Tim Burton's Musical Connections From BIG FISH to BEETLEJUICE: A Guide

When thinking of musicals, Tim Burton is likely not the first name that pops into your head. Often taking place inside a stylized Gothic world, Burton's films are a far cry from the MGM musicals of yore. The prolific director is best known for his dark and atmospheric films- not singing and dancing. And after all, he has only directed one "traditional" movie musical.

However, upon a closer look, there are quite a few connections between the director and the Broadway stage. Some of his films- like Big Fish and Beetlejuice- have been adapted as musicals in their own right. Other movies in his filmography rely heavily on music to tell their stories.

This Halloween season, BroadwayWorld is taking a look at Burton's musical theater links, both onscreen and onstage, as well as offering some spooky listening to match the vibes of spooky season.

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Beetlejuice

This 1988 classic horror-comedy revolves around a recently deceased young couple who, following an untimely death, become ghosts that haunt their former home. After new inhabitants move into the residence, the couple employs the help of an obnoxious, devious "bio-exorcist" named Beetlejuice from the underworld to try to scare away the family permanently.

At first, Tim Burton's Beetlejuice might not seem like good fodder for the Broadway stage. After all, it's a dark and strange blend of humor, death, and 1980s stop-motion effects that have their own particular charm. However, these same things are what made audiences fall in love with the material all over again when it hit Broadway in 2019.

Led by Alex Brightman's over-the-top performance as the titular character, the stage adaptation of Beetlejuice had a history-making run on Broadway. Following the release of the musical's original Broadway cast recording and Tony Awards appearance, the box office exploded, making it the surprise hit of the 2018/2019 season. The score contained newly written songs by Eddie Perfect along with Day-O and Jump in the Line, both borrowed from the original film. A sequel to the film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, was released in 2024.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Upon its release, Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas was not considered to be the hit that it is today. The stop-motion musical, reminiscent of classic Rankin/Bass Christmas specials, didn't quite fit into the film scene of 1993. At least, that's what Disney thought. The studio was worried that the film would be too dark for a younger audience and so, rather than release it under their flagship label, they distributed it under Touchstone Pictures.

Based on a story by Tim Burton, the story follows Jack Skellington, the mayor of Halloween Town. After becoming transfixed with the magic of Christmas, he attempts to put his twisted spin on the holiday but unknowingly causes chaos and destruction instead of the joy he intended. Danny Elfman's soundtrack is musically rich, with original songs that range from ballads and laments to grand ensemble numbers. Elfman took inspiration from composers of the past, including Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Rodgers & Hammerstein.

The voice cast includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, and Broadway performer and Drama Desk Award-winner Ken Page. Since its original release, The Nightmare Before Christmas has developed an intense following over the years and continues to be an annual tradition for many during the Halloween and Christmas seasons.

Big Fish

In 2003, Tim Burton released Big Fish. Based on Daniel Wallace's novel, the story centers on the tumultuous relationship between storyteller and traveling salesman Edward Bloom and his son Will. The tale alternates between a dying Edward and flashbacks of the younger man he once was. Throughout the film, Will becomes frustrated by his father's exaggerated and often completely fictional stories, and, rather than offering definitive answers, the movie leaves it up to the viewer to decide what is true and what is not. Perhaps even more importantly, it asks the question, "Does it even matter?"

In one of his many collaborations with Burton, John August adapted the book for the screen. He revisited the material for the stage musical, which took inspiration from the original novel and the film. Before hitting Broadway, the musical was first staged as an out-of-town tryout in 2013 in Chicago.

With direction by Susan Stroman, the cast was led by Tony winner Norbert Leo Butz, Tony nominee Kate Baldwin, and Tony nominee Bobby Steggert. The Broadway production was nominated for three Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Music for composer/lyrics Andrew Lippa.

Corpse Bride

More than ten years after The Nightmare Before Christmas, Tim Burton and Danny Elfman reunited for another stop-motion musical. The story follows a prospective groom who, after his wedding ceremony goes awry, falls in love with the long-dead bride, Emily.

Though the whole film is underscored, Elfman wrote fewer sung songs for this feature than for Nightmare, with a total of four. The movie begins with a grim opening number, sung by the parents of the bride and groom-to-be. Perhaps the most memorable song is Remains of the Day, an upbeat jazzy number about the fun that can be had in the undead world. Next is Tears to Shed, a quiet lament from Emily, and lastly, The Wedding Song which serves as the final number and the climax of the film.

