprisingly honest, surprisingly touching, and grounded. That’s why we get away with the bigness of the gags and everything, because always at the core of it is this emotional story, this real story that you have this rooting interest in, through Ben’s performance.

What was the preparation process like for you?

Benjamin Walker: I really just approached it as an actor would any, I did my research, I wrote in my journal. There was no thought in my mind that this was anything other than we were making a live-action Lincoln….who happens to have an axe (laughs). We did a lot of Lincoln research, with Timur at the helm. We were in a very grounded reality that we created, it’s just happenstance that there’s vampires. It’s really a movie about Abraham Lincoln, the one that we know and love.

What was the approach of adapting Abraham Lincoln’s life into this fictional world?

Seth Grahame-Smith: I always thought of it, even in terms of the book, as a superhero origins story. I see Abraham Lincoln as the first and only true American superhero. And so what we’ve done in a very big genre way, is taking that concept and making it into the action movie of that concept. We’re literally doing a superhero origins story in the 19th century.

Benjamin Walker: I love history, and some of America's greatest heroes have been our president’s, so they’re ripe for storytelling. This is a new perspective on a someone we already know to be a hero, now we get to see him as an action hero.

What do think people can expect from this movie adaptation of your novel ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’?

Seth Grahame-Smith: You wouldn’t expect, necessarily, that this big, 3D, genre, action, summer tentpole movie, would mesh with the life and the real ideals, and the love and the loss, and the values of Abraham Lincoln. But somehow, through the power of us collaborating, and through Timur’s leadership, it has all come together in an extraordinarily fun way. I think audiences are going to be surprised. It’s a big summer tentpole movie that’s not a remake, not a sequel, not based on a video game, not based on a toy, it has no robots in it (laughs), and yet it has all the bigness of a 3D action epic.

We talked a lot about, in the process of creating the script, we talked a lot about three worlds; there’s the historical world, the Lincoln world. Secondly there’s the genre world, the fantasy world, and then there’s our world, the world we’re living in now. It’s a combination of the three. That’s one of the things that makes the movie unique, it’s an action movie, but then there’s this historical movie in there, and this emotional movie in there.

What do you think Timur Bekmambetov has brought to the story as director?

Seth Grahame-Smith: What Timur brought to this was a very sort of unexpected, unconventional approach to a period movie. In most period movies we’re used to seeing a certain type of filmmaking. I think one of the great surprises about ‘Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter’ is the fact that you have Timur bringing his incredible style to an unexpected time and place. He’s great.

Video: Tim Burton Introduces "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

Producer Tim Burton wasn't able to attend the preview of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter in Chicago this past weekend, but he did provide this introductory video. Check out his humorous Japanese horror film parody here:

Video: Burton, Bekmambetov on "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

Crave Online has provided a short behind-the-scenes video showing clips from Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and cast and crew talking about the project. Producers Tim Burton and Jimley, director Timur Bekmambetov, actor Rufus Sewell, and production designer Francois Audouy contribute some brief and enthusiastic words:

Rufus Sewell on "Vampire" Role

Actor Rufus Sewell stated that he had "tremendous fun" playing the head vampire in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, reports the Press Association. The British actor also seemed to find the portrayl of vampires to be very refreshing. "I think the tide's probably going to turn, but what's good about the vampires I'm playing is, it 'aint Twilight!"

He added, "When these people turn they're nasty. It's not pretty We're not glittery teenagers. It's a lot more like vampires used to be but worse."

Sewell continued: "It was tremendous fun. I'm surprised I've never played one before; it feels like I have; people assume that I have, but it's the first time. So it's nice to become the president of the vampires, which I feel I'm playing in this. I had a whale of a time."

However, the actor did lament that he fears being typecast as creepy villains. He said: "It gets a bit annoying sometimes. I'm not always the bad guy, but it tends to be in the bigger films, so I'm quite happy to be on television and in theatre where I can play a bigger range.

"Because when the big movies come along, if I want to be in them, normally I have to be a bit of a git. I'm hoping that will one day change, it might not, but yeah, it gets a bit boring."

Video: Bekmambetov, Walker on "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

MTV News spoke with director Timur Bekmambetov and star Benjamin Walker to talk about Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Check out the video here:

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Trailer for "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" Released!

At last, here is the first official trailer for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

First Footage from "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

In recognition of the 203rd birthday of Abraham Lincoln, CBS provided the very first footage from Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

New Picture of Depp, Eva Green in "Dark Shadows"

Luces Camara y Blog has provided us with a brand-new image from Dark Shadows, featuring leads Johnny Depp and Eva Green.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" Preview at Presidential Library

Vampires invaded the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, Illinois last night. Their mission: to promote the upcoming film, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which will be released in 3D in theaters on June 22nd.

