After 'Escaping' Disney’s Grip, Tim Burton Finds His Way Back to Animation

After more than a decade away from the animated world that helped define his singular style, Tim Burton is preparing for a return. In a recent interview with Mexican outlet MILENIO, the iconic director revealed that he’s currently working on a new animated feature. While the project remains under wraps, Burton confirmed that he’s awaiting the finished script and is "very excited" about what’s to come.

Though he offered no further details — no plot hints, no stylistic clues — the announcement alone has stirred the imagination of fans. And who could blame them? Burton’s animated work, from The Nightmare Before Christmas to Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, has left a lasting imprint on modern cinema. It’s been 12 years since his last animated outing, and yet the appetite for his brand of stop-motion wonder hasn’t waned. The absence, as they say, may have only sharpened the anticipation.

The timing of this return is notable. Fresh off the success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Burton has described the sequel as a much-needed jolt — one that rekindled his enthusiasm for filmmaking after what he referred to as a creatively stifling chapter with Disney. Could this mysterious new animation be the product of that reawakened spirit? One might say it’s Burton getting back to his roots — spooky, strange, and full of heart.

While rumours have swirled about other projects — like a possible remake of Attack of the Fifty-Foot Woman with Gillian Flynn — Burton himself has downplayed those talks. For now, all eyes are on the animated feature taking shape in the shadows. Whatever it turns out to be, it seems the dark magic of Tim Burton is stirring once more. Isn’t it just the kind of surprise we've been waiting for?