Tim Burton Declares No Marvel Adventures in Sight
During the Lumière Film Festival in Lyon, the legendary filmmaker made it clear that his next blockbuster will not involve smashing capes or wielding mighty powers. “I’m not interested in the Marvel universe,” Burton told the crowd, shaking his head at a film world that increasingly leans into superhero cut‑and‑paste.
Why the “Super‑hero” Dream is a Dead End for Burton
Burton’s sentiment comes after years of wrestling with the corporate hothouse at Disney. “Everything feels so homogenised,” he said, pointing out that there’s less room for the quirky, dark, and truly original pieces that he is known for.
“I can only deal with one universe, I can’t deal with a multi‑universe,” he added, hinting that the wild, kaleidoscopic ideas he thrives on are better suited to a single, confined world.
A Running Gag: Dumbo’s Destiny
Burton’s history with Disney is a bit of a circus. He started as an animator in the 1980s, went on to get hired and fired several times, and finally landed a directorial gig with the 2019 live‑action Dumbo. The film, which he describes as “quite autobiographical,” is likely to be his last Disney outing.
- It was a groundbreaking effort, but the glass menagerie of Disney politics left him feeling trapped.
- Burton admitted that “I realised that I was Dumbo,” meaning he felt swallowed by the big corporate show.
- He sees the show as a circus, wanting to escape its gleaming lights.
Beetlejuice 2? Possibly, Possibly Not
Rumours swirled that Burton might revamp his 1988 classic Beetlejuice. He wasn’t exactly giving a thumbs‑up or thumbs‑down, replying, “Nothing is out of the question.”
“I only know if I’m making a film when I’m actually on the set shooting,” he explained. “I try to go back to the root of everything. It springs from a seed and then it grows, rather than out of these statements.” A bit of a meta‑thinking moment that’ll be harder to get a definite answer from.
The Bottom Line
With a penchant for macabre humor and a dislike for the mega‑studio formula, Burton is unlikely to ghost in the realm of cosmic capes. Whether he ever follows his own little slice of the MCU or starts a Beetlejuice sequel remains up in the air, but the genie is definitely dangling, waiting for a set of reels to come true.
