Back in 2016, Tim Burton collaborated with a young actor on Burton's projects are the kind that are easily recognizable and highly anticipated. However, there is one element of Burton's career that he has struggled to maintain in recent years.

Burton has become known for a number of different things, but one notable aspect of his career has been Burton's propensity to work with the same actors over and over again. The two most obvious examples of this are Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Over the years, Depp has starred in eight Burton movies, while Carter has appeared in seven. Other actors like Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton are also frequent Burton collaborators. Yet, Burton has seemingly stopped bonding with certain actors, or at least has picked up far less in the last few years.

Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children Proved Asa Butterfield Was A Great Johnny Depp Replacement For Tim Burton

Burton & Depp's Current Relationship Explained

After working together on Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, it became clear that Asa Butterfield could be Burton's new Johnny Depp. In the film, Butterfield plays Jacob, a young man who follows his grandfather's instructions to find a time loop, which bring him to a unique orphanage for children with uncanny abilities. In typical Burton form, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children is very odd and quirky, and Butterfield fits perfectly within this world. With his shocking blue eyes and slightly awkward demeanor, he succeeds at leading this colorful story.

Arguably, Burton is in need of a new Depp. The pair have not worked together since 2012, when Depp starred in Burton's film, Dark Shadows, which was an unfortunate critical flop. In general, Depp's career has slowed considerably, with the actor only working on four movies in the last five years. Because of this, Burton has recruited some new stars to appear in his films, from Colin Farrell in Dumbo to Butterfield in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Yet, no one has really been able to take Depp's place yet, aside from Jenna Ortega.

Asa Butterfield & Tim Burton Still Haven't Collaborated Again Since Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children

How Butterfield & Burton Could Have Reunited

Since Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Burton and Butterfield have yet to work together again. In the years following the movie, Burton has released two movies and a TV show: Dumbo, Wednesday, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Meanwhile, Butterfield took on one of his most popular roles yet as Otis Milburn in the Netflix series Sex Education from 2019 to 2023. He has also appeared in a number of small indie movies. Clearly, the two have been busy with their own endeavors, though there were a few opportunities for the pair to work together again.

It would have been great to see Butterfield reunite with Burton in a project like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Despite being 27, the actor could still pull off being a teenager, and thus, he could have portrayed Jeremy, or some other character. Truthfully, seeing Butterfield and Ortega on-screen together would be a real treat, especially since their personalities are so vastly different. At this point, Burton's projects seem to be Wednesday season 2 and a remake of Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. Perhaps, Butterfield would make his return in either of these.

Tim Burton Already Has A Great Way To Reunite With Asa Butterfield

Butterfield Needs A Boost

Arguably, the best way for Burton and Butterfield to reunite is for Butterfield to be Wednesday. Although Wednesday season 2 has already wrapped, the show could easily be renewed for a third season, and Butterfield would make the perfect addition. After proving his ability to fit into Burton's strange worlds via Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, he could easily Nevermore's student body as an outcast or even a member of the Addams family if Burton was interested in expanding the iconic characters.

As Burton gains more and more fame with Wednesday, it would be great to see him return to Butterfield.

Ultimately, it would be a shame for Butterfield to only collaborate once with Burton. Over the years, he has proven himself to be a very talented actor, and his career after Sex Education has been somewhat disappointing. As Burton gains more and more fame with Wednesday, it would be great to see him return to Butterfield. Ella Purnell also made herself an ideal candidate to work with Burton again after her own performance in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. Therefore, Burton should expand his network of favorite actors.