Wissenswertes

Nearly everywhere he goes, he carries a pocket-size sketchbook and a small watercolor kit.

Johnny Depp is a godfather of his son Billy Ray Burton.

At the end of Beetlejuice (1988), Beetlejuice metamorphoses into a bizarre creature with a merry-go-round on his head. On the top of this merry-go-round is a smiling skull which became Jack Skellington in Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). The latter movie had been a pet project of Burton's since his days as an animator at Disney.

In October 2001, he began his relationship with actress Helena Bonham Carter, whom he met while filming Planet der Affen (2001), and she has appeared in all of his subsequent films. They live in adjoining houses with a hallway that connects the two homes, they have a son, Billy-Ray Burton, born on October 4, 2003, and a girl, Nell Burton, born on December 15, 2007.

Has made eight films with Johnny Depp: Edward mit den Scherenhänden (1990), Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie und die Schokoladenfabrik (2005), Corpse Bride - Hochzeit mit einer Leiche (2005), Sweeney Todd: Der teuflische Barbier aus der Fleet Street (2007), Alice im Wunderland (2010), and Dark Shadows (2012).

Steven Spielberg considered him to direct Gremlins - Kleine Monster (1984). He decided against it, because at the time, Burton had never directed a full-feature length movie.

Usually dresses in black, because he doesn't like spending too much time matching colors.

He has a phobia of chimpanzees.

His childhood dream was to be in a monster costume wrecking Tokyo but since he couldn't be Godzilla he decided to be an animator.

Bought the rights to a Topps trading card series with the intention of turning it into a film, but couldn't decide between calling it "Dinosaurs Attack!" and "Mars Attacks!". Jurassic Park (1993) then came out, and to avoid comparison, he made it as Mars Attacks! (1996) instead, but then it faced comparison to Independence Day (1996).

Received a lifelong ban from any and all Comic Con events after the release of his Batman (1989) film, due to it having some 'fundamental' deviations from the canon. He reveals this on a DVD commentary track for the film.

Was at one point attached to direct Lemony Snicket - Rätselhafte Ereignisse (2004), with Johnny Depp playing Count Olaf and Glenn Close playing Aunt Josephine.

Credits his former fiancée, Lisa Marie, as his muse. She is often in his projects (Ed Wood (1994), Mars Attacks! (1996), Sleepy Hollow (1999), The World of Stainboy (2000), Planet der Affen (2001)) or is paid homage in them (she was the inspiration for Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)'s Sally).

Among his cinematic influences are Mario Bava, Vincent Price, Roger Corman and Barbara Steele whom he homaged in Sleepy Hollow (1999).

Was at one point going to direct the movie Die Zeit nach Mitternacht (1985), but then he graciously walked off the project after he was told by the producers that Martin Scorsese wanted to direct the film instead.

Is a huge fan of "Bollywood".

He has an interest in clowns, and his films will often include them or make reference to them.

His favorite films are Dracula jagt Mini-Mädchen (1972), The Wicker Man (1973), Sindbads gefährliche Abenteuer (1973), Frankenstein - Zweikampf der Giganten (1966), and Der Omega-Mann (1971).

Was considered to direct X-Men (2000).

His then-partner Helena Bonham Carter inadvertently diagnosed him with Asperger's syndrome. While researching for a role about autism, she found several typical traits shared by him. Although he had no official diagnosis, he believes that he at least falls under the autism spectrum. His assumptions were strongly supported after he watched a documentary about autism.

He was offered a chance to direct Der Grinch (2000), but could not due to a conflict with another project he was working on at the time. His version would have been darker, and the Grinch would have been a more despicable character.

He named Ed Wood (1994) as his favourite film of his own.

Was voted the 49th Greatest Director of all time by Entertainment Weekly, being the youngest director on this list of 50.

He once said he never remembers his dreams, apart from five recurring dreams, one of them involving the girl he was in love with when he was a teenager and another involving his parents' bedroom.

Was attached to direct the now cancelled 'Superman Lives' film written by Kevin Smith.

Was slated to direct Die Fliege (1986) with Michael Keaton in the lead role, but he backed out and David Cronenberg took over.

Was working on a documentary about Vincent Price, called "Conversations with Vincent". After Price's death in 1993 he shelved the project and it has never been completed.

Has directed 2 actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Martin Landau (Best Supporting Actor, Ed Wood (1994)) and Johnny Depp (Best Actor, Sweeney Todd: Der teuflische Barbier aus der Fleet Street (2007)). Landau won the Oscar for his performance.

Engaged to Lisa Marie from 1992-2001.

Was originally set to do a re-make of Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920) in the early 1980s.

Grew up in Burbank on Evergreen Street, and his family lived in the 2000 block, near Valhalla Cemetary. Attended Providencia Elementary School in Burbank, California.

Has his look-alike puppet in the French show Les Guignols de l'info (1988).

He was offered the chance to direct Dick Tracy (1990), which he turned down in order to focus on Edward mit den Scherenhänden (1990).

He owns some "Big Eyes" paintings by Margaret Keane. One of them depicts Helena Bonham Carter with their son Billy Burton and as a surprise Margaret drew Tim's face in the clouds, according to the book "Big Eyes: The Film, The Art".

He was hired as the director of the failed Superman (1997) movie.

He was originally set to direct Die Addams Family (1991). It was reported that he would direct a 3D stop motion animation adaptation, which was confirmed by Christopher Meledandri but the project was scrapped on July 17, 2013.

On May 20, 2017, a Tim Burton-themed bar named Beetle House LA opened in Hollywood, California.

Younger brother Daniel Burton is also an artist.

He was thirty-one when Batman (1989) was released, making him the youngest person ever to direct a Batman film.

Four of his films won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction, them being Batman (1989), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Sweeney Todd: Der teuflische Barbier aus der Fleet Street (2007), and Alice im Wunderland (2010).

Ranked #6 on Tropopkin's Top 25 Most Intriguing People [Issue #100].

Lives in Ojai (California) and New York.

Is a big fan of Italian director Mario Bava. He once said he would like to remake Bava's classic Die Stunde, wenn Dracula kommt (1960) with his former partner Lisa Marie. He also appeared in two documentaries about Bava.

Was interested in directing Watchmen with Johnny Depp playing The Comedian. But he began work on Sweeney Todd: Der teuflische Barbier aus der Fleet Street (2007) and Alice im Wunderland (2010), and passed on the offer.

After seeing his performance as 'Big Boy' Caprice in Dick Tracy (1990), he always kept Al Pacino in mind to cast as a villain in a future "Batman" installment. However, after Batmans Rückkehr (1992), Burton moved on from the franchise.

Played water polo and swam for Burbank High School in California.

As of 2009, every feature film he has directed has been nominated for some sort of Academy Award, with the exceptions of Pee-wees irre Abenteuer (1985), Mars Attacks! (1996) and Planet der Affen (2001).

He was considered to direct Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazars Rache (2017).

Many of his movies are shot in the taller 1.85:1 aspect ratio using 35mm standard spherical and Super 35 formats, and digital (Panavision Genesis and ARRI Alexa), although Mars Attacks! (1996) and his remake Planet der Affen (2001) were Filmed in Panavision (anamorphic), in the widescreen 2.39:1 aspect ratio.

Used the song "It's Not Unusual", performed by Tom Jones, in Edward mit den Scherenhänden (1990) and then in Mars Attacks! (1996).