Buzz
As a young boy, Tim Burton often felt like an outsider. He dedicated countless hours to watching horror movies and befriending gravediggers at a nearby cemetery. This unique upbringing fueled his passion for creating dark, imaginative art. After studying at the California Institute for Arts, Burton joined Disney, where he contributed concept art for films like *The Fox and the Hound* and *The Black Cauldron*. Despite parting ways with Disney due to creative disagreements, Burton found his breakthrough directing *Pee-wee’s Big Adventure*, which launched his legendary career.
Even today, Burton continues to channel his artistic vision into his films, blending gothic aesthetics that have become his signature style. His movies have collectively earned over $4 billion globally, cementing his status as one of the highest-grossing directors in history. To celebrate this achievement, here are 10 fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from his remarkable career.
10. A Sequel to *Beetlejuice* Was Almost Made
In 1991, Tim Burton enlisted screenwriter Jonathan Gems to develop a sequel titled *Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian*. The plot would have brought back Michael Keaton as the mischievous ghost Beetlejuice, who helps rid haunted locations of living occupants. In the original film, Beetlejuice teams up with a deceased couple to frighten the Deetz family out of their Connecticut home, but his plan backfires when he is devoured by a massive sandworm.
The sequel was set to begin with Beetlejuice’s downfall. After losing his bio-exorcist role, the mold-ridden troublemaker ends up working as a shelf-stocker in a Hell-based supermarket. Meanwhile, the Deetz family patriarch plans to construct a resort on a Hawaiian island. His gothic daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) believes the project is ruining the island’s pristine environment. Determined to stop her father, Lydia ventures into the underworld to recruit Beetlejuice. Along the way, she encounters bizarre creatures like shape-shifting worms, skeletal beings with lung-like eyes, undead fur coats, and a man with feet for a head – all typical of Tim Burton’s imaginative style. Eventually, she teams up with Beetlejuice to devise a scheme to halt the resort’s development.
Their shaky partnership crumbles when Beetlejuice’s demands aren’t met (he aims to marry Lydia to regain mortality). Transforming into “Jucifer: Destroyer of Worlds,” he wreaks havoc on the island, morphing cars into metallic wolves and reviving ancient creatures. Beetlejuice, now a colossal moth spewing deadly slugs, is finally banished back to the underworld after his name is uttered three times.
The sequel lingered in development hell for years, undergoing numerous script revisions. In 2016, Burton announced the project was moving forward: “We’ve spoken to the cast we wanted, including Winona and Michael, and they’re all on board. The script is ready, and everything is set – we just need to start filming.” Despite ongoing rumors, Warner Bros. officially scrapped the film in 2019.
9. Jack Nicholson Rescued *Mars Attacks*
*Mars Attacks* owes its existence to Jack Nicholson. Many actors were reluctant to join an alien invasion film, particularly one where main characters face gruesome fates. “We nearly had to cancel the movie at one point. Jack Nicholson was the one who saved us,” revealed the film’s screenwriter.
Nicholson joined the project after a chance encounter with Tim Burton at an airport. Surprisingly, Nicholson had already read the *Mars Attacks* script. Seizing the opportunity, Burton offered him a choice between two roles: “I told him to pick whichever character he wanted. He replied, ‘Why not both?’” This led to Nicholson portraying both the U.S. president and a shady real estate developer named Art Land. Both characters meet grim fates: one is crushed by a massive globe, and the other is disintegrated by an alien laser. Nicholson’s participation attracted a host of other stars, including Danny DeVito, Glenn Close, Jack Black, Michael J. Fox, Natalie Portman, Pierce Brosnan, and Sarah Jessica Parker.
8. *Planet of the Apes* Required an Ape Training Program
When 20th Century Fox entrusted Tim Burton with reimagining Pierre Boulle’s *Planet of the Apes*, the director prioritized authentic ape behavior. To achieve this, the studio sent actors like Tim Roth, Helena Bonham Carter, and David Warner to a specialized “ape school.” For six weeks, they trained under a former Cirque du Soleil gymnast, mastering how to move, speak, and fight like apes.