Director Timur Bekmambetov, star Benjamin Walker, producer Jim Lemley, and screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith were among the delegation presenting a preview of the film, which included an as-of-yet unreleased movie trailer and excerpts from the film, which is currently in post-production.

Dave Blanchette, spokesman for the museum, said the movie will be a rare opportunity for the presidential museum to reach a new audience.

“It’s a way to open the door for people who might not have an interest in Lincoln,” Blanchette said. “They might get interested in the film and decide they want to learn more about Lincoln.”

Of course, the real Lincoln wasn't an axe-wielding martial arts expert.

“It’s going to be very bloody,” Grahame-Smith told the crowd during a question-and-answer session.

But the screenwriter (and author of the original book) asserted that their goal was not to mock the president. “You have to have reverence for the real history,” Grahame-Smith said. “The man was a real man who is still extraordinarily revered in today’s world, especially in this country and by all of us. That, to me personally, was the line: never make the guy look like an idiot.”

Grahame-Smith also took issue with another recent depiction of vampires -- in the Twilight series. Vampires should be villains, he said.

“[Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter] puts vampires back where they belong: as bad guys, not heartthrobs. They should be beheaded with an ax, not kissed by tweens.”

Updates on "Beetlejuice 2"

ShockTillYouDrop.com spoke with screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith, and asked him about whether Beetlejuice 2 will become a reality or not. "It's a reality in the sense that I met with Michael Keaton last week," Grahame-Smith told us. "We talked for a couple of hours and talked about big picture stuff. It's a priority for Warner Bros. It's a priority for Tim [Burton]. Right now, I am writing an animated movie for Tim based on an idea of mine. Then I adapt Unholy Night [based on the upcoming book]. The third I am hoping is Beetlejuice in terms of writing schedule."

And what was Keaton's excitement level like?

"Huge," the writer added, "he's been wanting to do it for 20 years and he'll talk to anybody about it who will listen. I really told him, I have a huge reverence for Tim and a huge reverence for that film in general. I don't think we should do it if we shit on the legacy. He agrees. So, right now, it remains to be seen, I have a couple of story ideas, but we're very early out."

So, it's possible that Grahame-Smith and Burton might be working on two more projects after their collaborations on Dark Shadows and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: an animated film (which is likely the stop-motion film, Night of the Living) and, if Warner Bros., Keaton, and Burton agree, possibly Beetlejuice 2. Stay tuned...

Tim Burton Art Exhibition Comes to France

After a successful tour in the United States, Australia, and Canada, the Tim Burton art exhibition is coming to France. The massive retrospective of artwork and artifacts will appear at La Cinematheque Francaise from March 7th, 2012 until August 5th, 2012. Click here for more information.

To promote the art exhibition, La Cinematheque Francaise has created this poster, featuring the likeness of Johnny Depp as Barnabas Collins in the forthcoming Burton film, Dark Shadows.

New Action-Packed Images from "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

USA Today provides six more action-packed images from Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Producer Jim Lemley also provides some information on the upcoming film, but beware of a few SPOILERS:



"Norman Rockwell in 1965 did a painting called Lincoln the Railsplitter," says producer Jim Lemley. "He's in his prime, about 30 years old, with an ax. It's an amazing painting and exactly what we had in mind. And Benjamin [Walker, who plays Lincoln] had that. "


"Our vampires are the core manifestation of evil," says producer Lemley. "If they are left unchecked, it will result in the destruction of humanity. Our bad guys are bad." Yet one of the undead decides to assist Lincoln in his hunt for these vicious monsters: Henry Sturges, played by British actor Dominic Cooper. "He vows to help human beings in their struggle."


Above: Vampires played by Erin Wasson and Rufus Sewell. "These are not party-all-night vampires," producer Lemley explains. "They work all day to exploit humanity."



While not exactly the same high-flying combat style of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, the clashes in Vampire Hunter do contain a fantastical element. "But it has a groundedness," producer Lemley says. As superheroes go, "Lincoln is probably more Batman than Superman."


Lincoln learned to use his weapon of choice by splitting rails and chopping trees. "His father was a woodsman, so he grew up knowing how to handle an ax," producer Lemley says. But his instrument of destruction is not just any old battle ax. "Like Batman's weapons have special features, his is customized."



Images courtesy of 20th Century Fox and Stephen Vaughan.

New Photos, Info from "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

Entertainment Weekly has provided us with several new images and new information on Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, which comes to theaters on June 22nd.

“It’s not a sermon in any way, but it is interesting to look at vampires as the all-encompassing, unspeakable, unknowable evil,” says Benjamin Walker, who stars as axe-wielding Honest Abe. “This evil moves among us, and maybe lives next door. It’s an ideology that we don’t fully understand, but they live by it.”

