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EXCLUSIVE: Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton has found a new 3D project. He will direct a stop-motion animated film based on Charles Addams' original ghoulish cartoon drawings of The Addams Family. Illumination Entertainment, the Universal-based family film unit headed by Chris Meledandri, has acquired the underlying rights of the Addams drawings, once a staple of The New Yorker magazine.
Burton's intention is to go back to the litany of Addams illustrations that displayed a sharper wit than seen on the big or little screen before. Other than being inspired by the same source material, the animated feature is unrelated to previous incarnations of Addams’ work: the 1960s TV series, the two 1990s feature film comedies that Barry Sonnenfeld directed with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston, or the Broadway musical opening this spring with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in the starring roles.
Meladandri will produce the film. Kevin Miserocchi of the Tee and Charles Addams Foundation will be executive producer. A writer will be hired shortly. Burton, whose visual creations are currently on display at a MOMA exhibit that opened last November, is expected to provide much of the visual look of the film himself.
Burton’s experience in animated film is extensive. He last directed Corpse Bride, and is making a feature version of Frankenweenie, the 1984 30-minute short film Burton made about a boy who reanimates his dead dog. That reportedly got him tossed off the Disney lot for making a film too terrifying for a family audience, but the film has since become a cult favorite. Burton recently produced 9, as well as the delightful stop-motion animated The Nightmare Before Christmas, for which he wrote the story.
While there are many post-Green Zone articles speculating how Universal will pull itself out of an extended feature slump, Illumination's upcoming animated slate should be a big help in giving Universal a foothold in the 3D CG family entertainment market. Meledandri left the top post at Fox Animation to form Illumination in 2007, and begins contributing to the Universal pipeline when the studio releases the Steve Carell-voiced Despicable Me on July 9. That’s followed by the April 1, 2011 release of I Hop, with Russell Brand voicing the Easter Bunny, with the Ricky Gervais creation Flanimals coming later 2011. Right behind that is Where’s Waldo and Dr.Seuss’ The Lorax.
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Seems only fitting considering Barry Sonnenfeld’s two films were total
Burton knock-offs…
Loved Sonnenfeld’s take on this series and hoping the stop motion will live up to those movies. Corpse Bride kinda missed the mark so my fingers are crossed.
For the voice cast I’ll guess Helena Bonham Carter as Morticia, and Johnny Depp as Gomez.
Is that a bad thing?
Very. I’ve never been more irritated by a cast of characters that doesn’t evolve, but act the same in every single role. He needs to get someone new that’s not predictable.
I wonder who will be doing the score? lol. Tim Burton needs to stop using the same actors over and over.
My hopes rest in John Astin reviving his old role.
Morticia; my pick is Anjelica Huston.
Thurl Ravenscroft would have made a great Lurch….
the style of tim burton is exceptional… and the the cast he chooses really shows the tone and mood of his movies.. it wud be dufficult to find that in other actors. I thimk hiis casting is wht makes his movies uniqe from the others.. it really stands out.
Switch that around and you’ll get it.
johnny depp would be brilliant as him!!! the last addams family was crap, i loved addams family 1991 and addams family reunion 1993 but the ones after them were no good the actors were terrible i hope this one will be as good as the 1990’s…
I’ve always wanted to see a totally faithful Charles Addams adaptation. I hope Burton keeps the venom and patient contempt for the conventional that was a key joy of the New Yorker strips, as well as the charcoal gloom in the art.
I know Tim Burton has his “thing”- weird, quirky, odd movies with a dark side. That cast Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. And use Danny Elfman for score. And he’s great at it, obviously.
But just once…. just once….. I would love to see him do something different and unexpected. Like direct a buddy cop movie. Or an English period piece romance. Or movie about a talking dog.
just once, you know? Shake things up.
I would consider his Planet of the Apes remake something different for Tim. That didn’t turn out so well.
And let’s not forget Big Fish… oh yeah, I did forget about that.
Big Fish was a great film…
Meh.. pretty low on my list of his best in my opinion.
Aren’t Planet of the Apes and Big Fish darkish genre films like all his other movies?
That sounds like a personal problem.
Yep! That was a mis-step for him. I mean, casting that guy from the Calvin Klien underwear who can’t act to save his life.
Major disappointment…
seems you know more about underwear models than film. which guy are you referring to, Mark Wahlberg?
Agreed Jonathan. He really needs to do something original again like “Big Fish” or “Ed Wood” This is just getting tiresome and you really cannot top the Sonnenfeld films. Especially the late, great Raul Julia as Gomez as well as the rest of that brilliant cast. I think Burton needs to reboot “Turner & Hooch.” Now that would be interesting.
