Tim Burton is a visionary filmmaker who has created some of the most iconic movies of our time. His films are known for their unique style and captivating stories, from dark and twisted tales to whimsical fantasies.
But if you’re wondering how to watch all Tim Burton movies? Here’s the right list to watch all Tim Burton’s movies in the correct order:
- Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
- Beetlejuice (1988)
- Batman (1989)
- Edward Scissorhands (1990)
- Batman Returns (1992)
- The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
- 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)
- Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
- Dumbo (2019)
In this article, you’ll find a guide to help you navigate Tim Burton’s filmography and watch all of his movies in the best possible order. So, get ready to immerse yourself in the surreal and imaginative world of Tim Burton!
How Many Tim Burton Movies Are There?
Tim Burton has been directing films for 35 years, and in that time, he has released 20 of them.
Each brings something unique to the table with its own quirky, eccentric style that often earns big at the box office.
There’s no wrong way to watch all these movies – you can go from worst to best or start with the best first. Whatever order you choose to view these gems, don’t miss a single Tim Burton movie!
What Is The Order Of The Tim Burton Movies?
Tim Burton has an impressive filmography, and if you want to watch all of his movies in the correct order, this is the list for you:
Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
The film follows Pee-wee Herman as he journeys to find his stolen bicycle. It was Tim Burton’s directorial debut and showcased his signature quirky and offbeat style.
Beetlejuice (1988)
A supernatural comedy about a recently deceased couple who enlist the help of a ghost named Beetlejuice to scare away the new owners of their home.
The film was a critical and commercial success and solidified Burton’s status as a unique filmmaker.
Batman (1989)
Burton’s take on the iconic superhero features Michael Keaton as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker.
The dark and gothic tone of the film was a departure from previous portrayals of the character and paved the way for more severe superhero films.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
The film tells the story of an artificial man with scissor blades for hands who is taken in by a suburban family.
The movie explores themes of isolation and the search for acceptance and features stunning visuals and a memorable performance by Johnny Depp in the titular role.
Batman Returns (1992)
The sequel to Burton’s Batman features the addition of Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) and the Penguin (Danny DeVito) as antagonists.
The film maintains the dark and gothic atmosphere of the first film and delves deeper into the characters’ psychological states.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
An animated musical fantasy film produced by Burton and directed by Henry Selick. The story follows Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, as he discovers Christmas and attempts to bring the holiday to his home.
Ed Wood (1994)
A biographical comedy-drama about the life of B-movie filmmaker Ed Wood, played by Johnny Depp. The film is a tribute to the cult director and his passion for filmmaking, despite his lack of talent.
Mars Attacks! (1996)
A satirical science-fiction film about a Martian invasion of Earth. The movie features an all-star cast and pokes fun at 1950s B-movies and American culture.
Sleepy Hollow (1999)
A horror film based on Washington Irving’s short story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.”
The movie follows Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) as he investigates a series of murders in the town of Sleepy Hollow, which may be the work of the legendary Headless Horseman.
Planet of the Apes (2001)
A remake of the 1968 film of the same name, directed by Burton. The film follows astronaut Leo Davidson (Mark Wahlberg) as he crash-lands on a planet ruled by intelligent apes and becomes embroiled in a power struggle between different ape factions.
Big Fish (2003)
A fantasy drama based on the novel by Daniel Wallace. The movie follows the life of Edward Bloom (Albert Finney/Ewan McGregor), a storyteller who spins tall tales about his life, much to the chagrin of his son (Billy Crudup).
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
A musical fantasy film based on the novel by Roald Dahl. The movie stars Johnny Depp as Willy Wonka, a reclusive candy maker who invites five children to tour his factory and potentially win a lifetime supply of chocolate.
Corpse Bride (2005)
The movie tells the story of a young man (voiced by Johnny Depp) who inadvertently marries a deceased woman (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter) and finds himself trapped in the afterlife.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
This musical horror film tells the story of Sweeney Todd, a barber who seeks revenge on the corrupt judge who sent him to prison. Johnny Depp plays the lead role, and the movie features several popular songs.
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
This fantasy adventure film is based on Lewis Carroll’s novel of the same name.
The story follows Alice as she returns to Wonderland and embarks on a quest to defeat the Red Queen and restore the White Queen to the throne.
The movie features a star-studded cast and a mix of live-action and CGI.
Dark Shadows (2012)
This horror comedy film tells the story of Barnabas Collins, a vampire who is awakened after being buried for 200 years. Johnny Depp plays the lead role, and the movie features an ensemble cast.
Frankenweenie (2012)
This movie is a stop-motion animated film that tells the story of a young boy named Victor who brings his dead dog Sparky back to life through the power of science.
The movie is a homage to classic horror movies and features several references to the works of Tim Burton.
Big Eyes (2014)
This biographical drama film tells the story of Margaret and Walter Keane, a couple who became famous in the 1950s and 1960s for their paintings of children with big eyes.
The movie explores their tumultuous relationship and the legal battles that followed their divorce.
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
This movie is a fantasy adventure film based on the novel of the same name by Ransom Riggs.
The story follows Jake, a teenager who discovers a hidden world of children with supernatural abilities and must protect them from monsters who want to destroy them.
Dumbo (2019)
This movie is a live-action adaptation of the 1941 animated film of the same name.
The story follows a young elephant with oversized ears who learns to fly and becomes a circus star.
The movie features a mix of live-action and CGI and a star-studded cast.
Best (And Worst) Tim Burton Movie
When it comes to Tim Burton movies, everyone has an opinion about their best and worst pictures, and mine is no different.