The program’s creator spent countless hours observing zoo animals to understand their unique behaviors. He discovered distinct differences in how orangutans, gorillas, and chimps carried themselves. Teaching the cast these movements was no easy task. “Initially, they walked like humans,” said stunt coordinator Charles Croughwell. “We had to adjust their posture to mimic apes, almost making them bow-legged. Cowboys, with their natural bow-legged stance, actually made great ape performers.”
The physical transformation was grueling, with actors spending four hours daily in makeup. Filming often lasted until 9 PM, followed by another 1.5 hours to remove the prosthetics. Tim Roth, who played the ruthless ape General Thade, found the experience particularly taxing. His tight costume caused nerve compression and herniated discs, which he compared to “being punched in the arm nonstop.” Even Burton suffered an injury while mimicking an ape’s walk, breaking a rib after a fall.
7. Jack Nicholson Struck Gold as the Joker
Before agreeing to play the Joker in *Batman* (1988), Jack Nicholson was at the peak of his career. The acclaimed actor, known for roles in *One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest* and *The Shining*, had significant leverage in negotiations. His contract terms were extraordinary: his schedule revolved around Los Angeles Lakers games, and he never arrived on set before 9 AM. While his upfront salary was $6 million—less than his usual $10 million—he negotiated a share of the film’s box office revenue and merchandise profits. Remarkably, Nicholson also earned from subsequent franchise films, despite not reprising his role as the Joker.
*Batman* earned over $400 million worldwide, with Nicholson reportedly pocketing between $60 million and $90 million for his portrayal of the Joker. The film’s success also led to a surge in Joker-themed merchandise, further increasing his earnings. Adjusted for inflation, Nicholson’s total payout nears $200 million, making it one of the most lucrative roles in film history.
6. Johnny Depp Faced Challenges on *Edward Scissorhands*
Johnny Depp landed one of his first major roles as the gentle outcast Edward Scissorhands. Initially, the studio considered Tom Cruise for the part, but Winona Ryder, who played Edward’s love interest, advocated for her then-boyfriend Depp. This decision proved pivotal, as Michael Jackson had reportedly been eager to play the role, though Burton ignored his attempts to reach out.
Filming began in 1990 in Lutz, Florida. Each day, Johnny Depp spent three hours in makeup and hair, followed by an hour being sewn into his costume. The Florida heat posed significant challenges for the cast and crew. Depp even passed out during a scene where his character flees from authorities, likely due to his heavy black leather outfit made from repurposed sofa material.
Health issues were rampant on set. Both Tim Burton and Vincent Price fainted at different times, with Price’s pre-existing health conditions worsened by the hot studio lights. Screenwriter Caroline Thompson developed a severe heat rash, humorously comparing her experience to Linda Blair’s in *The Exorcist*. In one scene, Depp’s character is force-fed by neighbors, a sequence shot so many times that Depp eventually vomited from overeating.
5. A Full-Scale Town Was Constructed for *Sleepy Hollow*
In 1998, Tim Burton began filming *Sleepy Hollow*, a dark adaptation of Washington Irving’s tale about the Headless Horseman. Originally planned for Upstate New York, the location lacked the eerie vibe Burton desired. Production shifted to the UK, inspired by Burton’s love for vintage British horror films. The crew built the entire town of Sleepy Hollow from the ground up, replicating 19th-century Dutch architecture over three months. The set included houses, churches, pubs, and a duck pond in Buckinghamshire, complete with livestock to enhance the atmosphere. A massive windmill with one-ton blades was also constructed outdoors.
Many outdoor scenes were filmed indoors on sound stages. Sets were created for the church graveyard, wheat fields, a snowy battlefield, and the Tree of the Dead. Real trees were used for forest scenes, while larger ones were crafted from molds of actual oaks, standing up to 30 feet tall. These fiberglass trees, reinforced with steel frames and real branches, were installed in a Leavesden sound stage. The set became so realistic that Burton noted, “Bugs and birds started moving in, making it feel like a real forest.”
4. Squirrels Were Trained for *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*
In Burton’s adaptation of *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*, Willy Wonka and his guests visit the Nut Sorting Room, a direct homage to the original story. Here, they witness squirrels expertly separating good nuts from bad. To achieve this surreal scene, Burton opted to train real squirrels. A team of animal trainers worked tirelessly to teach 40 squirrels how to sort walnuts with precision.
