The Addams Family (Tim Burton)

[GreenScar]

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.

Other than being inspired by the same source material, the animated feature is unrelated to previous incarnations of Addams’ work, the 60s TV series, the two `90s 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.

His intention is to go back to the litany of Addams illustrations that displayed a sharper wit than could be place into a 60s family TV series.

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 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.

[JonD7]

Awesome!!!

[SpaceDog]

I would be thrilled to drop $12 on this in theater, and another $20 on blu-ray.

And please - can we not have the "not another remake" replies. Adapting a literary source that has been adapted before is NOT a remake.

[SpaceDog]

Also I hope he has free reign to make a great film without pandering to merchandizing or "kid friendly". If it's kid friendly great, and if it's not, advertise it for what it is.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Nope, they should just do another Addams Family with Christina Ricci and get the fat kid back.

[Porkchop Express]

Burton & stop-motion =

[Teabaggins]

Originally Posted by OrlandoEastwood

Nope, they should just do another Addams Family with Christina Ricci and get the fat kid back.

the first two movies are still great fun.

[detective392]

Can't wait for this I love his stop motion movies. But I really hope he still does Dark Shadows next.

[kpkelley]

Originally Posted by OrlandoEastwood

Nope, they should just do another Addams Family with Christina Ricci and get the fat kid back.

Won't be the same without Raul Julia.

[SquidPuppet]

Sounds good to me.

[Batman1980]

Without Raul Julia or Christopher Lloyd or Christina Ricci or Lauren Holly but I love Tim Burton so I'll manage.

[mikejet]

I'm not familiar with the original work. Sounds like something I might want to check out though

[SpaceDog]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Without Raul Julia or Christopher Lloyd or Christina Ricci or Lauren Holly but I love Tim Burton so I'll manage.

I wouldn't see it as beyond Burton to cast Christina Ricci in the voice role. It might be a big mistake to draw any connection to the prior film series though, as this is meant to be an entirely different thing.

[SpaceDog]

One Burton complaint from a Burton fan :
Don't do fake 3d. If you're going to release this is 3d, talk to your buddy Henry Selick about doing stop motion 3d correctly.

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by SpaceDog

I wouldn't see it as beyond Burton to cast Christina Ricci in the voice role. It might be a big mistake to draw any connection to the prior film series though, as this is meant to be an entirely different thing.

I actually think Burton will do a better job than whoever went before him, few do the dark comedy genre better than he does.

[iamsparticus9]

if Burton is doing it that means Depp will be Gomez and HBC will be Morticia. no doubt.

[Foggy]

I don't feel it nesscery, we'll see how it goes?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by iamsparticus9

if Burton is doing it that means Depp will be Gomez and HBC will be Morticia. no doubt.

Wonder which 7'+ bloke he will find to do Lurch.

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

Wonder which 7'+ bloke he will find to do Lurch.

Since it's stop-motion, probably someone with a 7' voice.

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 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.

(Y'know, seven years ago, back during the national annoyance with "Cat in the Hat", I made detailed predictions, to within a few decimal points, of what a Univeral-produced "Lorax" would look like--
This was before Horton, and geared for the live-actions, but given the studio's in-house misinterpretation of the author's style in general, my prediction still stands. I've dug it up and kept it in a sealed envelope for just such wagering purposes.

Oh, and with the "Arthur" remake apparently back on schedule, how many vanity mainstream-breakout projects is Russell Brand going to produce before studios officially declare that we don't want him? Could we get together with the suits and collective-bargain it down to a nice round fixed number like three or less, and leave it at that?)

[Atreyu]

If anybody can pull this off it's Burton. I can hardly wait to see it