Of all the unpredictable news that has come out of 2020 so far, the universe has finally aligned itself in such a way where something absolutely natural has occurred: Tim Burton is heading to television for the first time in decades for an Addams Family series. Burton is an obviously solid fit to bring the creepiest and kookiest family back to the small screen after multiple live-action movies and animated features, but don't expect it to be an exact retread of what we've seen before.
While the details at this point are pretty scarce, it sounds like this new take on The Addams Family will be set in the present day, as opposed to being a period piece. As well, Deadline reports that the going idea is for the show to actually center on Wednesday Addams, the elder offspring with a penchant for bringing pain to her brother Pugsley. The idea is for the show to view modern day living through Wednesday's eyes; presumably just the ones in her head and not the ones she's keeping in jars.
Tim Burton will be executive producing this new Addams Family TV show, and it's possible that he will be taking on directorial duties for all episodes in the potential first season. He isn't the only creative talent involved, however. Smallville co-creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough have been tapped to craft The Addams Family from the screenwriting perspective, and the duo will serve as co-showrunners, as well as executive producers.
TV shows following teenage girls aren't exactly a new thing, but fans can probably expect this new Addams Family project to be the exact opposite of Hannah Montana and other Disney Channel fare. (Though probably don't expect any hardcore horror, either.) It will be interesting to see how this change in direction affects the well-established dynamic that this franchise has stuck with over the decades. Will we see more of her school and social life? Will audiences get to see one of the most uncomfortable puberty stories since Carrie? The possibilities are plentiful, assuming the writers maintain that angle throughout the creative process.
In the original TV series, arguably the most adorable version Wednesday was played quite successfully by actress Lisa Loring, with Cindy Henderson providing the voicework for the '70s animated series. For most fans of a certain age, though, the most iconic portrayal belongs to Christina Ricci, who played a deliciously malicious Wednesday in both the self-titled film and its Addams Family Values sequel. Former model Nicole Fugere took over the role for the straight-to-video Addams Family Reunion movie in the late '90s, as well as the short-lived Fox Family reboot The New Addams Family. Most recently, Chloe Moretz supplied Wednesday's voice for 2019's self-titled animated feature. (Not to mention those who portrayed Wednesday on stage and in other animated versions.)
It sounds like Tim Burton's Addams Family is already a highly sought-after project around Hollywood, too. Financed by MGM TV, the show reportedly has multiple studios bidding for control, and Netflix is said to have risen to become a potential favorite in that bunch. Which might not be great news for anyone hoping the show lasts for many seasons, but Tim Burton could certainly make an endless amount of interesting looking shit to haunt viewers with if he had a Netflix budget behind him.
Tim Burton was previously attached to an Addams Family project back in 2010, when it was reported that he was in line to direct a 3D animated movie based on the property. However, those plans had fallen through a few years later. Burton's previous TV wins include an episode of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents reboot, the still-hilarious Beetlejuice animated series that barely had anything to do with the movie, as well as the animated Amazing Stories quasi-spinoff Family Dog, which only lasted a single season.
It's obviously unclear where The Addams Family will end up, but stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on the new show, as well as on the big screen sequel that is still apparently happening. Check out our Fall TV 2020 premiere schedule to see what other reboots and new shows are debuting soon.