My all-time favorite Tim Burton movie has to be Batman Returns or Edward Scissorhands, both visually stunning masterpieces.
On the other hand, his worst (in my opinion) would have to be Dark Shadows. Not that it was terrible, per se, but when compared with other Burton classics, such as the titles above, there’s no way it can reach in terms of quality and entertainment value.
At the end of the day, though, it’s all subjective – watch through some of his great works and decide which is your favorite!
How Did Director Tim Burton Get His Start In Hollywood?
Tim Burton’s start in Hollywood began at a very young age.
As a preteen, he was already experimenting with homemade stop-motion animation films and capturing footage on 8 mm film without sound.
One of his earliest works, the “Island of Doctor Agor,” was filmed when he was just 13 years old.
After graduating from high school, Burton attended the California Institute of the Arts to pursue a degree in Character Animation.
He completed two short films there, “Stalk of the Celery Monster” and “King and the Octopus,” which gained recognition from Walt Disney Productions and landed him an animator apprenticeship at the company’s renowned Animation Division.
While working at Disney, Burton worked as an animator, storyboard artist, designer, art director, and concept artist on films such as 1981’s “The Fox and The Hound” before finally creating his own live-action short film “Vincent” garnering more attention for his work with actor Vincent Price providing narration.
This eventually led to his next live-action production, “Hansel and Gretel,” being aired once in 1983 at 10:30 pm on Halloween.
The short was shelved, but prints were challenging to locate, resulting in rumors that it never existed – until it made its first public debut in 2009 at the Museum of Modern Art, followed by numerous shows over the years afterward, including one at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).
His next effort “Frankenweenie” came out in 1984, but Disney deemed it too dark for children, so he was promptly dismissed from the company; however, actor Paul Reubens saw potential in Tim Burton’s style after watching this movie which set off his road to success as a director in Hollywood.
What Is The One Common Thing In All Tim Burton Movies?
When it comes to Tim Burton’s movies, there is one common thing that unites them all: their otherworldly feel.
Every film brings an air of spookiness, mystery, and strangeness that cannot be fully explained.
Burton creates worlds unlike before, from misty atmospheres and dark colors to eccentric buildings and bizarre scenes.
It’s not unusual for a happy, colorful neighborhood to lie alongside a hill full of darkness and danger, like in Edward Scissorhands.
Every Tim Burton movie also contains typical elements that give it his signature vibe – stripes in both shades of white & black combined with swirling spirals & curled edges can request these movies; you can almost always see a scene where people are gathered around a table together; each protagonist rejecting reality which reflects Burton’s own issues with society; as well as an underlying moral lesson.
Altogether there is no doubt that every single one of Tim Burton’s movies has something unmistakably unifying about it – the otherworldly atmosphere spanning their visuals down to their characters’ mannerisms is one feature connecting them all!
What Is Tim Burton’s Style Called?
Tim Burton’s signature filmmaking style has been coined “gothic suburbia.”
This engaging style combines aspects from the 19th and 20th centuries, creating dark themes in a child-friendly movie.
Corpse Bride is a perfect example; though it’s an animated children’s movie, adults can understand and appreciate its hidden dark humor due to Burton’s unique vision.
No matter the age, there is something for everyone to enjoy in Burton’s movies – kids will love the fun, while adults can detect the subtle nuances that might go right over a child’s head.
This unique style is what makes Tim Burton films timeless classics.
What Is Tim Burton Known For?
Tim Burton is known for his gothic, eccentric horror, and fantasy films.
These include Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which utilizes the dark atmosphere Burton is known so well.
But he has also had several successful blockbusters such as Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Batman and Batman Returns, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Alice in Wonderland that showcase his wide range of styles.
What makes Tim Burton’s films unique is their moodiness or dark content and the exciting visuals that often accompany them.
Whether you love or hate his work, one thing remains certain – Tim Burton continues to push boundaries in originality and storytelling.
How Many Tim Burton Movies Is Johnny Depp In?
It’s no coincidence that Tim Burton has chosen Johnny Depp to star in so many of his movies.
Known for its dark and quirky visuals, Burton’s films had appealed to audiences since the 1990s, when Depp starred in his first movie with Burton–Edward Scissorhands.
Burton continued to cast Depp in Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005) (voice), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007), Alice in Wonderland (2010) and Dark Shadows (2012).
This string of successful collaborations reflects both directors’ uncanny ability to take stories from page to screen that capture audiences uniquely.
Even Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016), which Burton produced but did not direct, featured Johnny Depp— showing just how great of a team these two are!
Why Has Tim Burton Chosen Johnny Depp To Be In So Many Of His Movies?
It’s not hard to see why Tim Burton has chosen Johnny Depp to be in so many of his movies.
Not only is Johnny Depp one of the best actors working today, but he also happens to be Tim Burton’s long-time best friend.
The two had worked together since 1990 when they collaborated on Edward Scissorhands – and they keep improving with each collaboration.
From Edward Scissorhands to Sleepy Hollow and Sweeney Todd, it’s clear that Tim has great trust and faith in Depp’s abilities as an actor — likely due in part to their friendship — something that is apparent in all of the projects they work on together.
Their mutual understanding of each other makes for some fantastic movie-making magic, giving Johnny Depp some of the most iconic roles of his career.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tim Burton’s movies are a unique blend of whimsy, darkness, and imagination that have captivated audiences for decades.
Whether you’re a fan of his early works or his more recent adaptations, watching all of Tim Burton’s movies in the right order can enhance your viewing experience and provide you with a deeper appreciation for his artistry.
So grab some snacks, get cozy, and let Tim Burton take you on a surreal and unforgettable journey through his filmography.
