In case you missed it, Netflix have made a LONG awaited remake of The Addams Family - directed by none other than Tim Burton - and is set for release at the end of this month.
And not a moment too soon, photos from the spooktastic world premier in Hollywood have been published, and would you just look at this all-star cast of bad-ass women?
Also, can we take a minute to appreciate the casting of Jenna Ortega in the role of Wednesday? She is the SPIT of OG actor Christina Ricci.
She said, 'Honestly, a big part of the reason why I did the show in the first place is because Wednesday is a Latina character, and that's never been represented. Anytime that I have an opportunity to represent my community or give other girls that look like me some relatability or connection on screen, I think that's really important — not only just for building confidence and self-esteem, but for anybody who has a creative mind or is an artist of some sort. So that's why I did this job, because I want that to be seen. Plus, I love Wednesday.'
The modern day reimagining, called Wednesday, will focus on teen daughter Wednesday Addams, played by Jenna Ortega) as she rejects popularity in favour of her own dark, twisted narrative. And with Burton - much loved for his work on films like Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas and Beetlejuice, you can guarantee it's going to come with a hefty dose of ethereal horror.
'The great thing and what I loved about [the script] was that they took the Addams Family, which in past incarnations has been very cartoony, which is great, but this had a reality to it,' he said.
'It explored Wednesday more as a character. She's a very black and white character. She sees things in black and white, and mostly black, but again, I just really relate to her. This is longer form, and there’s a bit more of a reality to her, which I loved. And to see the shades of her a little bit more was very exciting. She felt more like a real person, and we just tried to give it a reality that was fun to explore. There's a very limited range of her emotions, but underneath it, there are a lot of shades to her, and that's why we're very lucky to have Jenna Ortega. No matter how good the writing was or anything, without the right Wednesday, the show wouldn't really exist, and we were very aware of that, and feel very blessed and very lucky. Because I can't imagine any other Wednesday. '
And following rumours that Johnny Depp had been controversially cast as Uncle Fester after the character was conspicuously missing from the first publicity posters (with Tim and Johnny having a well-known long term friendship and working relationship), the full cast has finally been announced along with some tantalising new pictures.
And it's in fact Fred Armisen, who's previously starred in Brooklyn Nine Nine and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy, who'll be taking on the role.
Look how cute he is! You'd be forgiven for not recognising him because, despite having his fair share of IMDb credits under his belt, Fred looks COMPLETELY different to anything you've ever seen him in before. Like, unrecognisable. Just check out his many skits on Saturday Night Live for evidence.
So, who else is starring?
Netflix's Wednesday Cast
Wednesday Addams - Jenna Ortega
Jenna Ortega, who'll you recognise from another Netflix chiller, You, is playing the lead role. To prepare for her role as Wednesday, Jenna Ortega took lessons for cello, fencing, archery, and German.
'I think everybody wishes that they were as bold as Wednesday,' she said. 'She says exactly what she's thinking. She doesn't hold back, but she's also not a brat about it. She's confident, she doesn't second guess herself, and she's very, very sure of who she is. I think that in a world, especially now with phones and social media, that it's very easy to jump from personality to personality, or not really be sure what you want to say, or what you can say. Any frustration, any annoyance, any whatever, she makes it known, and I think that's really powerful.'
Morticia Addams - Catherine Zeta-Jones
CZJ is taking on the role of the regal yet ruthless Addams family matriarch, 'who cares deeply for her brilliant daughter — though they’re often at odds.'
Of being cast, she said, 'What I love most about playing Morticia Addams is that she really is an iconic female figure. She's in everyone's subconscious. And I got to put my own twist on her. I didn't want to play her as a kind of Halloween costumed, animated caricature. I wanted to find the root of her in that she is a mother of two, and she's extremely in love with her husband, but also to put my own stamp on it without wavering too far away from who I visualize Morticia to be when I close my eyes.'
Gomez Addams - Luis Guzman
Speaking of what we can expect from the series, Luis said, 'The writing on this show, to me, has been spot on — incredibly funny. It's not slapstick. I think people will enjoy this type of comedy.
'There's some horror involved, too. WEDNESDAY is going to be the kind of show where you really have to listen to the words, not just the visuals, and put that all together, because they really blend. You have the element of the writing, of the performances, of the sets, of the directing, and then you bring that all together, and it's a pretty cool show. I know that audiences are going to love it.'
Also starring Are Gwendolyn Christie as Principal Larissa Weems, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, and original Wednesday actor Christina Ricci as teacher Miss Marilyn Thornhill.
The Addams' cousin It - you know, the hairy feller - will be played by a real life actor Victor Borobantu.
Netflix said, 'From the very beginning_,_ Tim Burton and the creative team wanted Thing to be played by a live performer, and only enhanced with CG elements when needed. Victor Dorobantu, who plays Thing, is a magician by trade, and WEDNESDAY is his first acting role.
'For his scenes as Thing, Dorobantu spent three hours preparing and getting into the blue suit he had to wear whenever Thing was on camera so the VFX team could visually edit him out in post production. Dorobantu often had to have his body placed in unusual places on set to get the right shot — upside down, under floors, behind walls, and even inside walls.'
What is Netflix’s Wednesday about?
As the title suggests, Netflix’s remake will follow troubled teen Wednesday as she finally finds her people at her new school, with mum Morticia, dad Gomez, and brother Pugsley, all playing supporting roles.
According to Netflix: ‘The series is a sleuthing, supernaturally infused mystery charting Wednesday Addams’ years as a student at Nevermore Academy, where she attempts to master her emerging psychic ability, thwart a monstrous killing spree that has terrorized the local town, and solve the murder mystery that embroiled her parents 25 years ago — all while navigating her new and very tangled relationships at Nevermore.’
Netflix's Wednesday trailer
The whole thing is neatly – or perhaps not so much – wrapped up in a Tim Burton-shaped bow, so you can guarantee it’ll be the perfect blend of ethereal glamour, spellbinding cinematography and good old-fashioned gore. To say we can’t wait is quite the understatement.
When is Wednesday on Netflix?
Fittingly (although, if you ask us, Netflix missed a trick by now releasing it around Halloween) Wednesday will hit the streaming platform on Wednesday 23rd of November.