The trainers bottle-fed many squirrels from birth to establish a strong bond, while others were sourced from squirrel shelters in England. Using positive reinforcement, the team rewarded the squirrels with treats for mastering specific tasks. Michael Alexander, the lead trainer, revealed that it took approximately 2,000 repetitions for a single squirrel to reliably sort nuts correctly. The entire training process spanned 19 weeks.
3. *Batman Returns* Transported Penguins on a Refrigerated Plane
Tim Burton agreed to direct *Batman Returns* only if it took the franchise in a fresh, unconventional direction. Enter The Penguin (Danny DeVito) and his army of penguin minions. The film features the Dark Knight battling penguins armed with explosives, aiming to destroy Gotham City. Coordinating these scenes was an enormous logistical challenge.
The production team transported real penguins from an animal shelter in England. To ensure their comfort, the plane’s cargo hold was refrigerated. Given Los Angeles’ scorching 37-degree Celsius (100-degree Fahrenheit) heat, the set required additional cooling systems. The penguins enjoyed air-conditioned trailers and swimming pools, while the sound stages were kept near-freezing, forcing the cast and crew to adapt to the extreme conditions.
The penguin army was guided around the set using fresh fish, sourced daily from local docks. For scenes where real penguins couldn’t be used, advanced animatronics were employed. Stan Winston, a renowned VFX artist, created robotic penguins so lifelike that they even deceived real penguins. During cleanup, the crew found an emperor penguin cuddling with one of the animatronic models.
*Batman Returns* marked Burton’s last involvement in the Batman franchise. He felt the studio treated the sequel as a commercial product, prioritizing merchandise sales over creative vision. Burton recalled, “We got feedback from McDonald’s asking, ‘What’s all that black stuff coming out of the Penguin’s mouth?’ It became clear the focus was on marketing, not storytelling.” Burton was not asked to return for another film.
2. *Alice in Wonderland*’s Green Screens Were Overwhelming
Released in 2010, *Alice in Wonderland* grossed $1 billion worldwide. Burton’s gothic take on the classic tale relied heavily on CGI, with nearly 90% of the film shot using green screens. Filming wrapped in just 40 days, with most backgrounds and effects added in post-production. This approach created significant challenges for both the actors and the production team.
The lack of physical sets or props left actors with little to interact with. Key characters like the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit were entirely digitally created. The green screens also caused physical discomfort for the cast. Johnny Depp, who portrayed the Mad Hatter, described the experience as exhausting: “Talking to a piece of tape while stepping over equipment is manageable, but the green screen wears you down.” Tim Burton avoided nausea by wearing lavender-tinted glasses to counteract the green screen’s effects.
The animation and visual effects teams had only nine months to transform the green screens into vibrant, intricate environments, essentially creating entire worlds from scratch. VFX supervisor Ken Ralston noted that the green screens offered unparalleled flexibility for realizing Lewis Carroll’s fantastical universe. While acknowledging the process was mentally and visually draining, Ralston emphasized that the film couldn’t have been made without this technology.
1. Disney Dismissed Burton Over *Frankenweenie*
The 2012 animated film *Frankenweenie* follows a young boy who revives his deceased dog, Sparky, using a scientific formula. Though Sparky returns with bolts and stitches reminiscent of Frankenstein’s monster, his loving nature remains intact. However, chaos ensues when the formula is misused, leading to a town overrun by monstrous creatures.
Burton first created *Frankenweenie* as a live-action short in 1984, one of his earliest directorial efforts. Funded during his time as a Disney animator, the film’s dark tone displeased studio executives, who deemed it unsuitable for children. Burton was fired for allegedly wasting resources. However, after his career flourished, Disney released the original *Frankenweenie* in 1992.
*Frankenweenie* draws heavily from Tim Burton’s childhood, mirroring the characters, setting, and storyline (excluding the resurrection theme). The animation team visited Burton’s hometown of Burbank, California, to immerse themselves in his early life. Burton’s beloved dog, Peppi, entered his life at age three but tragically succumbed to canine distemper shortly after. “If I could have revived him, I would have. Instead, I brought him back to life through film,” Burton reflected.