But Walker explained that, of course, the film is just a bit of fun. “The joke is in the title, and then we fully commit to it,” says Walker.




“It’s told through the structure of Lincoln’s actual life. You not only see these huge fight scenes and great moments of drama, but you get sort of the greatest hits of Lincoln’s life, from the mysterious death of his mother through the Gettysburg address, says Walker. “You get a portrait of this man, as well as a thriller.”

Rufus Sewell and Erin Wasson play vampires in the film.

Walker says Lincoln is ripe for spoof precisely because he is so universally beloved. “His legacy is safe. It’s something we all agree on and we’re all proud of as Americans,” the actor says. “Once you know that, nobody’s going to actually get hurt. We all do idolize him. We do look for qualities he exemplified and try to emulate that in our lives. Nobody gets their feelings hurt because we know who he was. If you throw vampires into the mix, it’s just another way to see someone we already think of as a hero be heroic.”

Plus, Lincoln was known to have a great sense of humor himself. “When he was a lawyer, going on the road, staying up late nights with legislators and businessmen in taverns, he was the life of the party; a very exciting and entertaining man in his own right,” Walker says. “I think he’d love our movie.”

You can learn more information (with some SPOILERS) about the film's story in the original article.

Valentine's Day Cards, Burton-Style

Want to share some Valentine's Day cards with a Tim Burton twist? You can now purchase a set of greeting cards featuring artwork by the man himself.

Here's the information from Steeles Publishing, who is responsible for publishing the book, The Art of Tim Burton (which is now on available for purchase in its fourth edition):

The Art of Tim Burton Valentine's Day Greeting Card Box Set is now available for purchase!

This set includes twelve greeting cards in a keepsake box featuring six images from The Art of Tim Burton.

Our Price: $23.99

Availability: Usually Ships in 2 to 3 Business Days
Product Code: GREETING CARD SET



Available now for a limited time with free shipping within the 48 contiguous United States.

Steelespublishing.com is the only authorized source for The Greeting Card Sets.
The authenticity of Greeting Card Sets offered by any other outlet
such as eBay or amazon.com cannot be guaranteed.
Quantities are very limited - order your card sets today!


For more information on the free card set promotion please see the Standard Edition product page by clicking here or the Deluxe Edition available by clicking here.

Goldman on "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"

Screenwriter Jane Goldman recently spoke with Ology.com. In the interview, Goldman talked several of her possible future projects, including an adaptation of the book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which might be directed by Tim Burton.

Can you tell me more about these other projects?

What I'm working on at the moment is an adaptation of the book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children and that's with Fox. It's very exciting, Tim Burton is overseeing the job which is massively exciting. I'm really excited about the source material. It's a quirky story with some scary elements and some funny elements. I'm having a really good time with it right now. And the other one is this sort of science fiction movie which is based on a new comic book that I absolutely fell in love with. Science fiction is another genre that I love so the year is shaping up to be a really good year.

What's your dream cast for Miss Peregrine's?

Gosh, I don't know, a lot of the cast is very young. I always try to not think about casting because you might end up disappointed. You don't want to get too attached to an idea because it's kind of up to the director. I have to say that I've loved the casting on everything I've worked on. I haven't really thought about the cast for Peregrine, but if Mr. Burton decides to sign on in directing his casting choices are always perfect.

Eva Green on "Dark Shadows" Role

Eva Green discussed her role in Dark Shadows to IndieWire's The Playlist.

"I think it's very, very funny, with a dark sense of humor, but really funny. And I play Angelique Bouchard, and she's a cuckoo character. An extreme character, who is madly obsessed with Baranabas Collins [played by Johnny Depp], and it's a very electric relationship. And she wants to own every bit of Barnabas," she said. "It's not a typical villain, and that's what I like about how Tim [Burton] dealt with her. She has a good reason to act like that. It's really a love story."

Witherspoon, Reynolds to Star in Burton-Produced "Big Eyes"

For the first time in many months, we finally have some updates on the Tim Burton-produced live-action feature, Big Eyes. The Hollywood Reporter informs us that the film will star Reese Witherspoon and Ryan Reynolds, playing Margaret and Walter Keane.

Margaret Keane is well-known for her kitschy paintings of bug-eyed children which she created and became a sensation in America during the 1960s. The Keanes' lives were filled with controversy: Though Margaret was the true talent behind the paintings, her husband, Walter, claimed credit for her work, which was sold under his name.



Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (who wrote the script for Tim Burton's Ed Wood) will write and direct Big Eyes, with Burton set to produce via his Tim Burton Productions. Lynette Howell and Jamie Patricof will also produce through Electric City Entertainment. Principal photography is scheduled to begin with Witherspoon and Reynolds this spring.

"We are ecstatic to have this dream cast for our dream project," Alexander and Karaszewski said in a joint statement. "Walter is a larger-than-life antihero -- charming, funny, dangerous, and a little crazy. Ryan will knock it out of the park. As for Reese, she will be perfect as Margaret -- soulful, decent, transforming from vulnerability to learning to fight for herself."

Video: Christopher Lee on "Dark Shadows"

In his 2011 Christmas message video, legendary actor Christopher Lee discussed his upcoming projects, in film and beyond. After discussing The Hobbit and Martin Scorsese's Hugo, Lee confirmed that he will appear in Dark Shadows. Lee clarified that his role in the vampire film will be brief, but memorable and meaningful to the audience. It's a fitting film for Lee to appear in, considering the acclaimed thespian, who turns 90 this year, is well-known for his performances as Dracula.

Lee begins talking about Dark Shadows at about 9:15:

New Picture of Depp in "Dark Shadows"

CineHeroes provides us with a new still from Dark Shadows, showing Johnny Depp playing Barnabas Collins. Click the image below to see a larger version:

New Photo of Benjamin Walker as "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

Yet another image of Benjamin Walker from Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has surfaced!

Two New Stills from "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

Two new stills show Benjamin Walker in action in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" International Poster Released

The international poster for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has been released, courtesy of cineheroes.net. Click the image below to see a larger version:

New "Frankenweenie" Image

The Los Angeles Times provides a new still from Frankenweenie, and some words from the director of animation, stop-motion extraordinaire Trey Thomas. Thomas spoke of the difficulties and ambitions of working on this stop-motion film.

"You'd think black-and-white would be forgiving because it's just shades of gray. But it isn't. It shows every little flaw," said Thomas, speaking at his East London office about the movie's monochrome aesthetic.

The LA Times wrote, "About 200 puppets were crafted for the film — including 16 Sparkys (eight dead, eight alive), 14 Victors and new oddball creations called E (short for Edgar) and Weird Girl, both of which are voiced by longtime Burton collaborator Catherine O'Hara." For Thomas, his guiding philosophy was honoring Burton's love of classic 1930s monster movies. "What we're trying to create is Universal horror plus," he said.

Interview: Benjamin Walker is "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

MTV News provides an interview with Benjamin Walker, the star of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

MTV News: Is it a daunting proposition knowing what's to come? This is a summer tent pole and you're the guy. Do you feel a little bit of that weight?

Benjamin Walker: Having never done it, I really don't even know what to be afraid of. I'm just taking it in stride.

MTV: Was this role, when you heard about it, something that was like, "Oh my god, that's something I'm dying to do?" Or was it something that took a little discussing with your team to say, "Hey, this would be cool for you."

Walker: Well, I had just finished doing a rock musical about Andrew Jackson, so I was already suited for it. What really got me excited was [director] Timur [Bekmambetov]. I liked his work, and as soon as I found out he was directing it, I wanted to be a part of it.

MTV: Can you give me a sense of what the process was like in getting the role? Did you have to go through multiple auditions and screen tests?

Walker: I met him in LA months before I got the job, and then he came and saw the Andrew Jackson show. There was a test that we did together with no prosthetics, and then we had the test Greg Cannom and Will Huff, the makeup artists. After that, the deal was closed, but we're talking about over the span of six or seven months.

MTV: What's the preparation for a role like this? What were the things you needed to get done before you stepped onto set for the first time?

Walker: First off, I had to lose about 30 pounds. I put on a lot of weight for Andrew Jackson, and Lincoln, particularly later in his life, was a very slight man. I learned ax fighting, which was a whole new martial art that they created for the film. Then I started brushing up on my Abe Lincoln history.

MTV: Was the weight loss easy for you to do?

Walker: Who can do that? It's the easiest way to do it, when a studio's willing to help you do it, and then you're training at the same time so you're exercising regularly and heavily. Certainly the easiest way to do it, but certainly not pleasant.

MTV: Tell me about Lincoln's fighting style.

Walker: The stunt guys and the fight choreographer, Mic Rodgers, who is a stunt legend, and a gentleman named Don Lee — all of these guys are martial artists and stuntmen. They created a form of fighting that would be unique to Lincoln at that time, that's never been in a movie before. As I'm learning it, they're creating it. It was really fascinating.

MTV: What is it comparable to?

Walker: It's comparable to a kind of bow staff fighting. If you imagine a shorter bow staff with a blade on the end of it, a kind of continuously spinning, ruthless and simultaneously graceful martial art.