Actually he has made “different genera movies”. You just haven’t seen them. I’ll name some; Big Fish, Peewee’s Big Adventure, Planet of the Apes, Attack From Mars, etc. It’s not fair how Tim gets steriotyped because of his hair and SOME movies. I’m really looking forward to seeing this “Addams Family”. Tim is a genius!
The Corpse Bride missed the mark? What mark would that be? Your brain? Understandable since it is apparently so small. CB is a masterpiece of stop motion as well as being incredibly witty, well-acted, and original. Plus Danny Elfman’s music was phenomenal. Maybe you need to go back and watch it about ten times so you get some of the jokes.
You declined to mention the script, which was convoluted and boring. If you’ve watched Corpse Bride more than once you need to update your netflix cue.
What happened to Tim Burton having original creative ideas? Those are the ones that held up. Where’s Beetlejuice? Where’s Edward Scissorhands? No more Planet of Apes, Alice and Wonka.
My thoughts exactly. I always felt his original material was MUCH more interesting than any of his adaptations – but then again, Hollywood is OBSESSED with source material, hoping to capitalize on a preexisting fan base.
Burton should’ve stopped at Batman and continued down the same road along which Edward Scisshorhands sits, but Hollywood nowadays has no balls to support creativity and originality.
ya the old ones were the best beetle juice and Edward scissors hands i love all them old fantasy films make me feel like a child again haha
Not a surprise he went down this particular road. Burton is becoming ever-more predictable, and, dare I say, boring.
wait, Sonnenfeld’s AF movies were Burton knock-offs? wtf? how about, Burton’s whole shtick has always been an Addams (and Gorey) knock-off!
I was going to post the same exact thing. If it were not for Edward Gorey, there would be no Tim Burton. Burton is above and beyond anything else, a stylist and it is beyond argument that among his stylistic antecedents Edward Gorey reigns large. very large.
Is he ever going to direct something original again? I’m beginning to think his career peaked with ‘Edward Scissorhands’.
I look forward to ‘Frankenweenie’ whenever he gets around making it.
would love to hear some haunting pop songs by Aimee Mann, R.E.M., Good Charlotte and great bands.
Good Charlotte is a great band? Your argument is invalid.
right on val. Consider FEVER RAY!
Good Charlotte = Mediocre Green Day.
Is there a freaking original idea left in Hollywood anymore? There was an excellent Addams Family film not long ago.
I think it’s a mistake for Tim to remake old titles. He’s should try adapting something new, or dare I say… come up with his own idea.
“Addams Family” screenwriter Caroline Thompson also wrote a bunch of Tim Burton movies, so makes sense.
Dear Tim –
Can’t wait till people are remaking your stuff. err, wait… gonna be tough, considering 98% of your films were already remakes.
They’re making a movie of The Lorax? UGH, WHEN WILL YOU STOP RUINING DR SEUSS??!?
They may SAY it’s not based on the 1960’s tv version… but you know their going to use the names (since Addamms never bothered naming them himself), so they’d better make sure they’ve secured the rights- unlike the 1990’s films, which ended up with a lawsuit, as I recall…
You might be right about the lawsuit, but I’m surprised that Addams doesn’t have legal rights to them, because he was the one that came up with the original names when they were making the tv show:
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Addams_Family#Names
Originally none of the members of the Addams family had names, but when the TV show was in development, Charles Addams was asked to provide names for each of the characters. For the father he suggested Gomez or Repelli, for the mother Morticia, for the uncle Fester, for the butler Lurch, for the daughter Wednesday (for being “full of woe”), and for the son Pubert (which he later changed to Pugsley at the behest of ABC, though the name resurfaced as the name of the new Addams baby in Addams Family Values).
Your information is outdated. The Charles Addams Foundation has since gotten hold of all the rights.
I agree, Good Charlotte is a bad, bad band. And if Johnny isn’t Gomez, then you know he did something wrong.
Here we go again. Another so called “original” Tim Burton film. Yawn.
Not all Hollywood people are actual creators of new material. Sure there are few of those left. Let’s take Burton for what he can do, which that he can take others’ ideas and present them in a different light. The fact that people go see his adaptations proves he has something people want. Complaining about this square peg and your need for a round hole doesn’t benefit anyone
Burton is becoming Kevin Smith…cannot make a movie that deviates in any way from his limited fetishes (stop motion, quirky outsiders, Johnny Depp)
Tim! Tim! Bring back Larry Wilson and Caroline Thompson!
Why?