Due to its short list of songs, this entry may be the least "musical" on the list. Still, Broadway fans could do a lot worse than check out the film, which features beautiful animation and a dramatic Victorian setting. The voice cast includes many Burton regulars such as Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Albert Finney.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

When many people think of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, they think of the 1971 adaptation with Gene Wilder. With classic songs like Pure Imagination and Wilder's offbeat performance, a generation of viewers (and readers) were swept away by this imaginative musical world put on screen. 

Given the following of that original film, some people weren't thrilled when another adaptation was announced to be in development from director Tim Burton. Despite Johnny Depp taking the character of Wonka in an entirely different, this version continued the musical tradition of the subject material. The newly written songs were penned by Burton's frequent collaborator Danny Elfman, who stuck close to Dahl's original text for the Oompa Loompa numbers.

Though this version never went to Broadway, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman wrote songs for a different musical adaptation which hit Broadway in 2017. Along with the new songs, the musical incorporated some of the songs from the 1971 film. Other musical adaptations of the story include Tim McDonald's stage version (which also contains the original songs) and the recent big-screen original story, Wonka.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

As a student, Tim Burton first saw Sweeney Todd in London during the original run of the show. He instantly fell in love with the piece and has since recalled going back to the Theater Royal Drury Lane again and again to watch the grim tale play out before his eyes.

It was natural then, that Burton would choose Stephen Sondheim's masterpiece for his first- and to this date, only- live-action musical outing. Burton's approach differed from many other movie musicals in several ways. First, he didn't cast trained vocalists, opting instead to recruit actors who could sing such as Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Alan Rickman.

Additionally, Burton reworked the musical numbers to fit the medium of film, rather than lift them verbatim from the stage musical- a move that that Sondheim himself praised. The result is a haunting, cinematic experience that takes the blood and gore to a whole new level. Upon its release in 2007, the movie achieved acclaim from both critics and audiences.

Alice in Wonderland

In 2010, Burton released a reimagining of Lewis Carroll's classic story, Alice in Wonderland. This version follows the titular character several years after the original tale as she returns to Wonderland (now called Underland). Despite somewhat mixed reviews, the film was a box office success, with audiences taking a fancy to Burton's interpretation of this strange and whimsical world.

The screenplay was penned by Linda Woolverton, who wrote the book for several stage musicals including Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King, both of which were adapted from her screenplays. Woolverton was set to continue this tradition with Alice, with Burton overseeing the production. In 2011, a full creative team was announced, including set designer Stan Meyer, director Robert Jess Roth, choreographer Matt West, Richard D. Zanuck co-executive producing, and Basil Twist in talks to create the puppets. 

For unclear reasons, development on the production didn't move forward and, ultimately, never saw the light of day. Though Danny Elfman composed the score for the film, it was never announced who was in talks to pen the new songs. As of 2024, Elfman has never written a Broadway musical, which is surprising given his songwriting history for several films on this list along with his band Oingo Boingo.

The Addams Family/Wednesday

We admit: this one may be a be of a stretch. After all, Tim Burton had nothing to do with The Addams Family musical that premiered on Broadway in 2010. Still, both the stage show and Burton's Netflix series are based on the same subject material- the classic comic strip by Charles Addams.

Like the comic, the stage musical depicts the strange, ghoulish family as a humorous bunch, making it ripe material for a musical comedy. After a pre-Broadway tryout in Chicago, the show made its way to the Big Apple with a cast led by Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth. Other members of the Addams clan were played by Krysta Rodriquez, Kevin Chamberlin, Adam Riegler, and Jackie Hoffman. The production received two Tony Award nominations, including one for Andrew Lippa's score. After closing at the end of 2011, the musical went on to receive a national tour and is often staged in schools and community theaters.

For his Netflix series, Burton went in a different direction than previous adaptations. Rather than focusing on the family as a whole, the filmmaker chose instead to center the show on the fan-favorite character of Wednesday Addams, played here by Jenna Ortega. The series, appropriately titled Wednesday, chronicles her trials and tribulations as she begins attending Nevermore Academy, a school for outcasts. Season One premiered in 2022 to critical acclaim and a second season is currently in production.