MTV: When I was on set, I noticed the makeup on you was remarkable up close. I would imagine that you have to do this fighting stuff in that getup, obviously. That seems like a twofold challenge for you. Did that get in the way at all?

Walker: It became uncomfortable over time. You start to sweat under it. You're wearing a three-piece wool suit and fighting vampires and you're wearing a mask. It really becomes uncomfortable, but the men who created it, Greg Cannom and Will Huff, are absolute geniuses. If I ever felt frustrated, all I had to do was catch a reflection of this amazing sculpture that they had created on my face. The frustration would just fall away because I knew how great it looked.

MTV: Did your friends or wife visit you on set, and what did they make of your look?

Walker: Mostly everyone was creeped out by it because it's Abraham Lincoln, and I'm talking about where we're going to go have dinner.

MTV: So you didn't ever walk off set in downtown New Orleans as Abraham Lincoln?

Walker: No, because we're trying to keep it and how magnificent it looks as secret as possible. I was kind of sequestered to a tent anytime I was off shooting.

MTV: I'm anxious to see some finished footage in a trailer. Have they shown you much yet?

Walker: I've only seen some ADR material, and it's very, very exciting.

MTV: Did you guys shoot it in 3-D or are you posting it in 3-D?

Walker: If I'm not mistaken, we're posting it in 3-D.

MTV: Was the book itself useful? Had you read the book prior to this opportunity coming up?

Walker: I read the book as soon as I knew I was going to meet on it. It's helpful in terms of understanding the style and the seriousness with which we embrace this mashup, but there are going to be things in the movie that are surprises to people who know the book. But, also, we pay homage to what's great about the book.

MTV: My sense is — correct me if I'm wrong — that it feels like I was on the set of a Lincoln biopic because I didn't see any of the action stuff. It feels like it was all shooting extremely seriously and then you add that layer of crazy action and irreverence in that form. Does it feel like we're in a drama that's infected with action and violence?

Walker: It's more like we looked at Lincoln through the lens of that. What we do is embrace a dramatic story. It's in the title. You get it. Vampires. Now we commit to it, and you get to go on that ride.

MTV: Do you feel a little bit of resentment toward Mr. Daniel Day-Lewis? This guy can't let you be the one Lincoln of the year. You have some competition from the greatest living actor on the planet.

Walker: Luckily, they're very different movies.

MTV: What can you guarantee to me is better about your Lincoln movie than his Lincoln movie?

Walker: Our vampires will be much better than their vampires.

MTV: Although, I would like to see Daniel Day-Lewis fight vampires. You could do a mashup there one day. Are your presidential days behind you?

Walker: I would love to continue through the cannon of American presidents. They're fascinating people. America's story is a story that fascinates me. I'll never turn down a president.

MTV: Let it be known to casting directors everywhere.

Walker: It has to be a weird interpretation of the president, apparently.

MTV: A very specialized career you have going. 'Paradise Lost,' what's going on with that? Is that a stop? Is that a go?

Walker: It sounds like what they're trying to do is so ambitious they need a little bit more time to prep. They're looking for the summer, which is fine by me. It's also the kind of movie that if we're not ready, we don't need to start. They're doing something in a technological aspect that nobody's ever done in a movie. If they want a little extra time, they can have it.

MTV: I assume you're jazzed about that one. You like the script and you like the interpretation? We haven't seen many blockbusters made of poems in the history of cinema, but this will be something unique, I think.

Walker: That story is the story that began all stories. It's one of the greatest stories of all time. It's something I studied in school and I'm excited to be a part of.

MTV: Are you still doing some comedy in New York or elsewhere?

Walker: Oh yeah, Find the Funny is at Joe's Pub usually the first of every month. We're working out some kinks for the New Year, but we're certainly going to be starting out here shortly. It's something I love to do and something I love to be a part of.

MTV: That side of you is something we haven't seen on the big screen yet. Is that opportunity is exciting for you? To bring a little bit of that stage persona to the big screen work?

Walker: I think it would be a lot of fun. There's little greater in life than making someone laugh. If you can do it in the medium of film, it's even more rewards, I imagine.

MTV: Do you know what the next gig is, whether it's on stage or in front of the camera?

Walker: Well, the industry is coming back together after the holidays. There are a lot of possibilities. "Paradise" moving has changed some things. So far, I'm gearing up for the press tour for "Lincoln," which is going to be a huge undertaking.

MTV: Have you talked to friends and family that have gone through this sort of thing yet to know what you're getting into? It's a lot of sitting in hotel rooms and answering the same questions for hours on end, carpets.

Walker: I could probably ask you what it's like. You know better than anybody. You probably have to be much more miserable than I have to be.