Caroline and Larry wrote the best parts of the last two Addams family movies. Not to mention that Caroline wrote Edward Scissorhands and Larry wrote Beetlejuice (I know he lost his writing credit.)
Think of all the cinematic anarchy that would ensue!
DeNiro needs to play uncle Fester.
Not sure if this is good news or not.
I suggest to go see the ADDAMS FAMILY MUSICAL, in previews on Broadway right now. It is a gem!
Cher for Mortisha Adams please!!!
totally agree dc4!!!
It IS an original film. It’s unrelated to the previous incarnations and it’s stop-motion. It’s source material from the New Yorker has been MADE into TV shows and movies (movies were a childhood fave) but never in stop-motion. It’s not a remake. I use it’s often.
Mr. Sonnenfeld’s take on the Addams Family should be left as the final interpretation of a pretty unique family. Why go down a downer road? So much to choose from and Tim decides to rehash great heash.
Leave them as funny movies with great actors, wonderful performances, terrific production design, witty screenplays and a
a director who brought it all together-TWICE
A dark brooding place is not where we need to go after the thrill ride inside the rabbit hole.
Tim Burton; please stop ruining my favorite childhood movie memories!
if tim would move onto serious work there may be hope. as is even “tim burton presents care bears” wouldn’t surprise anyone.
I agree with the posts above that talk about his original stuff being so much fun. And let’s not forget the original BATMAN (circa 1989). That was an original take on Tv material. And done well back in the day. (Never having seen the musical I was also a big fan of SWEENY TODD.)
I will agree, however, on the Depp comments.
I know they’re friends and have a great short-hand with each other but how about sharing some of that magic with a new actor/actress, Mr. Burton? I know it’s fun to work with friends but if everything’s got a dark, gloomy edge to it, doesn’t that get old?
Regardless, ADDAMS FAMILY will make bank.
i agree about johnny depp being involved in too many of burton’s films…however, the dark and gloomy perspectives that burton places on his films make them unique. each individual movie he has done has its own specific taste to it.
for instance, if you look at two films like sweeney todd and the nightmare before christmas, you would notice they are undoubtedly burton, but they are completely different from eachother.
burton is a genius who puts his own take (however gloomy) on films and succeeds in doing it.
This isn’t going to turn out well. I like Burton’s take on his remakes, yes I even found some good in Planet of the Apes. It was very weird this was announced yesterday as me and a friend were having a debate just the night before while discussing his take on Alice, and the first thing he said to me was, why does everything have to be so pasty white with Burton and what film was he going to remake next, we only had to wait about 8 hours for an answer.
I don’t want to go out on a limb here but I’ll bet it stars Johnny Depp and the music score is by Danny Elfman.
Jesus Christ, not more of this shit.
You know it’s incredibly hard to respect a director who does the same thing over and over and over.
I’m reasonably certain this is more about money now, than anything else.
Nope. You are wrong.
Here we go again. Another so called “original” Tim Burton film. Yawn…
If Burton will re-connect with Caroline Thompson and do this right..maybe he can get his creative mojo back!
I absolutely agree! This would be so wonderful….
The lack of Thompson around is why Tim’s movies have lacked heart lately.
Has anyone ever heard of living your childhood dreams? Im guessing not seeing as everyone here wants to be a movie critic but very few people in the world get that job, so instead of negatively criticizing Tim Burton for “remaking” these movies lets applaud him for “re-imagining” movies and stories weve all seen and heard and he makes them into an almost new story, that some generations are far too young to remember the originals, and yeah Corpse Bride, it was cute,and dark and qwuirky like alot of his work, so what if you have super High expectations…. dont like what the artists and professionals are doing; Heres an Idea, why dont all you people that aren’t liking the new works, Make your own movie! you want original write original, dont like what you see? turn it off.
Sorry for the novelette rant, but seriously people!
I like how you put that. He is “reimagining” these movies. Not remaking them.
The Sonnenfeld movies were interesting but basically crap! I only own them because I’m a diehard fan. The light always shining on Morticia’s eyes. Finishing each others sentences. Pugsley’s lack of character. Christopher Lloyd as Fester. Pretty sure Burton will show us what an Addams movie SHOULD be like.
I thought Tim Burton did an AMAZING job with Alice, and would still like to see his team take on the “Tim Burton’s Lost in Oz” series that has been in the planning/pilot stage for more than 10 years. There are 16 books in the “Oz” series, and Tim et al. would make something truer to the original writings (i.e., darker) than anything we’ve seen to date.
