Tim Burton's guarantees an even better season for Wednesday than the first. If there is any doubt about how sinister Wednesday may be, one 33-year-old Burton movie proves just how far he may go.

While the first season of Wednesday was still considerably somber in tone, Ortega shared details about the series which stated that season 2 is "definitely leaning into more horror." (via The Hyde in Wednesday. However, this only serves to show Burton's capacity to deliver a thrilling and more explicit focus on horror themes. Not to mention, the director's expertise in darker storytelling is evident in his earlier films, including a particularly memorable one from the 1990s.

Wednesday's Tim Burton Knows How To Make Sequels Darker (And This Movie Proves It)

Batman Returns Faced Criticism For Its Significantly Darker Themes Compared To Batman (1989)

Tim Burton's Batman (1989) was already dark in tone and was praised for revolutionizing The Dark Knight franchise. While the film conformed to the director's gothic aesthetic remarkably well, the sequel took things further during its release in 1992. Similar to Wednesday, the movie embraced its darker themes, with many horror movies acting as the inspiration for Batman Returns. The macabre vision of Gotham City and its sinister atmosphere infused the superhero tale with elements of a depraved fairytale. The visionary behind Batman Returns is a promising sign for Wednesday, with Burton directing four episodes of the series.

Interestingly, the darker tone of this sequel was highlighted in a confrontation with the fast food chain, McDonald's. During the run-up to Burton's first sequel, McDonald's agreed to promote the film based one rough cut. However, the film's reception steadily worsened, despite Burton having never marketed Batman Returns as a family-friendly film. The director was already in dispute regarding censors over the film and with attempts not to cut scenes or violence in order to hit the PG-13 rating. Speaking with Yahoo, Burton agreed "I think I upset McDonald's. [...] We can’t sell Happy Meals with that!’" (via Slash Film)

Why Wednesday Season 2 Has To Be Darker After The Netflix Show's Successful Debut

Wednesday Should Stay True To The Source Material

It has already been confirmed that season 2 of Wednesday is "going to get bolder [and] more dark," (via Variety) which is incredibly important for the series for several reasons. After its 2022 debut, Wednesday drew comparisons to fantasy franchises — a reception that was at odds with Burton's original vision for the show. Wednesday's immense success in season one affords the creators the freedom to take far more risks in the series and explore these darker themes without fear of alienating its audience. The first season acts as an introduction to these characters, who can now be explored further.

Audiences are eagerly anticipating a darker Wednesday season 2, to build on the show's established tone and Burton's creative contributions.

Arguably, audiences are eagerly anticipating a darker sophomore year, to build on the show's established tone and Burton's creative contributions. Wednesday is already beginning to move away from the teen drama aspects of the first season, which will result in the show being able to focus on more mature themes. It is incredibly important for the creators to remain faithful to the Addams Family source material, too. The franchise has come to be renowned for its dark humor and morbid tone, meaning it would not be all that surprising for Wednesday to lean further into this approach in future seasons.

Source: E! Online, Slash Film, Variety