A Four-Part Tim Burton Documentary Is On The Way

On rare occasions, the twists and turns surrounding a filmmaker's ascent to the top of Hollywood make for a story fit for Hollywood itself. It should be somewhat less surprising that this is finally happening with one of the most prolific directors of them all: Tim Burton. As the prestige and glamor of the annual Cannes Film Festival begins in earnest, the news has come down (via Deadline) that Burton's career will be the subject of a four-part documentary series that's being set up for sales out of the Cannes Market.

The currently-untitled project is directed by documentary filmmaker Tara Wood, who previously worked on "21 Years: Richard Linklater" in 2014 and 2019's Quentin Tarantino project "QT8: The First Eight." The documentary will feature interviews with many of the filmmaker's most high-profile collaborators over the decades, including Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Helena Bonham Carter, Winona Ryder, "Wednesday" star Jenna Ortega, Christopher Walken, Christoph Waltz, Mia Wasikowska, and actor (and alleged domestic abuser) Johnny Depp. With dozens of classics such as "Beetlejuice," the 1989 "Batman," "Edward Scissorhands," and many more under his belt, the 64-year-old Burton is still going strong — in fact, we only recently heard more details surrounding "Beetlejuice 2," which Burton is returning to direct.

Fittingly enough for such an imaginative and famously distinctive filmmaker, the documentary series is described as "an otherworldly, dream journey into the mind" of one of the most recognizable filmmaking talents to ever go mainstream. Read on for more details!

One of the most famous gothic fantasy and horror filmmakers is about to receive the documentary series that he so richly deserves, complete with brand-new interviews and never-before-seen footage. Oh, and what could possibly be more fitting for a celebration of Tim Burton's career than to have regular creative partner and immensely talented composer Danny Elfman in charge of the theme song for the documentary? Director Tara Wood had this to say about the production:

"In the making of this doc, Tim's creative family, a gaggle of creative genius, met me with open hearts and enthusiasm to share their profound insights into Tim's unique, magical world. And it has been a truly inspiring, joyous and life-changing experience. Whatever you do or where you come from, Tim's story will inspire you."

You can be sure that this project will find a home in the weeks ahead, at which point an exact release date will be announced. In the meantime, Tim Burton fans have "Beetlejuice 2" to look forward to, currently scheduled to arrive in September of next year. As for the documentary, the press notes tease slightly more information on what to expect:

Tim continues to build his aesthetic, the Burton-esque style, derived from a wealth of art, cinematic and literary genres. The documentary explores how Burton brings his vision to life through his own joyous idiosyncrasy and his ability to meld the ominous and the frightful with a sense of whimsy. Tim's films are just the tip of the iceberg.