Latest news with #TheAddamsFamily
Geek Vibes Nation
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Wednesday' Season 2 Review — Jenna Ortega Shines In A Series That Is A Grave Delight
The first season of Wednesday embraced what The Addams Family always has: valuing otherness, challenging conformity, and exploring identity in the face of societal expectations. The show gradually shifted focus to center around its magnetic lead, becoming a metaphor for misunderstood teen angst. With a storyline full of thrills, chills, and howls, it delivered addictive and engrossing television. This level of audience anticipation is rare, with fans champing at the bit for a second season and keeping the flames alive for three long years. Now, the series returns with a second season that's back to its eccentric and gothic best. The production value is top-notch, the cast is star-studded, and the deadpan humor perfectly offsets the show's dark, almost ominous tendencies. In short, Wednesday's second season, along with its star Jenna Ortega, is a grave delight. The story follows Wednesday Addams (Ortega), who—according to her mother, Morticia (Chicago's Catherine Zeta-Jones)—has, for the first time, voluntarily returned to the same school. Reflecting on Nevermore Academy, Wednesday deadpans that this time she 'knows where the bodies are buried' (see what I mean about a grave delight?). After saving the school from impending doom, her fellow students now ask for her autograph. Though Wednesday insists it be signed in blood. Their reply? They wouldn't expect anything less. Enid (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder's Emma Myers) returns as Wednesday's 'woofish' best friend, a werewolf who tries so hard to fit in, where Wednesday shows her the gifts of autonomy. The series still focuses on this friendship dynamic. However, the series also begins to look into the nuclear Addams family characters, but more closely. This brings even more eccentric fun. For instance, Fred Armisen, whom I will admit, I can only take in small doses, plays Fester with a surprising amount of humor and heart. And that is where half the fun of Netflix's Wednesday is. I stress half because the streaming giant only provided the first four episodes. The mystery expands far beyond Nevermore's walls and into the secret the Addams family has hidden from Wednesday all these years. Wednesday is from producer Tim Burton and showrunners Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who also wrote Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice for Burton. Returning to the original intellectual property was a smart move. The superb cast—Catherine Zeta-Jones, Fred Armisen, Isaac Ordonez, and the scene-stealing Luis Guzmán- fully embody the series' themes in a genuinely entertaining way. Here, this group embraces the idea that their utter uniqueness should be celebrated, not feared. Being a Burton production, both elements are put on full display, making the juxtaposition consistently compelling. The writing from Gough and Millar is sincere, if not occasionally over-the-top. This makes nearly every scene feel unpredictable, darkly whimsical, and surprisingly human. The show manages to be frightening and, at the same time, side-splittingly funny. Frankly, the series works on so many levels. It's hard to believe the sophomore effort holds together so well without being pulled too far in any one direction. However, let's make no mistake—the series is carried by Ortega, who continues to thrive in a role that expertly showcases her talents. That includes her sharp comedic timing, where 'deadpan' is more than just a pun. She also brings a charismatic stillness and expressive restraint that's rare for any young actress. Most importantly, it's the emotional nuance beneath the surface that gives the series its unexpected depth. It is Ortega's sardonic and acoustically entertaining turn that saved the first season and delivered an even better second. You can stream Wednesday's second season only on Netflix on August 6th!
