Already, Netflix's upcoming voyage into the macabre, Wednesday, is shaping up to be a project that Addams Family fans can have amazingly high expectations for, with Tim Burton spinning the familiarly mysterious and spooky universe in a unique direction. Just about every bit of news that has surfaced to date has been a treat, save for the sudden exit of co-star Thora Birch, and the same goes for the update that composer and longtime Burton collaborator Danny Elfman is the latest behind-the-scenes addition to the streaming project. Thing is even giving this choice two thumbs up, and he only has one thumb.
Obviously, Wednesday isn’t going to feature Danny Elfman trying out his talents as a best boy grip. Rather, the Emmy-winning composer will be crafting the Netflix Original’s theme song, according to THR. He definitely has some mighty large shoes to fill — presumably Lurch’s — when comes to the unforgettable snap-filled theme from the original ‘60s series. In the same vein, Elfman also has a plethora of memorable themes from his own career to stand out from with Wednesday. I am so hoping some form of snapping is maintained, along with lots of organ music. Maybe a little theremin?
That’s not all, either. Beyond the central theme music, Danny Elfman will also help to craft various other musical motifs and will score part of the series while working alongside fellow composer Chris Bacon. The latter’s TV work includes composing for Bates Motel, Smash, and The Tick, which definitely shows the kind of range he’s capable of, and Bacon seems like a complementary fit for Elfman.
While Danny Elfman has conceived myriad memorable orchestrations in his career outside of Tim Burton projects — The Simpsons’ iconic theme song comes to mind — it’s hard to argue that a large chunk of his best work has been in projects from the director’s oddball oeuvre. To the point where it’s worth rattling off a list here:
- Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure
- Beetlejuice
- Batman
- Edward Scissorhands
- Batman Returns
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (technically a Henry Selick film, but still)
- Mars Attacks
- Sleepy Hollow
And all that was just in the first 15 years of Burton and Elfman’s collaborations. Those pair-ups have continued over the years, of course, with 2019’s Dumbo being their most recent project together.
Of course, Elfman also scored such hits as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, as well as the Men in Black movies, Justice League, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, and the upcoming MCU film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. So I cannot wait to see how he manifests his blockbuster scoring for the small-screen’s Wednesday, which seems slightly less epic in scope. (Though not in a bad way.)
Wednesday will star Jenna Ortega as the titular Addams daughter during her years studying at the supernaturally focused Nevermore Academy, where she attempts to hone her psychic abilities at the same time the school’s town is being plagued by a monstrous killer. And it all ties back to something hush-hush that went down 25 years previous, involving her parents Gomez (played by Luis Guzmán) and Morticia (portrayed by Catherine Zeta-Jones). The new series will also star Game of Thrones vet Gwendoline Christie as Nevermore’s principal.
With filming still happening, Wednesday will likely debut on Netflix at some point in 2022, so don’t be like Cousin Itt by keeping your hair out of your face and keeping your eyes peeled for more info in the coming months. While waiting, our 2022 TV premiere schedule should help in plotting out what to watch in the near year.
