For years, we’ve heard news that a “The Addams Family” project was in the works. I know I’ve seen fan posters featuring actors Johnny Depp and Eva Green, thinking to myself, “If only.” But I’d put aside the possibility of that happening, especially with 2019’s animated film. And sure, the animated film was cute, but it’s nothing compared to seeing our favorite characters in a live action production. However, the day I never thought would come is here.
That’s right, we’re getting a brand new live action “Addam’s Family” project and we cannot wait to eat it up. This time, the classic characters we know and love will star in a television series for Netflix and horror legend Tim Burton will be directing the project. That’s right, the icon behind “Corpse Bride,” “Beetlejuice” and “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Fleet Street” will finally be getting his hands on these classic characters. Will that mean we’ll be seeing some of his muses—say Winona Ryder, Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham-Carter? Well, we’re not quite sure yet.
Not much has been released about the upcoming series and we cannot say who will be portraying the show’s titular role—Wednesday Addams. We do know that it’s unlikely that Christina Ricci will reprise the role, as the series will be set in Wednesday’s teenage years. “The upcoming eight-episode series is a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday’s years as a student at the peculiar Nevermore Academy,” shares Teddy Biaselli, Director of YA/Family Series at Netflix. “Wednesday’s attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the supernatural mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago – all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships of the strange and diverse student body.”
This perspective is something exciting and fresh, as the television series from the 1960s depicted Wednesday Addams as a child and the 1990’s films had her played by a preteen. This will be the first time we’re seeing a more grown up Wednesday, aside from that classic Funny or Die skit a few years back. Whoever will be cast to play Wednesday has some pretty big shoes to fill, however considering other successful YA adaptations such as “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” we have high hopes for Netflix.
