As a filmmaker, Tim Burton is renowned for his trailblazing style and techniques. Burton’s complex but distinct style can be described as whimsical with gothic overtones. This unique approach to filmmaking has made him one of the most iconic and influential directors in the industry. Moreover, he’s also become a box office titan, with several commercially successful movies under his belt. As a result, he has been recognized and awarded with numerous honors.
At the core of his 35-plus-year career are films with surreal and darkly imaginative themes. Tim Burton is also notable for creating unconventional and eccentric characters. Furthermore, his visual aesthetics are often striking, wildly colorful, or starkly contrasted. His characters are often misfits, antiheroes or outcasts who exist on the fringes of society. This visual storytelling is cinematic artistry at its finest, earning him a dedicated fan base. Of the bulk of his impressive works, these seven films dominated at the box office.
7. Batman Returns (1992)
Tim Burton’s sequel to Batman (1989) remains a cult favorite of those devoted to the franchise. Starring Michael Keaton as the iconic Batman, it had a mixed reception from critics who found it overly violent and depressing. However, many people admired the dark and psychologically nuanced take on the famous superhero, as well as its distinctive visuals. Batman Returns is also known for its iconic cast: Michelle Pfeiffer stars as Catwoman, and Danny DeVito's portrayal of the Penguin. Overall, the movie had a worldwide box office gross of $266,824,29.
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6. Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children (2016)
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children is one of Tim Burton’s most recent successes in the Box Office. The film, based on the book series of the same name authored by Ransom Riggs, received mixed critical reviews. However, both critics and book fans lauded Eva Green's portrayal of Miss Peregrine and the film's dark fantasy aspects. While keeping to the family-friendly tone of the book, Tim Burton went above and beyond the visual aesthetics of the film. As a result, it was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects.
The visuals endeared even more fans of the book to the movie and were a clear reminder of Burton's penchant for the strange and magical. The film tells the story of Jake Portman (Asa Butterfield). Following the mysterious death of his grandfather, Jake finds strange clues that lead him to a secret home for children with strange abilities. Overall, Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children earned $295,986,876 at the box office.
5. Dumbo (2019)
The live-action adaptation of Disney's Dumbo is the most recent of Burton’s works. While he took certain liberties with the original storyline, what struck many viewers was its emotional resonance and direction. After the movie’s release, Tim Burton commented on how the movie felt “autobiographical” at multiple points. Dumbo won the 2019 Saturn Award for Best Fantasy Film and had a box office gross of over $350 million. The eponymous film tells the story of Dumbo, a baby elephant who gets separated from his mother at the circus. He discovers he is able to fly, thanks to his large, floppy ears and so, embarks on a journey to reunite with his mother.
4. Planet Of The Apes (2001)
Planet Of The Apes was a remake of the 1981 film adaptation of a sci-fi novel of the same name. Directed by Tim Burton, the movie follows the story of Captain Leo Davidson. On a routine space mission to search for a missing colleague, Davidson encounters an electromagnetic storm. He then crashes into a world run by sentient apes who have enslaved a primitive human race and try to hunt him down. The reception to Planet Of The Apes was mixed, particularly the film’s confusing plot. However, the movie had some amazing makeup effects, and it was the Oscar winner for Best Makeup. It was also quite commercially successful, earning $362,211,740 at the box office.
3. Batman (1989)
Batman (1989) is perhaps the most pivotal movie in the Batman franchise. With the film’s genius direction and cinematography, Tim Burton is credited by many to have revolutionized the superhero genre. It was well-received by critics for its darker and more nuanced spin on the classic superhero. Particularly well-liked, were Michael Keaton's portrayal of Batman, and Jack Nicholson's Joker. Naturally, the movie was a box office blockbuster with a worldwide gross of $411,348,924. The movie also won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction and helped pave the way for future comic book adaptations.
2. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (2005)
Employing sheer talent and imagination, Burton made Roald Dahl's classic story into a classic Tim Burton movie. The film had a dark and whimsical touch, while it delved into the fantasy world of a chocolate factory, starring Johnny Depp as the eccentric confectioner, Willy Wonka. Although there were criticisms that the film lost the original story's quaint allure, the film's fantastical production design was well received. It also received positive reviews for Johnny Depp's performance. Tim Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory earned over $475 million at the box office. An adaptation of the titular character, titled Wonka, will be released on Dec. 15, starring Timothée Chalamet as Willy Wonka.
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1. Alice In Wonderland (2010)
Tim Burton brought a unique spin on the already whimsical children's classic by Lewis Carroll. The movie follows Alice’s return to Wonderland after her first visit. This time around, she's not a little girl, but a young woman. Burton then utilizes his characters and their CGI co-stars to embark on a long and treacherous, but fantastical journey. Alice In Wonderland received the Academy Awards for Art Direction and Costume Design. The film was also a box office blockbuster, crossing the billion-dollar mark at the box office.
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