This summer, a major new Tim Burton exhibit is set to debut in London, featuring iconic costumes such as Jenna Ortega’s viral Wednesday dress and Michelle Pfeiffer’s unforgettable Catwoman suit. The exhibit, titled The World of Tim Burton, will celebrate the legendary filmmaker’s five-decade career, showcasing over 600 items from his vast body of work.
Hosted at the Design Museum, the exhibition will be the first of its kind in the UK and promises to be a treat for Burton fans. Visitors will journey through the visionary filmmaker’s unreleased projects, early concept sketches, and famous films, culminating in a showcase of his latest work, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, set for release in 2024.
Burton enthusiasts will be thrilled to see costumes from some of his most memorable films, including the Wednesday dress Ortega wore in the now-viral dance scene, Michelle Pfeiffer’s iconic Catwoman suit from Batman Returns (1992), and Johnny Depp’s costume from Edward Scissorhands (1990), complete with scissor hands. Additional displays will include characters like the Martians from Mars Attacks! (1996), the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland (2010), and Emily from Corpse Bride (2005).
Burton, 66, expressed his excitement for the exhibit, saying, “It’s a strange thing, to put 50 years of art and your life on view for everyone to see, especially when that was never the original purpose… collaborating with the Design Museum for this final stop was the right choice.”
The exhibit, which opens on October 25, will feature 18 of his films, including Beetlejuice (1988), Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005). Visitors will experience landscapes reminiscent of his iconic filmography while a custom soundscape enhances the journey through Burton’s creative universe.
Additionally, the exhibit will provide a rare glimpse into Burton’s personal creative process with a recreation of his studio, offering fans an intimate look into how his artistic vision comes to life. The exhibition will conclude with a bespoke cinema experience, where a newly commissioned film about Burton’s key collaborators will be screened in a vintage-style art-deco cinema space, paying homage to the cinemas he frequented in his youth.
This exhibition has been on a decade-long global tour, visiting 14 cities in 11 countries since 2014, but the London edition will feature 90 new items, making it a must-see for fans of Burton’s unique style.
Maria McLintock, curator of The World of Tim Burton at the Design Museum, remarked, “This hugely successful show has delighted audiences across the globe for over a decade, but our Design Museum reimagining, with many new additions and new narratives, means this will be an unprecedented opportunity to be immersed in Tim Burton’s unique and singular vision.”
Tickets for The World of Tim Burton exhibit are expected to be in high demand, as fans eagerly await the chance to step inside the mind of one of Hollywood’s most beloved and eccentric filmmakers.
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