Netflix is releasing the newest The Addams Family series, Wednesday, this fall, and they just dropped the first trailer. The production has been unusually quiet until the past few days, when a picture of the full family was revealed, so fans are sure to be looking for any information they can gather in the trailer.
The series follows Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) as she navigates Nevermore Academy. During her time there, a murder mystery arises that is "altogether spooky." Fans hope that this series can blend the feeling of the original with the more grown-up version of the character they have come to love in The Addams Family Musical and the YouTube saga "Adult Wednesday Addams." Given all the hints dropped in the newest trailer, it looks like it'll be an exciting ride.
The Importance Of Color
Wednesday is Tim Burton's newest project, and one of the most notable ways he has added his own flair to the series is through deliberate color use. It's immediately apparent that Wednesday doesn't fit in at Nancy Reagan High School when she wears all black instead of the bright colors of her peers, but that differentiation continues at Nevermore Academy.
At Nevermore, the students wear black and blue, except for Wednesday, who sticks to her signature colors. As the show has been set up as a murder mystery, fans can expect to see even more red, and can perhaps judge Wednesday's new peers and faculty by the statement their color schemes make.
Traditional Costuming
On the front of costuming, fans should be pleased to see that the Addams family looks very similar to their previous incarnations, with Wednesday's braided pigtails and collared dresses and her parent's traditional outfits representing the Addams family's distinct personalities.
While Wednesday wears a few different outfits over the course of the trailer, they all stick close to the style seen in the cartoons, television series, and 1990s films, showing an adherence to the source material that fans were unsure would be maintained. There was some controversy about Gomez's change in appearance from previous films, but creator Alfred Gough explains that he was intentionally styled to match the comic, not previous live-action interpretations.
Protective Instincts
While Wednesday has always had sadistic instincts toward her brother, she also has a fiercely protective side, which she uses to hurt those who try to torment her loved ones. For example, she leads a rebellion where the children who have been bullied fight back against the popular kids in Addams Family Values.
This side of the character is on full display in the trailer, as Wednesday tells the swim team, "The only person who gets to torture my brother is me." Her violent means of fighting back may go beyond what would be considered heroic, but it shows that this version of Wednesday maintains her tendency to defend the innocent.
Definite Horror Elements
The Addams Family has always toed the line between horror and comedy, but this series seems to be using the horror elements for more than just aesthetic purposes. Dalton's castration scene is reminiscent of Jaws, and later flashes include an homage to Carrie.
The murder mystery theme of the show is bound to have some horror elements, but the teaser trailer pretty much guarantees that the fallout will be bloody. The idea that these elements are normal or even preferable to the normal is where the comedy seems to come in. If anyone can merge the genres in an inventive and engaging way, it's certain to be Tim Burton.
Wednesday Smiling
A characteristic trait of Wednesday in the original comics was that she rarely smiled, which makes it incredibly significant when she does. Viewers are actually treated to three of these smiles in the trailer, the first while unleashing piranhas on the swim team, the second when it rains blood, and the third directed at the audience after describing the "nightmare" that Nevermore Academy is going to become.
While this may have been a misstep, as it would seem to indicate that many significant moments of the show were already revealed, the smiles tell the audience a lot about Wednesday, showing off how much pleasure she gets out of the horrific. They also imply that Wednesday is aware of the audience, which could be an interesting direction for the character to take.
Morticia And Gomez's Dynamic
Morticia and Gomez Addams are often described as the best couple in film and television, because their love for each other is unrivaled. Gomez was explicitly designed to love Morticia more than anything, and his suave portrayal in the '90s only added to this perception.
Fans will be happy to see that this relationship is still thriving in the newest iteration, as Gomez tells Wednesday that Nevermore Academy is "a magical place" because it's where "I met your mother. Fell in love." There hasn't been much interaction between the family as a whole, but it's good to see that Morticia and Gomez are as in love as they ever have been.
Wednesday Has Friends
The Addams Family media has historically been undecided on whether Wednesday has friends, sometimes portraying her as a loner and other times showing her being as open and gregarious as her parents. While she didn't seem to bother with trying to fit in at Nancy Reagan, the trailer gives a lot of hints that she will find companionship at Nevermore.
Though several characters flashed on the screen who might be friends, enemies, or love interests, the biggest reveal was Emma Myers's Enid Sinclair, who wears all blue in contrast to Wednesday's all black. Her blonde hair with pink and blue tints and bubbly personality seem like the complete opposite of Wednesday, but the composition of the trailer certainly suggests they will become friends, even if it's begrudging.
Wednesday's Dynamics With Her Parents
Wednesday is shown to get involved in a number of athletic and musical pursuits, including playing cello, fencing, and engaging in somewhat creepy dancing. While Morticia was musical in the original television show, the rest of Wednesday's interests are most similar to her father.
According to co-creator Alfred Gough, "The relationship that kind of hangs over the season is really Wednesday's relationship with Morticia. How do you step out of the shadow of a mother as glamorous as Morticia?” While they haven't interacted much yet, the demonstrated similarities between Wednesday and her father might be a sign of this disconnect in action.
Wednesday's Powers
According to the show's synopsis, Wednesday will be learning to manage her budding psychic powers at Nevermore Academy. While they were not shown outright, there may be some clues based on what fans did see. The spider that Wednesday smashes is set atop a sketch pad, seeming to have come to life from a drawing. It's left fans wondering if Wednesday has the ability to bring art into the real world.
Or perhaps her abilities are more far-reaching than that. After Thing lights a fire at the school, the words "Fire Will Rain" can be seen reflected in Wednesday's eye. Assuming this message was sent by Wednesday herself, perhaps she has some pyrokinesis or telekinesis that can be unleashed if her enemies become too difficult to manage.
References To Previous Addams Family Media
Although the creators of Wednesday have been incredibly clear that they don't want the show to be seen as a reboot of previous stories, they explained that, "It's something that lives within the Venn diagram of what happened before." Signs of that concept are everywhere in the trailer.
The spider that Wednesday kills is a reference to her pets in the '60s sitcom, and fans excitedly noted Thing's appearance as well. Their car, while distinct from the hearse of prior iterations, has the same gothic air, with a bit of flair in the "ADD4M5" license plate. And, of course, there is the double snap that is an iconic part of The Addams Family theme song. These little Easter Eggs are a clear sign of the show's relationship with its predecessors, one of respect but not strict adherence.