As Slashfilm reports, it seems that Tim Burton is lined up to direct an adaptation of Sleeping Beauty, focusing on the Mistress Of All Evil rather than the titular princess herself and named Maleficent. With Burton tackling Sweeney Todd and Alice In Wonderland recently, we thought we’d cast our eyes over a few other properties and legends that could do with an injection of the comically macabre.
The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz
L Frank Baum
If there was ever a property that was crying out for Burtonisation, it’s L Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz. Featuring Helena Bonham Carter as the Wicked Witch, and Johnny Depp as the Scarecrow, most likely.
Hansel and Gretel
The Brothers Grimm
Another interesting one could be this classic fairy tale, in which two children happen across a gingerbread house inhabited by a child-eating witch. Just imagine Burton being allowed free rein with the setting.
Jack And The Beanstalk
Benjamin Tabart (codified)
Although there are various adaptations of this story either already released or coming, there isn’t anyone who could handle it better than Burton, in our opinion. We can just picture the beanstalk itself now…
Beauty And The Beast
Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont
It’s been animated, updated, retold and narrated over the course of the centuries, and we suspect that given creative control, Burton could probably produce the definitive version of this story.
Little Red Riding Hood
The Brothers Grimm
Outside of The Wizard Of Oz, this is a property that has practically been screaming for Burton to turn his hand to it for decades. M Night Shyamalan failed to do it properly with his clumsy allusions in The Village, so give someone else a go.
