Tim Burton
Biography
Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for pioneering goth subculture in Hollywood, with his films employing a distinctive style that blends gothic horror and dark fantasy aesthetics with whimsical and surreal elements. He has received numerous accolades, including one Emmy Award and nominations for two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and three BAFTA Awards. He was honoured with the Venice International Film Festival's Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2007 and France's Order of Arts and Letters in 2010.
Burton made his directorial debut with the comedy film Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985). He gained wider prominence for directing Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands (1990), as well as producing The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), which was based on a poem he wrote. He had directed films spanning a variety of genres such as animation, biopic, drama, fantasy, musical, science fiction, superhero, and supernatural horror; these include Batman (1989), Batman Returns (1992), Ed Wood (1994), Mars Attacks! (1996), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Planet of the Apes (2001), Big Fish (2003), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010), Dark Shadows (2012), Frankenweenie (2012), Big Eyes (2014), Dumbo (2019), and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024).
Burton has directed several episodes of the Netflix series Wednesday (2022–present), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series. He frequently collaborates with musician Danny Elfman, who has scored all but three of his films. He has also published several books, including The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories (1997).
Most directed genres
Recurring actors
- Johnny Depp 8
- Helena Bonham Carter 7
- Michael Keaton 5
- Michael Gough 4
- Tim Burton 4
- Winona Ryder 4
- Catherine O'Hara 3
- Danny DeVito 3
Awards and nominations
- 2022 Lumière Award, Lyon Festival of cinema
- 2019 David di Donatello Award for Lifetime Achievement
- 2016 Officer of Arts and Letters
- 2013 Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Nominated
- 2010 Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres
- 2009 Inkpot Award
- 2009 Winsor McCay Award
- 2008 Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
- 2007 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement
- 2005 Saturn Award for Best Animated Film
- 1991 Hugo Award
- 1991 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation
- 1990 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Children's Animated Program
- — Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
- — Empire Awards
The career in numbers
- US$ 1.5 bi Total budget from 22 film(s) with data
- US$ 4.9 bi Total box office from 20 film(s) with data
- US$ 70 mi Average budget from 22 film(s) with data
- US$ 247 mi Average box office from 20 film(s) with data
- 7.0 Average rating from 22 film(s) with data
- 3.2× Return on investment from 20 film(s) with data
Budget and box office do not exist for every film in our records. Averages are computed over the films that carry the figure, and the count beside each one says how many.
Films directed
| Film | Year | Budget | Box office | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
|
2024 | US$ 99 mi | US$ 452 mi | 6.9 |
Dumbo
|
2019 | US$ 170 mi | US$ 353 mi | 6.6 |
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children
|
2016 | US$ 110 mi | US$ 296 mi | 6.8 |
Houdini: The Untold Story
|
2016 | — | — | — |
Big Eyes
|
2014 | US$ 10 mi | US$ 29 mi | 7.0 |
Dark Shadows
|
2012 | US$ 150 mi | US$ 246 mi | 6.1 |
Frankenweenie
|
2012 | US$ 39 mi | US$ 81 mi | 7.0 |
Miniatures in Motion: Bringing Frankenweenie to Life
|
2012 | — | — | 6.8 |
Alice in Wonderland
|
2010 | US$ 200 mi | US$ 1.0 bi | 6.6 |
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
|
2007 | US$ 50 mi | US$ 153 mi | 7.2 |
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
|
2005 | US$ 150 mi | US$ 475 mi | 7.0 |
Corpse Bride
|
2005 | US$ 40 mi | US$ 118 mi | 7.6 |
Big Fish
|
2003 | US$ 70 mi | US$ 123 mi | 7.7 |
Planet of the Apes
|
2001 | US$ 100 mi | US$ 362 mi | 5.8 |
The World of Stainboy
|
2000 | — | — | 6.5 |
Sleepy Hollow
|
1999 | US$ 100 mi | US$ 206 mi | 7.2 |
Mars Attacks!
|
1996 | US$ 70 mi | US$ 101 mi | 6.4 |
Ed Wood
|
1994 | US$ 18 mi | US$ 6 mi | 7.5 |
Batman Returns
|
1992 | US$ 80 mi | US$ 280 mi | 6.9 |
Edward Scissorhands
|
1990 | US$ 20 mi | US$ 86 mi | 7.7 |
Batman
|
1989 | US$ 35 mi | US$ 411 mi | 7.2 |
Beetlejuice
|
1988 | US$ 15 mi | US$ 85 mi | 7.4 |
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp
|
1986 | — | — | 6.0 |
Pee-wee's Big Adventure
|
1985 | US$ 6 mi | US$ 41 mi | 6.5 |
Frankenweenie
|
1984 | — | — | 7.0 |
Hansel and Gretel
|
1983 | US$ 116,000 | — | 6.5 |
Vincent
|
1982 | US$ 60,000 | — | 7.8 |
Luau
|
1982 | — | — | 4.8 |
Stalk of the Celery Monster
|
1979 | — | — | 6.1 |
Doctor of Doom
|
1979 | — | — | 4.8 |
Attack of the 50 Foot Woman
|
— | — | — | — |