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Wednesday fans are blown away after seeing how Thing is filmed in each shot
People are only just realising that Thing from Netflix's 'Wednesday' has a big secret, and cannot believe what they were seeing when seeing the behind-the-scenes footage Netflix's 'Wednesday' has returned for a second series - and it's promised to be better than ever with a whole host of celebs added to the cast, including Joanna Lumley and Billie Piper. Lady Gaga even made a subtle appearance after the sped-up version of her song 'Bloody Mary' reached new heights of popularity thanks to the first season of the show. However, many people were left wondering whether 'Thing' from the show is CGI. For those not in the know, Thing from The Addams Family is a disembodied hand that serves as a loyal and helpful companion to the family. In the Netflix spin-off series, Thing is portrayed by 28-year-old Victor Dorobantu, a Romanian magician, but people were shocked to learn there was a person behind the hand. Victor shared some behind-the-scenes footage of him portraying the unusual character, and some people said he had the "hardest job on the set". Taking to X, someone wrote: "Rather than relying entirely on CGI, Thing was performed by Romanian magician and actor Victor Dorobantu, who wore a specially designed costume and prosthetics." His costume was blue with a hood so that he could be edited out of the background easily. In the comments of Victor's video, someone wrote: "Imagine telling the grandkids you were in the Wednesday series, every time thing comes on 'that's me'. So cool to know it was a person and not CGI." Another said: "Wow I actually thought Thing was like an AI type of thing. Not going to lie, he has the hardest job on set. That looks like a good workout lol." Somebody else shared: "The way I checked IMDB so fast this season to make sure it was you again before watching!! I was so stoked it was... love how you play Thing." "This is INCREDIBLY cool! I'm so happy you shared this," a woman praised him. A man penned: "Dang I never thought it was actually someone's hand I thought it was just animated." An Instagram user shared he must have a lot of strength, writing: "I know it takes immense shoulder strength to be able to pull off something like this. I know your shoulders are well built. I know your shoulders hurt." "Ok, no, but in all seriousness, the way this dude communicates and sends feelings across the screen is beyond me," a fan praised. Some tried to put the actor down, though, saying: "All this technology we have and there was no room for a robot hand? But I guess this makes it look more realistic." Did you know that behind Thing was a real person, or did you have absolutely no idea? Let us know in the comments...
Gizmodo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
A Nostalgic ‘Addams Family' Prop Could Join Your Spooky, Ooky Collection
The Addams Family has come a long way since Charles Addams' paper cartoons debuted in 1938 and is currently in its Gen Z era incarnation, thanks to director Tim Burton. Still, the real ones know that before Wednesday on Netflix introduced us to Jenna Ortega as the acerbic teen and explored her mystery-laden life in dark academia, Christina Ricci made her a '90s icon. Propstore is rolling out a standout piece of nostalgia for The Addams Family as part of its upcoming Entertainment Memorabilia Auction: a silly and spooky wooden children's dinosaur toy that only an Addams or Addams fan could love. The morbidly adorable toy joins other highly coveted pop culture treasures such as Darth Vader's lightsaber from Star Wars and a whip from Indiana Jones. The green bug-eyed piece was featured in Barry Sonnenfeld's 1991 film The Addams Family. It can be seen in a scene where Wednesday (Ricci) was playing with it to keep herself entertained while we get Fester's fabricated backstory during a pivotal part of the film. Propstore's official description of the piece informs potential buyers of its rarity: 'This production-made toy, a plastic dinosaur on wheels with googly eyes, painted green with dark green spikes and a red mouth, shows signs of age and filming use, including pitting, chipping, striations, cracking, and wheel scratches. It measures approximately 18″ x 6.5″ x 6″ (45.75 cm x 16.75 cm x 15.25 cm)' and it's estimated to be getting a winning bid somewhere in the ballpark of $2,000–$4,000. However, with the character of Wednesday being all the rage again thanks to the Netflix show's return, it could go for much higher. The auction takes place in early September; find out more, including how to bid, here. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what's next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Wednesday' Season 2 Part 1 Ending Explained: Who Died? Who Was Unmasked as a Killer?