Tim ideas are totally original. He takes these classic stories and makes them his own. Most of the older versions of his movies are not really all that good or loyal to the literary classic. ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ was more like the book then what its predicessor was and was there every really a good version of Alice in Wonderland out there. I find the Disney cartoon to be a little boring and is not very thought provoking. It’s just abunch of crazy people dancing and singing that is meant to entertain small children. Tim’s version is more deep that actually has meaning to it.
And who of course could forget his greatest works ‘Sleepy Hollow’ and ‘Sweeney Todd’. There are actually no other theatrical versions of these films. These have Tim’s name stamped all over them. The reason that they are my favorites is because they are original even though they were not originaly his ideas, but he certainaly made them his own. He needs to make more rated R movies so he can be free to be as dark (with impressionist gore) as much as he wants.
I am very much looking forward to this new animated version of the Addams Family using classical stop-motion instead of this CGI crap. To tell you the truth I always thought that Barry Sonifield’s version had a Burton feel to it so this is right up Tim’s alley.
Certainly not what I would ever pick for a next film. At least, not after the great films that pretty mch wrang all the value out of the concept for me. Burton does seem to be all about style, the more I appreciate his work. There’s no real filmic experience under there.
Good news! These two (Addams family and Tim Burton) were simply made for each other!!!!
Screw animation! Christina Ricci should come back to play a grown up Wednesday Addams in a new film!
I cant wait no longer…wanna see Addam’s Family in Burton’s 3D anima-vision
i would love to see the same actors as in addams family values where maybe there is a problem wit gomez and mortisha so all the family return home then the fun can begin!!!
Tim Burton is going to rape The Addam’s Family just like he raped Alice in Wonderland.
hi my name is nathalie and i would love to be in this film or any in the future- when you read this please email me from my address above and i will send you more about me etc…
thanks for reading, nathalie
A total surprize for me..I found Alice brilliant. But now Tim time to think..create..write..come up with something brilliant AND original. And yes your predictable cast brings with it studio backing but how about other good actors in their price range? Penelope Cruze! Russell Crowe..
I would like to see Burton try something like the true story of Vlad the Impaler(and not base it upon him turning into Dracula).
My only hope is that Mr. Burton sees fit not to again make is wife into a misshapen or villainous caricature. Ms. Carter is a world class, unique and immensely talented woman. She could (and has) carried films that other actors would overdo. See the real Ms. Carter on Google. you’re in for a treat.
I only like a few Burton movies- Beetlejuice, Sweeny Todd, and Corpse Bride. I fall asleep every time I try to watch Scissorhands, and Big Fish is one of the top five worst movies I have ever seen. Pure drivelly awfulness.
But my favorite comments are when people praise Charlie and the Chocolate Factory as closer to the book than the original. First of all, the movie was terribly boring and featured a creepy Johnny Depp doing a bad impression of MJ. Secondly- and more importantly- the original movie, which featured one of the greatest comedy actors of all time in Gene Wilder, was actually WRITTEN BY ROALD DAHL! Yeah, that’s right- the guy who wrote the source material for the screenplay also wrote the screenplay. Stop with the stupid excuses. Please.
I love you chuck
You sir, are an idiot….
Dahl got the credit on the original, but it is ultimately the writing of David Seltzer that made it to the screen. Dahl is often reported to have been VERY disappointed and angered by Seltzer’s Rewrites, so your logic is flawed.
But Dahl was ALWAYS upset at EVERYONE. Seltzer did a terrific job with his additions and adaption of the material into a movie. His closing line “What happened to the guy who suddenly got everything he ever wanted?” is a terrific, iconic closer. Dahl is my absolute favorite writer, but in some cases with books to films, a bit of variation in source material can make a better movie. I’d be beyond pissed too, but in this case, the work was really good. Actually, that’s probably what pissed him off.
if Helena is in it i will not go. share the wealth.
I think Alice and Wonka were both just amazing. Burton just sees things differently and I think its fun looking through his eyes. And for my money Corps Bride was great. I like that he uses Depp like MS uses Leo and Deniro.
Chuck, chuck, if you were half as smart as u like people to think you’d know that the write HATED the 70’s Chocolate Factory. He said they ruiened his story. He was angry that it was a musical. That said, you nailed it with Big Fish and Sweeny Todd. Fish SUCKED and Todd was perfect.
I absolutely HATED the Tim Burton versions of Planet of The Apes and Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. Tim raped my childhood on those two films. oddly enough my favorite Tim Burton film is Ed Wood! I think Tim is a great visual person he would have been a great art director in films moreso than a great director.
Used to be a Burton fan but not anymore after he gave into all this remake crap.
