Tim Burton plans new take on Addams Family

[HMG] – For fans of Tim Burton, we bring good news; The iconic director has signed a pact with the scribes who gave Johnny Depp his scene-stealing role in ‘Ed Wood’ to create a new take on the Addams Family.

Tim, 51, has reunited with screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski to create an animated version of the uniquely ghoulish family who began life as a comic strip in ‘The New Yorker’ in 1938.

He has also taken the job of producer on a factual-based drama about a cold-blooded scheme in which the 60′s artist Margaret Keane created a range of hugely popular drawings – only to watch her own husband claim all the reward.

“Both of these projects are based on art that Tim absolutely loves,” Karasewski told Deadline. “We want the tone to be as darkly funny and subversive as the Addams drawings, and we’ve come up with an approach nobody has done before.”

And while the three were discussing the Addams idea, Scott showed Tim their script for ‘Big Eyes,’ the movie about Margaret Keane.

“He’s a big fan and has commissioned artwork from her,” Alexander recalls. “We thought the movie would have been made by now, and having Tim helps a tremendous amount, with the way the film world is today.”

The film tells the story of Walter Keane, who became a national celebrity in the late-50′s after he produced a range of prints of children with huge eyes, and used his marketing skills to sell them in the thousands.

But Margaret was really the artist. Walter simply added his name to each canvas and claimed they were his.

His scam sank their marriage and put them in court. But the Judge was no fool — he put two easels in front of the pair and told them to draw. And while Walter faked injury, Margaret promptly dashed off a sketch that proved she was the star.

“I am excited to be working with Scott and Larry again,” Tim says in a statement. “I’ve always been a great admirer of Margaret Keane’s work and find her story intriguing.”

There’s no date for release of either film yet, but with Tim at the helm they’ll be well worth the wait.We’ll let you know as more info arrives…