Wednesdaydebuted on Netflix in November 2022 to mostly favorable reviews, identifying the path that Tim Burton should have taken with one $296 million fantasy movie. American animator and director Tim Burton directed four out of eight episodes ofWednesday’sfirst season and also served as executive producer. His imprint was all over the excellent series, giving it a spooky and gothic aesthetic and tone that perfectly suited its subject matter. Contrastingly, out of all of Tim Burton’s movies, one of the least successful may beMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
2016 movieMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenwas far from bad- it was lovable and carried all the hallmarks of a Burton classic. It was heavily stylized with rich influences from high camp to German expressionism and may be one ofElla Purnell’s best movies. Plus, its premiere on Netflix proved that it gets the audience vote if not the critics' vote. But the movie had mixed reviews and could have performed better on its initial release. In general, it appears to be missing some of the vibrancy of the books, andWednesdayshows how it could have been improved.
Wednesday Shows How Tim Burton Should Have Approached Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children May Have Worked Better On TV
TheNetflix success ofMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrendemonstrates how it could have used expansion and perhaps had a similar scope toWednesday. Viewers love the movie and would have welcomed a sequel. A sequel or two, with a trilogy forming an ideal commercial and narrative strategy, would have given the movie more time to develop its characters, expand on its plot points, and build up to a climax of real emotional weight.Wednesday’sTV format would have worked for the movietoo - it helpedWednesdayincrease viewer love and loyalty for its cast.
What Tim Burton’s $296 Million Fantasy Movie Is Missing That Wednesday Isn’t
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children Lacks Depth
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenis underrated, as its Netflix success continues to highlight. Ella Purnell’s character was engaging, witty, and charming. As an aerokinetic teenager, she was the perfect love interest for Asa Butterfield’s troubled Jake Portman. Butthe movie had a huge cast to utilize convincingly, so Jake and Emma’s romance didn’t get the time to develop as much as it could have. The relationship could have used more sucker punch moments, which more focus would have provided. FollowingWednesday’sTV format would have helped.
IfMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenhad sequels, it may have been able to leak more detail into its key relationships, as well as its standout cast members. If it had multiple seasons to tell its story, characters like Olive and Bronwyn could have shone so much more. Tim Burton learned from his previous failures and made his next coming-of-age story a TV show. In this sense,Wednesdaysucceeds because of Tim Burton’s past mistakes.Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrencould have been even more intriguing as a TV show. Thankfully,Wednesdayarrived to build on its blueprint.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Cast
When Jacob discovers clues to a mystery that spans different worlds and times, he finds Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. But the mystery and danger deepen when he gets to know the residents and learns about their special powers. Based on the 2011 novel by Ransom Riggs, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was directed by Tim Burton and stars Eva Green as the titular character.