MTV: I'm looking forward to seeing how glazed over your eyes are when I see you at your first junket. Will it be your first junket you've done?

Walker: You can reserve the right, because we know each other, to reach across the table and swat me, to bring me back to life if you need to.

MTV: There was talk that you did a workshop for this "American Psycho" musical. Was that something that was fun? Is that something you're hoping might come together in another form?

Walker: I'd love to do it. The music was great. Duncan Sheik did the music. It's a very timely story right now. It's a musical about the deregulation of American finance through the lens of a crazy person. It's a lot of fun. The thing that's great about "American Psycho" as a play or musical is that it's funnier.

MTV: Were you a fan of Mary Harron's film? Obviously, Christian Bale was amazing in that as well.

Walker: That was an amazing movie.

MTV: A little bit of a different take, it sounds like. I guess accentuate the humor a little bit more.

Walker: A lot of the things that happened in the film were inferred through voice-over, with a stage play, it's direct address. You're literally having a conversation with the audience.

MTV: Is there Phil Collins? Is there Genesis in the stage play?

Walker: Oh, yeah. "Feel It Coming In the Air Tonight."

The film will be released in theaters on June 22, 2012.

Video: First Footage from "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" Set

MTV News provides us with the very first footage from the set of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter:

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Director Timur Bekmambetov, star Benjamin Walker (who plays "Honest Abe" himself), producer Jim Lemley, actor Anthony Mackie, and production designer Francois Audouy provide insight on the set into the making of the film.

New Photo: Depp and Pfeiffer in "Dark Shadows"

Entertainment Weekly has provided a new photo of Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer in Dark Shadows:

Burton on 2012 Films, and Beyond

MTV News recently caught up with a very busy Tim Burton. In this interview, the filmmaker discusses his various 2012 projects (Dark Shadows, Frankenweenie, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), as well as what might happen in the next few years...

MTV: Hi, Tim, we wanted to check in with you because it looks like it's going to be a busy 2012.

Tim Burton: Don't remind me. [Laughs.]

MTV: I'm sorry.

Burton: That's OK. I have to face it sooner or later. I didn't really plan it. I probably should have. I wish you could control film schedules a bit better. But it's OK. It's all things that I love, so that's good.

MTV: How are you dividing your time between the various projects?

Burton: With "Frankenweenie," it's a little bit easier to do it, because you only have a couple shots coming through each day. It's like a slow-motion process. When you're dealing with something like "Dark Shadows," that's immediate and intense. And then with "Lincoln," [director] Timur [Bekmambetov] is great. I'm there just to support it. It's a project I really liked and just wanted to see.

MTV: I got a chance to visit the set, and I was impressed. If I didn't know any better, I'd say I was on the set of a historical biopic.

Burton: You were! It is! That's what's great about it. It just seemed like a natural thing for Timur. It being an American history story, it seemed right for it to be directed by a Russian. [Laughs.]

MTV: What stage are you in for "Dark Shadows" right now?

Burton: Panicking. That stage. We're editing and doing effects. It's not an effects-heavy picture, but it's still got stuff in there. There's a strange tone to the movie. That's always what's fun about movies. You never know exactly what they are. It makes it both exciting and scary and why you like doing it. I have to keep remembering that.

MTV : With over 1,200 episodes of the original series to draw upon, what was important to you to retain?

Burton: It's got such a strange vibe. And it's not something that a lot of people necessarily know. You're trying to do a weird soap opera. I felt really lucky, because the cast is really good. People like Michelle [Pfeiffer] grew up watching it. Some of the cast knew about it. Some didn't, but they were all game for it — getting into the weird spirit of what "Dark Shadows" was. It has a weird sense of heightened melodrama. There was a generation of us who would run home from school to watch it. That's probably why we were such bad students. We should have been doing homework; we were watching "Dark Shadows" instead. It was hard to put into words the tone it was. It had a weird seriousness, but it was funny in a way that wasn't really funny. We just had to feel our way through it to find the tone. We didn't do any real rehearsals, because the cast all came in at different times. But there was an old photo of the [original] cast which I always remembered, so a couple days before shooting, we got the whole cast together to take a similar shot so everyone could see each other and get that vibe from doing a group photo. That helped set the tone more than anything.

MTV: Some of it takes place in the 1700s, but most of it takes place in 1972, is that right?

Burton: Yeah it goes back, but it's mainly in 1972, which to the era of "Dark Shadows" is the modern era. To me, it was a scary time.

MTV: Does the film leave that house much?

Burton: A little bit, but the thing about "Dark Shadows" was it was a very hermetically sealed world. It's mainly the internal family melodrama. You get a little bit of the sense of the world, but it's like "Grey Gardens," where these people are in their own sort of world.

