Editing Tim Burton (section)

=== 1988–1994: ''Batman'' films and acclaim ===
Burton's next major film was ''[[Beetlejuice]]'' (1988), a supernatural [[comedy horror]] about a young couple forced to cope with life after death and the family of pretentious yuppies who invade their treasured New England home. Their teenage daughter, Lydia ([[Winona Ryder]]), has an obsession with death which allows her to see the deceased couple. Starring [[Alec Baldwin]] and [[Geena Davis]], and featuring [[Michael Keaton]] as the title character, the film grossed $80&nbsp;million on a relatively low budget and won an [[Academy Award]] for [[Academy Award for Best Makeup|Best Makeup]]. It was later adapted into an [[Beetlejuice (TV series)|animated TV series]] of the same name, with Burton playing a role as executive producer, that ran on [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] and later the [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] network.

Burton's ability to produce hit films with low budgets impressed studio executives, and he received his first big-budget film, ''[[Batman (1989 film)|Batman]]''. The production was plagued with problems. Burton repeatedly clashed with the film's producers, [[Jon Peters]] and [[Peter Guber]], but the most notable debacle involved casting. For the title role, Burton chose to cast Michael Keaton as [[Batman]] following their previous collaboration in ''Beetlejuice'', despite Keaton's average physique, inexperience with action films, and reputation as a comic actor. Although Burton won in the end, the furor over the casting provoked enormous fan animosity, to the extent that Warner Brothers' share price slumped.{{Citation needed|date=May 2009}} Burton had considered it ridiculous to cast a "bulked-up" ultra-masculine man as Batman, insisting that Batman should be an ordinary man who dressed up in an elaborate bat costume to frighten criminals. Burton originally considered [[Brad Dourif]] for [[The Joker]], but eventually cast [[Jack Nicholson]], in a move that helped assuage fans' fears, as well as attracting older audiences not as interested in a [[superhero film]]. When the film opened in June 1989, it was backed by the biggest marketing and merchandising campaign in film history at the time, and became one of the biggest box office hits of all time, grossing over $250&nbsp;million in the U.S. and $400&nbsp;million worldwide (numbers not adjusted for inflation) and earning critical acclaim for the performances of both Keaton and Nicholson, as well as the film's production aspects, which won the Academy Award for [[Academy Award for Best Production Design|Best Art Direction]]. The success of the film helped establish Burton as a profitable director, and it proved to be a huge influence on future superhero films, which eschewed the bright, all-American heroism of [[Richard Donner]]'s ''[[Superman (1978 film)|Superman]]'' for a grittier, more realistic look and characters with more psychological depth. It also served as a major inspiration for the acclaimed TV series ''[[Batman: The Animated Series]]''.

Burton claimed that the graphic novel ''[[Batman: The Killing Joke]]'' was a major influence on his film adaptation of ''Batman'':

<blockquote>I was never a giant comic book fan, but I've always loved the image of Batman and the Joker. The reason I've never been a comic book fan&nbsp;– and I think it started when I was a child&nbsp;– is because I could never tell which box I was supposed to read. I don't know if it was [[dyslexia]] or whatever, but that's why I loved ''The Killing Joke'', because, for the first time, I could tell which one to read. It's my favorite. It's the first comic I've ever loved. And the success of those graphic novels made our ideas more acceptable.<ref name=Salisbury />{{rp|71}}</blockquote>

In 1990, Burton created a unique drawing which gave screenwriter [[Caroline Thompson]] inspiration to write the script for ''[[Edward Scissorhands]]'' which Burton directed, re-uniting with Winona Ryder from ''Beetlejuice''. His friend [[Johnny Depp]], a teen idol at the end of the 1980s due primarily to his work on the hit TV series ''[[21 Jump Street]]'', was cast in the title role of Edward, who was the creation of an eccentric and old-fashioned inventor (played by [[Vincent Price]] in one of his last screen appearances). Edward looked human, but was left with scissors in the place of hands due to the untimely death of his creator. Set in suburbia (and shot in [[Land o' Lakes, Florida]]), the film is largely seen as Burton's autobiography of his childhood in Burbank. Burton's idea<ref>{{Citation|last=EviLQuicK|title=Edward Scissorhands – Hollywood Backstories – PART1|date=August 31, 2008|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uaPob-C7Z3E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/uaPob-C7Z3E| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|access-date=October 9, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> for the character of Edward Scissorhands came from a drawing he created in high school. Depp wrote a similar comment in the foreword to Mark Salisbury's book, ''Burton on Burton'', regarding his first meeting with Burton over the casting of the film. ''Edward Scissorhands'' is considered one of Burton's best movies by some critics.<ref>{{cite web|last=Biodrowski |first=Steve |url=http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2000/10/edward-scissorhands-tim-burtons-elephant-man/ |title=Edward Scissorhands&nbsp;– Film & DVD Review |publisher=Cinefantastique Online |date=October 24, 2000 |access-date=June 12, 2012}}</ref> Burton has stated that this is his most personal and meaningful film because it is a representation of him not being able to communicate effectively with others as a teenager.

