With the time nearing until its premiere, Tim Burton is keeping the actor portraying Uncle Fester in Netflix's Wednesday series a secret. The upcoming comedy horror show, based on the character from The Addams Family, is directed and executive produced by Burton, who was originally tapped to helm the 1991 film starring Christina Ricci but passed at the time due to scheduling complications. Premiering on November 23, it will follow Jenna Ortega's Wednesday Addams during her time at Nevermore Academy, where she attempts to control her psychic abilities and solve a mystery that involved her family 25 years ago. In addition to Ortega, the cast of Wednesday includes Luis Guzmán, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Isaac Ordonez, Riki Lindhome, Jamie McShane, Gwendoline Christie, and more.
The character of Uncle Fester is often presented as a bald, round-shouldered man with sunken eyes and a strange demeanor. He is also known for having the ability to produce electricity, and for being a caring member of his family, despite what his outward appearance might suggest. When the trailer for Wednesday first dropped, many fans noticed the surprising absence of Uncle Fester, but the show's creators, Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, did not reveal why he was missing. Famously associated with Christopher Lloyd, who portrayed Uncle Fester in The Addams Family live-action films, but originally played by Jackie Coogan in the 1964 television series, the character has always been a predominant part of the family.
In a recent interview with Empire, via Comic Book Resources, Tim Burton confirmed that Uncle Fester would, in fact, appear in Wednesday. When asked about the character's casting though, the director reportedly would not divulge any new information, choosing to be secretive about it. Showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have also kept mum on who could be playing the Addams Family uncle.
Who Could Play Fester In Wednesday?
It seems as though everyone is intent on keeping Uncle Fester's actor a secret, with Gough and Millar having previously encouraged audiences to watch the show. While the list of prospects is long, the one fans have begun theorizing about is Christina Ricci, who was announced to have joined the cast of Wednesday in an undisclosed role back in March. Given how Uncle Fester played an important role in both of The Addams Family live-action films, some feel as though it would be a good way to honor the actress' work as Wednesday in those projects. The series could flip the script and have her character be the sister of Gomez or Morticia, which would allow Ricci to interact more with Ortega's version of Wednesday on-screen.
Whoever ends up portraying Uncle Fester in Burton's Wednesday series, they are certainly being set up to be an impressive reveal. The director has a working relationship with Ricci with 1999's Sleepy Hollow movie, making it all the more possible it could be her, but if it is not, it will still be interesting to learn what kind of role she takes on. Those looking forward to seeing Uncle Fester and Burton's depiction of the Addams family can be sure to check out Wednesday when it hits Netflix next month.
Source: Comic Book Resources