The Addams Family was created by cartoonist Charles Addams in 1938. The creepy and kooky characters were part of a classic TV show that ran from September 18, 1964 to April 8, 1966, and went on to be featured in a live-action musical variety show, animated series, and films such as The Addams Family from 1991, Addams Family Values from 1993, Addams Family Reunion from 1998, and animated flicks from 2019 and 2021.
Now, a new series is coming: It is titled Wednesday, it is directed by Tim Burton, and it will be streaming on Netflix.
The website What’s on Netflix stated in February of this year that Netflix had won the bidding war over the show, which has been given this official description on IMDb: “Follows Wednesday Addams’ years as a student at Nevermore Academy, when she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town and solve the mystery that embroiled her parents.”
IMDb also goes on to list out the cast, which has all the major players accounted for and credited. First, as the star of the show, there is Jenna Ortega, known for her roles in You, Camp Cretaceous. Elena of Avalor, Jane the Virgin and Iron Man 3. Her parents, Morticia and Gomez, are played by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzm&án. The site also lists out Isaac Ordonez from A Wrinkle in Time as Pugsley Addams, Victor Dorobantu as Thing and George Burcea as Lurch. Audiences will have to stay tuned to see if other mysterious and spooky characters, such as Uncle Fester, Grandmama, Cousin Itt and Kitty Kat, show up or not.
Since Wednesday will focus on this character’s time at school, the story will also involve peers and staff members such as Enid Sinclair, a werewolf; Bianca Barclay, a siren; Gwendoline Christie as Principal Larissa Weems; and Thora Birch as Ms. Tamara Novak, the school’s only human teacher.
Ever since news of this new The Addams Family TV project broke, fans have been wondering about the release date. According to What’s on Netflix, principal photography started up in September. So while a premiere date this fall would be great, it more likely won’t happen until late 2022 or early 2023.
When Wednesday does drop on Netflix, though, viewers can expect eight episodes that are each about 60 minutes long. As a television series (rather than a film), this will also mark Tim Burton’s TV directorial debut.
So, we have this well-known and intriguing family, which includes a sleuthing and supernaturally infused daughter. We have a killing spree and a mystery. We have all the different and diverse relationships at Nevermore Academy, a unique boarding school in New England. We have it all coming to Netflix, the go-to streaming service that allows us to watch and rewatch all of our favorites. And we have Tim Burton, famous for works like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
With all the above, it’s going to be hard to wait, but it will be oh-so worth it, when Wednesday does release!