After the success of ''Batman'', Burton agreed to direct the sequel for Warner Bros. on the condition that he would be granted total control. The result was ''[[Batman Returns]]'', which featured Michael Keaton returning as Batman, and a new triad of villains: [[Danny DeVito]] (as [[the Penguin]]), [[Michelle Pfeiffer]] (as [[Catwoman]]) and [[Christopher Walken]] (as [[Max Shreck]], an evil corporate tycoon and original character created for the film). Somewhat darker and considerably more personal than its predecessor, concerns were raised that the film might be too scary for children. Audiences were more uncomfortable at the film's overt sexuality, personified by the sleek, fetish-inspired styling of Catwoman's costume. Burton made many changes to the Penguin which would subsequently be applied to the character in both comics and television. In the comics, the penguin was an ordinary man; Burton transformed him into a freak of nature resembling a penguin with webbed, flipper-like fingers, a hooked, beak-like nose and a short, rotund body. Released in 1992, ''Batman Returns'' grossed $282.8&nbsp;million worldwide, making it a financial success, though not to the extent of its predecessor.

Due to schedule constraints on ''Batman Returns'', Burton produced, but did not direct, ''[[The Nightmare Before Christmas]]'' (1993) for Disney, originally meant to be a children's book in rhyme. The film was directed by [[Henry Selick]] and written by [[Caroline Thompson]], based on Burton's original story, world, and characters. The film received positive reviews for the stop motion animation, musical score, and original storyline. It was a modest box office success, grossing $50&nbsp;million. Because of the nature of the film, it was not produced under Disney's name, but rather Disney-owned Touchstone Pictures. Disney wanted the protagonist to have eyes,<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|last=Puchko|first=Kristy|date=October 13, 2018|title=21 Things You Didn't Know About ''The Nightmare Before Christmas''|language=en|work=Mental Floss|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/60723/21-things-you-didnt-know-about-nightmare-christmas|access-date=October 16, 2018}}</ref> but the final iteration did not. Over 100 people worked on this motion picture just to create the characters, and it took three years of work to produce the film.<ref name=":0" /> Burton collaborated with Selick again for ''[[James and the Giant Peach (film)|James and the Giant Peach]]'' (1996), which Burton co-produced.

In 1994, Burton and frequent co-producer [[Denise Di Novi]] produced the 1994 fantasy-comedy ''[[Cabin Boy]]'', starring comedian [[Chris Elliott]] and directed/written by [[Adam Resnick]]. Burton was originally supposed to direct the film after seeing Elliott perform on ''[[Get a Life (American TV series)|Get a Life]]'', but he handed the directing responsibility to Resnick once he was offered ''[[Ed Wood (film)|Ed Wood]]''. Burton's next film, ''[[Ed Wood (film)|Ed Wood]]'' (1994), was of a much smaller scale, depicting the life of the infamous director [[Ed Wood]]. Starring Johnny Depp in the title role, the film is an homage to the low-budget science fiction and horror films of Burton's childhood and handles its comical protagonist and his motley band of collaborators with surprising fondness and sensitivity. Owing to creative squabbles during the making of ''The Nightmare Before Christmas'', Danny Elfman declined to score ''Ed Wood'', and the assignment went to [[Howard Shore]]. While a commercial failure at the time of its release, ''Ed Wood'' became a cult classic and was well received by critics. [[Martin Landau]] received the [[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor]] for his portrayal of [[Bela Lugosi]], and the film received the [[Academy Award for Best Makeup]].

Warner Bros. was not interested in Tim Burton's return as director for a third Batman installment after considering ''Batman Returns'' too dark and unsafe for children.<ref name=Russo>{{cite magazine |title=''Batman 3'' |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1993/10/01/batman-3 |date=October 1, 1993 |access-date=August 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080921055255/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C308195%2C00.html |archive-date=September 21, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> Burton noted he was unsure about returning to direct, writing: "I don't think Warner Bros. wanted me to direct a third ''Batman''. I even said that to them."{{sfn|Salisbury|Burton|2000|p=143}} Burton and Warner Bros. mutually agreed to part ways. To attract the young audience, it was decided that [[Joel Schumacher]] would direct [[Batman Forever|the third film]], whilst Burton would only produce it in conjunction with [[Peter MacGregor-Scott]], in which Burton was given top-billing producer credit, without being able to contribute ideas; only approving director and screenplayers.<ref name="Batman Online">{{cite web|url=http://www.batman-online.com/features/2011/9/3/interview-with-batman-forever-screenwriter-janet-scott-batchler|title=Interview with Batman Forever's Janet Scott Batchler|publisher=Batman Online|date=September 3, 2011}}</ref> Following this change and the changes made by the new director, Michael Keaton resigned from the lead role and was replaced by [[Val Kilmer]]. Filming for ''Batman Forever'' began in late 1994 with new actors: [[Tommy Lee Jones]] as Harvey Dent/Two-Face, [[Nicole Kidman]] as Dr. Chase Meridian, [[Chris O'Donnell]] as Dick Grayson/Robin and [[Jim Carrey]] as Edward Nygma/The Riddler; the only two actors who returned after ''Batman Returns'' were [[Pat Hingle]] as Commissioner Gordon and [[Michael Gough]] as Alfred Pennyworth. The film, a combination of the darkness that characterized the saga and colors and neon signs proposed by Schumacher, was a huge box office success, earning $336&nbsp;million. Warner Bros. demanded that Schumacher delete some scenes so the film did not have the same tone as its predecessor, ''Batman Returns'' (later they were added as deleted scenes on the 2005 DVD release).