It’s official: Netflix got Tim Burton’s Addams Family series with an eight-episode order for a spinoff focused on the iconic Wednesday Addams character.
Entitled Wednesday, the maturing comedy, written by Smallville the creators Al Gough and Miles Millar and to be directed by Burton, is a supernaturally infused investigative mystery that traces the years of Wednesday Addams as a student at Nevermore Academy. That’s when she tries to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that terrified the local city and solve the supernatural mystery that enveloped her parents 25 years ago – all while navigating their complicated new relationships.
The YA series, Wednesday Addams’ first solo vehicle, marks Burton’s first live action show and his debut as a TV director. He, Gough and Millar, who will serve as showrunners for the series, are executive producers. Wednesday it is produced by MGM / UA Television, which controls the rights underlying IP.
As Deadline first reported in October, MGM / UA TV withdrew the project last fall with Gough & Millar signed up and Burton in negotiations, getting several bids with Netflix considered the likely winner. Wednesday marks familiar territory for Millar and Gough, who successfully explored the coming-of-age story of another iconic character, Superman, with the hit series Smallville.
“When we heard Al Gough and Miles Millar’s proposal for Wednesday we were hit, like an arrow from a beast, right in our hearts. They got the tone, the spirit and the characters right, but they gave us a new path to this story, ”said Teddy Biaselli, Netflix Original Series Director, calling the character“ the ultimate lone wolf ”Wednesday. “We then got the call that visionary director and longtime fan of the Addams Family, Tim Burton, wanted to make his television director debut with this series. Tim has a history of telling exhilarating stories about social strangers like Edward Scissorhands, Lydia Deitz and Batman. And now he brings his unique vision to Wednesday and his scary classmates at Nevermore Academy. “
The series’ executive producer is also screenwriter and TV producer Kayla Alpert (Code Black, awake all night), as well as several producers associated with the Addams Family IP: Andrew Mittman to 1.21 (The Addams Family, Alphas), Kevin Miserocchi (Tee and Charles Addams Foundation), Jonathan Glickman for Glickmania (Respect, Addams Family 2) and Gail Berman (The Addams Family, Alphas)
The tale of The Addams Family, a fictional home created by American cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938, has had a series of iterations on the screen over the years, including two live action TV series; a live action film franchise and, more recently, an MGM animated film with the sequel dropping in 2021.
Christina Ricci, the actress most associated with the character, acted on Wednesday in both films, The Addams Family in 1991 and sequel Addams Family Values in 1993.
Wednesday Addams was played by Lisa Loring in the original series. In the first animated series she was voiced by Cindy Henderson, and by Debi Derryberry in the second animated series, both by Hanna-Barbera. Wednesday is portrayed by Nicole Fugere in the film direct to video Addams Family Reunion and then the Fox Family Channel television series Tthe new Addams family, which were produced in 1998.
The Addams Family: A New Musical debuted on Broadway in April 2010 with Krysta Rodriguez on Wednesday. Most recently, Chloë Grace Moretz made her voice on Wednesday in MGM’s 2019 animated film The Addams Family.
Burton previously developed and produced the animation series Beetle juice, loosely based on his 1988 film, which spanned four seasons from 1989-91.
