Tim Burton’sWednesdayis returning to Netflix later this year, and after almost three years, more details of the second season are being revealed. Primarily, it has been confirmed thatTyler Galpin will return asWednesday’s overarching villain. It remains to be seen which mystery Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) will be solving this time round, but the teaserguarantees an even better season forWednesdaythan the first. If there is any doubt about how sinisterWednesdaymay be, one 33-year-old Burton movie proves just how far he may go.
While the first season ofWednesdaywas still considerably somber in tone,Ortega shared details about the upcoming series which stated that season 2 is “definitely leaning into more horror."(viaE! Online) To some degree, the imagery in the first season is often rather disturbing, particularly regarding the design ofThe Hyde inWednesday. However, this only serves to show Burton’s capacity to deliver a thrilling and more explicit focus on horror themes. Not to mention, the director’s expertise in darker storytelling is evident in his earlier films, including a particularly memorable one from the 1990s.
Wednesday’s Tim Burton Knows How To Make Sequels Darker (And This Movie Proves It)
Batman Returns Faced Criticism For Its Significantly Darker Themes Compared To Batman (1989)
Tim Burton’sBatman(1989) was already dark in tone and was praised for revolutionizing The Dark Knight franchise. While the film conformed to the director’s gothic aesthetic remarkably well, the sequel took things further during its release in 1992. Similar toWednesday, the movie embraced its darker themes, with manyhorror movies acting as the inspiration forBatman Returns.The macabre vision of Gotham City and its sinister atmosphere infused the superhero tale with elements of a depraved fairytale.The visionary behindBatman Returnsis a promising sign forWednesday, with Burton directing four episodes of the upcoming series.
Interestingly, the darker tone of this sequel was highlighted in a confrontation with the fast food chain, McDonald’s. During the run-up to Burton’s first sequel, McDonald’s agreed to promote the film based one rough cut. However, the film’s reception steadily worsened, despiteBurton having never marketedBatman Returnsas a family-friendly film. The director was already in dispute regarding censors over the film and with attempts not to cut scenes or violence in order to hit the PG-13 rating. Speaking withYahoo, Burton agreed “I think I upset McDonald’s. […] We can’t sell Happy Meals with that!’” (viaSlash Film)
Why Wednesday Season 2 Has To Be Darker After The Netflix Show’s Successful Debut
Wednesday Should Stay True To The Source Material
It has already been confirmed that season 2 ofWednesdayis “going to get bolder [and] more dark,” (viaVariety) which is incredibly important for the series for several reasons. After its 2022 debut,Wednesdaydrew comparisons to fantasy franchises — a reception that was at odds with Burton’s original vision for the show.Wednesday’s immense success in season one affords the creators the freedom to take far more risksin the upcoming series and explore these darker themes without fear of alienating its audience. The first season acts as an introduction to these characters, who can now be explored further.
Audiences are eagerly anticipating a darkerWednesdayseason 2, to build on the show’s established tone and Burton’s creative contributions.
Arguably, audiences are eagerly anticipating a darker sophomore year, to build on the show’s established tone and Burton’s creative contributions.Wednesdayis already beginning to move away from the teen drama aspects of the first season, which will result in the show being able to focus on more mature themes. It is incredibly important for the creators to remain faithful to theAddams Familysource material, too. The franchise has come to be renowned for its dark humor and morbid tone, meaning it would not be all that surprising forWednesdayto lean further into this approach in future seasons.
