It’s been a long time in the making, but we finally have the first images of Jenna Ortega, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzman as the most fearsome family around, the Addams Family.
Back in 1991, Tim Burton was offered the opportunity to adapt the ghoulish Addams Family, originally a set of cartoons from artist Charles Addams appearing in the pages of The New Yorker and later featured on their own mid-1960s television series, to the world of film. Burton was interested but had to decline due to his commitment to directing Batman Returns. Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld eventually directed the Addams Family, but Burton never stopped imagining his own version of the macabre brood.
Earlier this year, Burton’s version of the family was officially greenlit. Wednesday, which focuses on oldest child Wednesday Addams as a high school student, will premier towards the end of this year. Today, we’re getting our first look at the titular family of creeps and cretins, including Catherine Zeta-Jones as matriarch Morticia Addams and Luis Guzmán as patriarch Gomez Addams.
The images come after pictures of Jenna Ortega as the series’ titular character was shared across the internet. Guzmán is confirmed to appear in only a guest role, likely due to the Wednesday character attending a private boarding school. The series is also set to feature Christina Ricci, who portrayed Wednesday in the films The Addams Family and Addams Family Values as a part of the main cast in an undisclosed role.
The production is notable for several reasons. Besides one-off contributions to anthology programmes like Alfred Hitchcock Presents and Faerie Tale Theatre, Burton has never worked this extensively on a television show. Burton will be behind the director for all eight episodes of the show’s first season and is also an executive producer on the production. The series also sees a reunion of Burton and composer Danny Elfman, who last worked together on 2019’s Dumbo.
As for Zeta-Jones, the role continues the actress’s turn toward television. Last year, Zeta-Jones appeared in the second season of the Fox drama Prodigal Son. Zeta-Jones has not appeared in a feature film since 2016’s Dad’s Army.
Burton was initially involved in the feature film adaptation of The Addams Family from Illumination Studios, the company best known for the Despicable Me and Minions franchises. MGM Studios later acquired the rights to an animated version of The Addams Family, which produced the 2019 film of the same name. Burton was not involved in the production.
Check it out below.