MTV: Do you utilize time travel in the movie?

Burton: Not too much. A tiny bit. For me, that's when the show kind of made me want to do homework. I was like, wait a minute! That came near the end of the trail of the series.

MTV: You decided not to do 3-D this time around?

Burton: No. It's the '70s, man. Only "Frankenstein's Bloody Terror" was in 3-D. That's the only one I remember from that time.

MTV: Is it true that you're considering doing another "Beetlejuice" film?

Burton: Yes. I love that character, and Michael [Keaton] is so great in it. I always think about how great and fun that character was, so I just said to ["Vampire Hunter" writer] Seth [Grahame-Smith], "If you have some idea about it, go for it, and then I'll look at it freshly." In the past, I tried some things, but that was way back when. He seemed really excited about it.

MTV: Has he run any of his ideas by you yet?

Burton: No. I told him to try some stuff, but he hasn't come back to me yet. Michael was so great in it. I'm sure he'd strangely tap right back into it.

MTV: It must be extremely exciting for you to return to "Frankenweenie," considering the original short led to your demise at Disney.

Burton: Maybe it'll cause my second or third demise. [Laughs.] I'm very excited about it. The opportunity to do it in black-and-white and 3-D really fits the story. For me, it's the heart of the story that we've gotten to go back to and expand. It's more of a "House of Frankenstein" kind of situation now, but also it stays with the same thing. It taps into the politics of other children that you remember from school. It's still intimate, though. It's still the basic story with a few more elements.

MTV: It actually shocks me there hasn't been a Broadway musical version of "Nightmare Before Christmas."

Burton: A couple of schools have done it. I think it could lend itself to something like [Broadway]. I'm just happy it's taken on a life of its own. We've resisted any kind of sequelization thing. Some things are just best left on their own.

MTV: Did anyone try to dissuade you from doing "Frankenweenie" in black-and-white?

Burton: I'm very grateful, because I think they understood that that was part of the emotion of it. I was very happy about that, because it's a big part of it. It's a big deal for a studio to go along with something like that. And the 3-D really suits it. With a lot of 3-D, you lose some of the detail, but with stop-motion, you actually feel more of the detail. So all the work that people put into the puppets and the spaces on the set — you actually feel it.

MTV: Is IMAX interesting to you?

Burton: Yeah, definitely! We're doing a test for "Frankenweenie." "Frankenweenie" is such a tactile funky project. It would be interesting to see it in that, so we're playing around with it.

MTV: Is "The Addams Family" the next thing on the stop-motion docket?

Burton: Oh, I don't know. I got so many things to keep up with now ...

MTV: You do seem to have a long list of things with your name attached.

Burton: That's why I don't go on the Internet, Josh. It freaks me out. I've got my immediate things to worry about. It's like when they thought the Earth was flat and you hit the horizon and fell into a black hole.

MTV: So this laundry list of things that are stressing you out ...

Burton: Just check them all off till later. Next year, we'll take a look at them like Santa's list. I'll tell you yes or cross them off the list.

Burton on White House Halloween Controversy

Tim Burton responds to an exaggerated media story about his surprise Halloween 2009 visit to the White House on his official Facebook page:

"Setting the record straight:
Recent reports about the 2009 Halloween event have it all wrong. The White House contacted me about helping decorate a Halloween event being held for children of military personnel. I turned to Disney who graciously donated props from my films Alice in Wonderland and The Nightmare Before Christmas. I asked Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska to attend in character from Alice in Wonderland and Deep Roy to appear in his Oompa-Loompa costume [from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory] as a way to surprise the children. It's unfortunate that this event has been twisted and exaggerated into something negative when it was held for children and came from such a positive place.
Sincerely,
Tim"

Burton, Warner Bros. Interested in "Pinocchio" with Robert Downey Jr.?

The Hollywood Reporter states that Warner Bros. and Tim Burton are interested in making a live-action adaptation of Pinocchio, starring Robert Downey Jr. Robert Downey Jr. would play Geppetto, the wood-carver who creates the marionette boy.

Bryan Fuller (creator of TV's Pushing Daisies) has written a treatment for the project, and Dan Jinks (American Beauty, Big Fish) is attached to produce.

However, neither Burton nor Downey Jr. have made deals with Warner Bros. yet, and both men have very busy schedules. Additionally, several other adaptations of Pinocchio are in development from other studios, making stiff competition for Warner Bros.' plans.

New "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" Image

A new image from Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has surfaced, courtesy of USA Today. The Burton-produced film will be released in theaters on June 22nd, 2012.