The first part of Wednesday season 2 ended on a worrisome note following multiple deaths and a large threat unleashed at Nevermore. Warning: This story contains spoilers about season 2 of . Wednesday, which premiered in November 2022, is based on the character originally introduced in The Addams Family cartoons. In Netflix's version, Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) attempts to solve a murder mystery at her new school. The first half of the second season premiered on Wednesday, August 6, and heightened the stakes with Wednesday not determined to keep Enid (Emma Myers) safe after a deadly premonition. In the final moments of part 1, Wednesday had been seemingly knocked out of a Willow Hill window by her ex-boyfriend and deadly Hyde a.k.a Tyler (Hunter Doohan). Wednesday's fate was left up in the air as Tyler escaped into the woods, alongside handfuls of other mental institution patients. There's also this season's mystery murderer who killed two people in two days but had yet to be unmasked. Netflix's 'Wednesday' Cast Weighs In on the Show's Biggest Ships: From Weyler to Wenclair Luckily, Wednesday fans have even more to look forward to with the hit series already renewed for season 3. Showrunner Alfred Gough and Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria released a statement in July confirming that there is also a Wednesday spinoff in the works. 'It's something we're definitely noodling. There are other characters we can look at," Gough teased before Bajaria added, 'There's a lot to explore in the Addams Family.' Keep scrolling to find out where each character stands at the end of Wednesday season 2 part 1 now that the episodes are streaming on Netflix: Wednesday Addams By the end of part 1, Wednesday was trying to help the outcasts escape when she ran into Tyler in Hyde form. The audience didn't see what happened before Wednesday was thrown out of the building, which left her fate unknown. Enid Sinclair After finally unlocking her wolf side, Enid returned to Evermore a new version of herself. With that came doubts about her relationship with Ajax (Georgie Farmer), whom she avoided for most of part 1 until he got the hint. Instead, Enid grew closer to newbie Bruno and questioned her friendship with Wednesday, not knowing her friend was trying to keep her safe from a possible looming death. Tyler Galpin Most of part 1 had Tyler locked up in Willow Hill where Wednesday and later Laurel (Christina Ricci) visited him. Despite attempts to decrease Tyler and Laurel's bond, his strength as a Hyde was greater than ever. By the end of part 1, Tyler was able to escape from his confinement and his first act of business was attacking his master. Tyler — in Hyde form — then came face to face with Wednesday and the next thing viewers saw was her being thrown out a window and her ex running for the woods. Wednesday's Biggest Controversies: From Questionable Working Conditions to Sexual Assault Allegations Bianca Barclay Laurel Gates During the first part of season 2 Ricci's character was brought to Willow Hill as a prisoner after she was previously kept in a separate facility to keep her far away from Tyler. The first reunion didn't go as planned when Tyler transformed into the Hyde and nearly killed Laurel. She tried to win his favor over again once the outcasts broke out of Willow Hill. But Laurel's attempt to help him didn't work in her favor and the Hyde ultimately chased her down and appeared to kill her — seemingly for good this time. Morticia Addams and Gomez Addams Pugsley Addams After playing a smaller role in season 1, Wednesday's brother was not attending Nevermore too. He had a tough time adjusting to the school — especially when it came to making friends. Pugsley finding and adopting a zombie didn't exactly help his situation and part 1 wasn't even over before the monster escaped and ate quite a few brains along the way.
Sydney Morning Herald
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Outlandish and weird': How Netflix star Jenna Ortega and Tim Burton bonded on the dark side
He has created some of the most distinctive, mind-bending and just plain weird movies of the last 40 years, but for writer and director Tim Burton – he of Beetlejuice, Batman and Edward Scissorhands fame – it was a late-career turn to television that left him feeling out of his depth. 'I've never really done it before,' says the 66-year-old. 'That's true. But for me, it didn't seem any different than making a movie. I mean, we worked a little quicker, it was a little bit more juggling a lot more things … in terms of [a] different kind of structure, which I wasn't really used to at all.' Burton was on a flying visit to Sydney with the cast and creators of Wednesday, The Addams Family spin-off that in 2022 became Netflix's most-watched English-language show of all time, with 252 million views. The series follows the family's teenage daughter as she tries to solve a murder mystery at her school, Nevermore Academy. In typical Burton style, and in keeping with Addams Family lore, it's creepy and kooky with a deeply black sense of humour. 'I wasn't really an Addams Family fan, per se, but the character Wednesday I really identified with,' he says. 'When I read it, I felt exactly her worldview, I felt same way about school, family, psychiatry, society. So for me, it was a character that, even though I'm a middle-aged man, I felt very much like Wednesday. ' So he's really a teenage girl at heart? 'Yeah, I'm completely reversing my age as I get older,' he says, laughing. The show's 22-year-old star Jenna Ortega has developed a deeply creative bond with Burton – starring not only in two seasons of Wednesday, but also last year's Beetlejuice sequel. Burton is director renowned for keeping a close circle of actors he prefers to work with – Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Danny DeVito – and Ortega has now been welcomed into that family. 'As somebody who is coming into this job with a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, he's one of those people and presences in my life that can release that,' she says. 'He's been nothing but professional and inspiring and outlandish and weird and funny. It's like making something with your friends. Every day we show up and we rehearse, but he lets us figure out what we want to do, and he works around us, and then it's just jokes and hanging out.'
