Tim Burton called Disney a “Horrible Big Circus,” closing the door to further collaborations (for now, at least). The news might come as a shock to many hardcore fans of the world of the mouse, as the director of Edward Scissorhands compared himself to Dumbo, one of his latest credits for the company with mixed reviews. He said that the movie is autobiographical, as they used him to sell a homogenized product he wants out of.

Any Disney movie directed by top-level figures such as Burton is an ace in our book, yet his pass through the biggest animation studio in the world has not seen the best of his work. By looking at his work with and without them, there are definitely some interesting aspects that explain why we foresee a promising future for the director (starting with Netflix’s Wednesday, of course). Let’s take a look at some prominent films before and during Disney to explain why.

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Tim Burton Gained Fame and Recognition Before Disney

     20th Century Studios

Right from the very beginning, Tim Burton stood out of the crowd with his unique combination of visuals and storytelling. Vincent, the director’s first stop-motion short from 1982, quickly gave him notoriety in the business. Though this one was made for a Disney executive, Burton was a fresher voice whose talent did not go unnoticed. One of the short’s greatest achievements was introducing young viewership to Vincent Price’s horror style in a light manner. A novelty at the time, it was only fair that Tim would gain recognition after this. Frankenweenie was produced for the mouse later on, in 1984, yet the film was not premiered at that time, and Burton was fired due to the dark tone of the film being incongruent with Disney’s young audience.

Lucky for Burton, other studios also noticed his talent, offering him pivotal movies in his career. The 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice was simply the perfect fit for Burton’s quirky tone. The creator found the right balance between dark and light again, offering a creepy film with every condiment from the horror genre with the right pinch of humor. This masterclass of mixing genres made the movie appealing to kids (of a certain age) and adults alike.

With a blockbuster under his belt, Tim Burton was ready for bigger challenges. Edward Scissorhands came to be another hit in the early ’90s. This time, Johnny Depp, Burton’s pet actor, was onboard for a heart-warming story of a nuanced character, another step towards the director’s unique narrative. Not soon after, Batman and Batman Returns were offered to him to lead the projects. With mastery, Tim changed Gotham City forever, reminding everyone what the Bat hero was about: a decayed society looked after by a vigilante.

Burton’s Disney Movies Weren’t His Best Work

     Disney

The sun was shining for Burton in the ’90s and 2000s: Big Fish, Sweeney Todd, and The Corpse Bride were only a few of his many hits by this time. And then, by 2010, the mouse debauched from its lair of success to make things right. Disney sort of recognized its mistake by offering Burton one of its biggest IPs: Alice in Wonderland. Everything was in place to turn a classic into a modern reboot under Burton’s eccentric vision. Yet, it wasn’t. Far from being a flop, the movie received fairly average reviews, acknowledging Burton’s distinct esthetics, but lacking a clear narrative vision.

While still working with other studios, Tim Burton didn’t quit on the mouse just yet. Frankenweenie was given its chance to shine in 2012. The film went quite well at the box office, and viewers were happy with it, but it was more of the same from Burton. After a career marked by his peculiar style, Disney asked Burton to mimic himself in every new collaboration. Like requesting a songwriter to repeat their early hits, the company made the director recycle his format.

The final blow came with Dumbo in 2019. A rather lackluster release, this one had everything to shine but didn’t as well. Of course, there were many external factors to this, like touching on more controversial aspects of animal rights or the growing popularity of streaming services to the detriment of movie theaters. Whatever it was, Burton called “quits” on Disney a couple of years later, making the contrast between his cult movies and his work with the studio evident.

Future Looks Sharp for Burton’s Upcoming Projects

     Netflix

Tim Burton might have chosen to forfeit the biggest content-producing company in the world, but he has the credentials to do so. His future movies outside of Disney might not have the budget and FX that he so perfectly blends into his productions, but he has regained the creative freedom that made him great in the first place.

There are already some signs of Tim’s promising next steps. It is not a matter of movie theaters versus streaming services, as streaming is the perfect platform for Tim Burton’s Wednesday. The director is already showing that, given the wheel, he has much more to offer in terms of visuals and storytelling. The past has shown that his best work comes when trying to expand on his already sui generis vision, so we foresee a bright (in the darkest way possible) future for the man who taught us that weird can be fun.