I hope for his next film will be showed in China.I’m dying to watch Alice in Wonderland (3D)in cinema tomorrow. I’m tired of search movies in internet which are forbidden by Chinese goverment.I have to remind Hollywood’s directors:IF U WANNA SHOW YOUR MOVIES IN CHINA, U MUST PRAISE CHINA IN YOUR LINES. (Just like 2012)
Amazing that you people can all say that Burton is a “sell-out” yet only ONE person even mentioned his greatest film: Ed Wood. What would you expect when nobody talks about a director’s best film? Of course he’ll start looking for ways to please a popular audience rather than trying to find real artistic or great stories to tell.
You people sicken me
Alice in Wonderland wasn’t great at all. The essence it had in the book was lost in the movie.
I liked the Corpse Bride, though, and I’m curious about how this will turn out, so fingers crossed.
(And yes, someone other than Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter getting the lead role would be nice.)
I am looking forward to this
But I really hope that Helena Bonham Carter won’t be the voice for Morticia, I don’t think she can pull it off.
Ricky Gervais is very talented and very funny however, he is also a very anti-Judeo-Christian atheist.
His Flanimals book is actually an anti-Judeo-Christian polemic in the guise of a children’s book.
For example, it includes a mock rendering of Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam” along with text that sings the praises of mutation/evolution and besmirched as “Mental!” the view that all of the Flanimals were created by a sky being known as “Grob.”
More details are found at this link.
Again, this may be one too many trips to the well with Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. I get that he envisions dark wackieness for his films, but this needs to be a fresh, smart start. Also I am not sure that people are ready for another Addams Family reboot considering we are all suffering the pain from the last series. It is kind of like getting sick off of cheap whiskey, just the smell of it again will make your stomach sick.
Please don’t fuck this up.. be original
Ive followed tims work forever. I loved alice in wonderland. And have alot of faith in adams family, which if you ask me looks like tim burtom. Nobody has that type of imagination or can put it out like he does. Only tim can do that kind of work. Ya’ll leave him alone. Tim…… Rock on. Thousands love you if not more man.
Tim Burton is a genius when it comes to making movies creepy yet comedic, but WHEN WILL HE RELEASE ANOTHER ORIGINAL FILM!? his adaptations are good but im sick of it. next thing you know hes going to remake the little mermaid and lion king, tho the Hunch Back of Notre Dam might turn out interesting. please, tim burton, PLEASE make another ingenious original film
For all you people that wont stop complaing about Tim not doing anything orginal are just not looking hard enough Tim has signed a deal to turn his 1948 short film Frankenweenie. He is turning it into a full lengh film that is set to come out in November 2011 so people please stop whining about things u have no idea. and if you dont like the way Tim Burton does his movies then don’t watch them.
All haters need to just stay quiet! Tim burton is a genius in ways youll never be able to understand. Each of his movies are created to be unique in some form or other even the remakes! In the disney version of alice in wonderland the characters mad hatter and march hare were not nearly as lovable and it didnt make sense. That version was both books combined and the best parts were left out. Like the jabberwocky. Helena bohnam carter was great as the red queen! Just like johnny depp was a great mad hatter. Each time tim uses them they play the parts pefectly so why use any one else?
I can’t wait for more of Tim Burton’s incredible movies. I loved Nightmare Before Christmas when I was little and I still love it now. Corpse Bride was pure genius. Alice in Wonderland was absolutely perfect. Sweeney Todd was great, even now I sing ‘A Little Priest’. Edward Scissorhands is still one of my favorites. Beetlejuice was great. Sleepy Hollow is in my top favorites as well. Every one of his films is unique and creative. As for Depp and Carter, they play their roles so perfectly and a lot of people really love them so why change?? Even Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was good, even if it was odd.
My parents hated Alice in Wonderland because they didn’t understand the concept. That’s the reason why I love it so, good things don’t really need a concept or point.
Mr. Burton, continue with your magnificant work, there are millions who enjoy every second of your work. Even if all these fuddy duddies don’t, besides they don’t know what’s good for them.
I can’t wait for more along with many more.
My all time favourite Burton film is Sweeney Tood:The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, closely followed by Edward Scissorhands, both starring Johnny Depp. I think Burton has really hit the nail on the head with the Depp – Carter partnerships as they are both exceptional at playing the roles that Tim prefers. I do not think having an original cast will be a good thing, purely because what an actor can do in the role of Gomez/Fester, Johnny could do twice as good. I think Helena Bonham Carter would be great as Morticia, as the character is much like the one of Mrs Lovett, bar the singing. To sum it all up, I think Tim has a good team (Depp, Carter, Elfman) and it would be wrong to not use them in a role that suits them.