LONDON — Celebrated filmmaker Tim Burton, known for his imaginative creations of ghosts, monsters, and quirky characters, is showcasing his unique vision in a new exhibition that coincides with Halloween festivities in London. However, while his work has intricately woven the fantastical into cinematic narratives, it is the rise of artificial intelligence that genuinely unsettles him.
In a preview conducted on Wednesday, Burton shared his discomfort with AI-generated art when he discovered a website merging his iconic illustrations with Disney characters. He expressed a deep, almost primal reaction to the experience, commenting, “It wasn’t an intellectual thought — it was just an internal, visceral feeling.” He acknowledged the skillfulness of some AI-generated pieces but admitted they triggered an unsettling emotion within him. “Some of these are pretty good,” he remarked, “but it gave me a weird sort of scary feeling inside.”
Burton is aware of the inevitability of AI’s influence on creativity, stating, “Once you can do it, people will do it.” Despite this understanding, he jokingly dismissed the idea of incorporating AI into his own work, quipping, “To take over the world?”
The exhibition, titled “The World of Tim Burton,” highlights his journey from a young artist experimenting with color in suburban California to becoming an influential director behind classics such as “Edward Scissorhands” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” This exploration consists of over 600 artifacts, tracing the evolution of his ideas from initial sketches to a fully realized production in collaboration with various designers.
This event marks the conclusion of an extensive global tour, having transitioned through 14 cities across 11 countries over the past decade, now enriched with 90 new pieces specifically for London, where Burton has resided for 25 years. Highlights of the exhibition include early artwork, notable curiosities like a “crush litter” sign he designed as a teenager, and a recreation of his personal workspace, complete with his paint trays and an antique mug full of pencils.
Attendees will find an array of exhibits, from props and set designs to iconic costumes, such as Johnny Depp’s gloves from “Edward Scissorhands” and the distinctive Catwoman suit worn by Michelle Pfeiffer in “Batman.” Exhibition curator Maria McLintock emphasized the incredible access they had to Burton’s archival materials in London, filled with countless sketches, storyboards, and notes. Capturing the essence of his varied career in one exhibit proved to be an intriguing challenge.
Despite the exciting showcase, Burton finds the experience slightly overwhelming, likening it to “seeing your dirty laundry put on the walls.” Currently, Burton is engaging movie audiences with his recently unveiled horror-comedy sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” showcased at the Venice Film Festival and is busy filming the second season of the Netflix series “Wednesday,” based on the Addams Family.
Even at the pinnacle of his success—his unique style giving rise to the term “Burtonesque”—Burton identified himself as an outsider in the film industry, a feeling that has lingered throughout his career. “Once you feel that way, it never leaves you,” he stated. He reflected on the struggles tied to his earlier works, recalling that despite their popularity, films like “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure” and “Beetlejuice” faced their share of criticism, leaving behind emotional scars.
McLintock also described Burton as an emotionally driven filmmaker, noting that his narrative tendencies favor the misunderstood and the outcasts. She feels that this emotional depth is what resonated with her as a child. “Although his films are often considered dark,” she commented, “there’s a sense of hope within that darkness, inviting viewers to linger in its nuances.”
“The World of Tim Burton” is set to open on Friday and will be available for viewing until April 21, 2025.