Video: Wahlberg on "Apes," Clubbing with Burton

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In a video interview with MTV, Mark Wahlberg discusses working on the 2001 Tim Burton version of Planet of the Apes. He acknowledges that the film wasn't a critical success, but explains that the Burton himself wasn't in a very comfortable position. Regardless, Wahlberg says it was the most fun he has had on a film set.

Wahlberg also talked about going to a club with his director. "I have no better time on any movie than I had working with Tim," Wahlberg recently told MTV. "I had the most amazing time with Tim. I run to be on the set with him. We were doing reshoots, and he came out with me to Paris. We're in the club. Tim was in the club, man. Tim was in the club. Then he'd be drawing people, and all of his caricatures looked the same. He'd be drawing people in the club."

New "Frankenweenie" Photo

Stitch Kingdom has provided a new high-resolution still from Frankenweenie. Click the image below to see a larger version:

New "Frankenweenie" Set Photos

Shock Till You Drop visited Three Mill Studios in London to see how production is coming on the upcoming Tim Burton stop-motion film, Frankenweenie. Click the photos for high-resolution versions.

"Tim always wanted to make it into a feature and into an animated feature," explains producer Allison Abbate, "We had to open the story up a little bit. Pretty much, the whole first act is like the short. We meet Victor and his beloved dog, Sparky. There's a terrible car accident tragedy and the dog gets killed. Of course Victor, being a clever guy, figures out how to reincarnate him. Where the story diverges is that Victor is now desperate to keep his dog a secret. He doesn't really know if what he's done is a great thing. He doesn't tell his parents and he doesn't tell his school friends... Of course, the other kids at school get wind of it and kind of want in."

Art director Tim Browning also spoke with Shock Till You Drop to discuss the creation of many of the sets in the film, which are located in Victor’s hometown of New Holland, California.

"[Our setting] is a California suburb sometime between 1965 and 1975," says Browning. "There's no real specific date but, from a design point of view, you approach it much the same as any other period drama. You do the research and try to find all the details of the architecture. Of course, on a project like this we have the luxury of making everything and having complete control. In live action, you have to rely very heavily on locations, purchased props and hired props. Here, you make every single thing."

Browning also discussed the lead canine character.

"He's one of the principal characters," explains Browning, "and in real life he would be sort of bull terrier sized. He needs to be manageable... Our adult puppets are about 50 cm high whereas on 'Corpse Bride' they were more like 25 to 30."

The other aspect of the sets that's instantly striking is that they merge color and black and white. Though the film is being shot for the latter, some elements of puppet-making are simply easier to come by in color and others are designed to make use of the contrast.

"Back in the old days, set painting was geared towards black and white photography," continues Browning, "and it became a whole new challenge when color came in. We're re-creating techniques from the '40s and '50s that this film is homaging."

You can learn more about the film at the original link. But watch out for a few SPOILERS.

Frankenweenie will be released in theaters on October 5th, 2012.

"Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" Teaser Posters

IGN.com has revealed two teaser posters for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Click that previous link for high-resolution versions of the posters.

Video: Helena Bonham Carter: "Dark Shadows" Will Be "Impossible to Sell"

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MTV News recently got a few words about Dark Shadows from Helena Bonham Carter. The actress said that the film will be "very original," "uncategorizable," and "impossible to sell, frankly." And that's part of the reason that it's a passion project for her director and partner, Tim Burton.

"This is a thing he raced home to see when he was about age 10, so it's returning to his childhood roots of what he loved watching," Bonham Carter said of the original Dark Shadows television series. "It's actually a really bad, hilariously bad soap opera, and because it's so bad, he felt he had to make a hugely expensive movie."

Bonham Carter also talked about the supporting role that she plays, the character of Dr. Julia Hoffman. "I mean, she's an alcoholic psychiatrist, so I hadn't played that before. And she's got a secret. They all have secrets. It's all about people who have secrets," she teased.

"It's going to be unlike [anything], I think. It's dangerous to say that. But it's very original and it's kind of uncategorizable. It's going to be impossible to sell, frankly, because it's just so ... it's a soap opera, but it's very, very subtle. I don't know. We'll see. It's a ghost story, but then it's an unhappy vampire story, it's a mixture of so many different things and a real ensemble piece. Hopefully it will be funny. I don't know," she said.

Dark Shadows will be released in theaters on May 11th, 2012.

Jane Goldman Scripting ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children’

Jane Goldman, the screenwriter of Stardust, Kick-Ass, and X-Men: First Class, is in talks to write the script for the feature film version of Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children, the Ransom Riggs novel that Chernin Entertainment is producing, reports Deadline.com. Tim Burton is circling the project as a potential director, but it has not been confirmed that he will helm the project yet. The film is being made by 20th Century Fox.