Tim Burton is rebooting The Addams Family as a live-action, present day TV series. Although Burton previously developed an animated children's show based on his 1988 film Beetlejuice, this version of The Addams Family would be his first major live-action series.

The Addams Family was created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1939 for The New Yorker, and the comics were first adapted into a live-action TV show in 1964. It was subsequently turned into two animated shows, two live-action films The Addams Family (1991) and The Addams Family Values (1993) and rebooted as an animated feature film in 2019 with The Addams Family. Tim Burton's reboot will be the first time that The Addams Family is back on TV in a live-action format since the original series ended in 1966.

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Burton's reboot is confirmed to be in development, and the project is currently looking for a home. Burton is negotiating to executive produce and direct all episodes of the series, and Smallville executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar will be head writers and showrunners, as well as executive producing alongside Burton.

Tim Burton's Addams Family Is Coming

Tim Burton's reboot of The Addams Family is already in development. The IP rights to the franchise are owned by MGM TV, who financed development of the series, and the project currently has multiple buyers bidding for ownership, including Netflix. The project would be Tim Burton's first major foray into television, and the popularity of the series implies an owner will be found soon.

Addams Family Reboot Story Details

No story details about The Addams Family have been officially confirmed, but it's reported that the live-action series will be set in present day and take place from the perspective of Wednesday Addams - a departure from past adaptations of the franchise. A cornerstone of all versions of The Addams Family is contrasting the macabre family against the cheerful town that they live in. The Tim Burton reboot will likely continue that theme and center around Wednesday adjusting to modern life.

Tim Burton Is Going Back To His Roots

The Addams Family is a perfect fit for Tim Burton, whose work frequently centers around dark comedy, including a previous feature film adaptation of the 1970's gothic sitcom Dark Shadows. Burton's classic films Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands are tonally similar to The Addams Family, and all of them emphasize Burton's interest in the comedy of the macabre. Tim Burton has strayed from his roots recently, trading creative, low-budget horror for big-budget and overly CGI-d fantasy movies such as Dumbo. Although he has primarily focused on feature films, the industry shift towards television over movies makes the reboot of The Addams Family a great opportunity for Tim Burton to return to his roots.

When Tim Burton's Addams Family Will Release

The Addams Family is still in early development, with no confirmed cast or creative team other than Tim Burton, Alfred Gough, and Miles Millar. Once the reboot has secured a home, which is currently in a bidding war, it will likely start production soon after. Audiences should expect The Addams Family to release in late 2021 or early 2022.

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