Revisiting decades-old film classics can be risky, but in cases like Top Gun and Beetlejuice, it’s been a winning formula. While Beetlejuice 2 may not have reached the stratospheric success of Top Gun: Maverick, it still pulled in $451 million globally, earning a spot among the year’s top 10 highest-grossing films. So, would Tim Burton be tempted to revisit more of his beloved works? Not likely. For him, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas (a project he conceived but did not direct) are sacred ground.
However, when it comes to Johnny Depp, Burton remains open to collaborating with the actor again.
In an interview with IndieWire during the Marrakech International Film Festival, Burton was asked about his rumored involvement in a remake of the 1950s sci-fi cult classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. He was reluctant to discuss the project, citing lingering frustration over his failed attempt to direct a Superman movie decades ago. But Burton made it clear there’s no chance of sequels to Edward Scissorhands or The Nightmare Before Christmas.
“There are certain films I wouldn’t want to make sequels for. I wouldn’t want to revisit Edward Scissorhands because it’s a closed, complete story. Similarly, I wouldn’t do a sequel to The Nightmare Before Christmas because I feel it’s fully realized as it is. Some things are better left untouched, and these films fall into that category for me,” Burton explained.
As for working with Depp again, Burton expressed enthusiasm for reuniting with the actor. Their last collaboration, Dark Shadows, was over a decade ago. Since then, Depp has faced industry ostracism due to his high-profile legal battles with Amber Heard, though his return to mainstream projects seems imminent—he’s set to star in Terry Gilliam’s upcoming The Carnival at the End of Days.
“I’m sure we’ll work together again. I don’t approach projects by saying, ‘I’m going to cast this actor or that one.’ It usually happens the other way around—a project comes together, and that’s the basis for the collaboration. That’s what makes a film a film: collaboration and exchange with the people around us,” Burton shared.
Reflecting on the current state of Hollywood, Burton suggested that auteur filmmakers like him are finding less and less space in the increasingly corporate studio system.
“Creativity comes from love, passion, and sometimes revenge. These are intense emotions, and it’s hard to say which one motivated me at any given time—passion, revenge, or love. Working in the studio system often felt like being part of a strange family. Sometimes they love you, sometimes they hate you, and that felt normal to me. I don’t hold any grudges against the studios, but I do think my time has passed. As studios become more corporate, I feel there’s less space for people like me.”
