Tim Burton has slated Disney’s approach to movie making, describing it as a “circus”. Burton is known for his gothic-inspired masterpieces, like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and the horror movie Sleepy Hollow.
The director has also had his fair share of big-budget projects, such as two Batman movies, and an Alice in Wonderland movie. Then, in 2019, Burton released the live-action version of Disney animated movie Dumbo.
Dumbo formed part of Disney’s live-action remake plan, though like Lion King and the recent Pinocchio, there is still a significant among of animation – including for the titular character. The movie was neither a huge commercial success, or critical success, and Burton hasn’t made a movie since.
Now, Burton has opened up about his experience working for Disney, and has said that he will never make another movie with the company again. Speaking at the Lumière Festival in Lyon (via IndieWire) the director reflected on his long history of working with Disney.
Burton said “I was hired and fired like several times throughout my career [at Disney]. The thing about Dumbo, is that’s why I think my days with Disney are done, I realized that I was Dumbo, that I was working in this horrible big circus and I needed to escape. That movie is quite autobiographical at a certain level.”
The comparison that Burton draws between himself and Dumbo, working for “horrible big circus” is especially interesting, and hints at the idea that director have began to become creatively stifled by input from the company. Either way, it’s clear that Burton’s time with the company has definitively come to an end.
The next question, then, is what Burton’s next project will be. The director has a huge following of fans, who enjoy his stylistic approach and his darker tendencies. For more escapism until then, check out our guide to the best fantasy movies.