Top 10 Tim Burton Characters

When it comes to perfect character scripting and casting, Tim Burton takes the crown home. With a long list of blockbuster animations and fictional movies, he has managed to deliver unique and memorable characters consistently.

From mythical storylines to adventurous screenplay and spooky thrillers, Burton has made his mark in the movie industry with some characters we’ll never forget. Here’s a list of his top 10 most iconic characters.

Iconic Tim Burton Characters

Here’s a list of Tim Burton’s most iconic characters.

Emily – Corpse Bride

Helena Bonham Carter was a perfect selection to give voice to Emily from Corpse Bride 2005—a popular animated movie from 2005. The character portrays a dead bride who ultimately wanted her share of happily ever after by pressuring Victor Von Dort into marrying her and joining her in the afterlife.

We emotionally watch her transition as she realizes having her happiness would require stealing that of Victor. We could relate to the heroism she displayed by putting the happiness of another before hers by letting Victor go on to live a love-filled life with Victoria. 

It took pure love on Emily’s part to save the life of Victor, even when his death was all she desired. It was later revealed that Lord Barkis Bittem, who attempted to poison Victor was also a one-time lover and murderer of Emily. The movie peaked at Barkis drinking his poison, maybe it wasn’t the best finish for Emily, but she did get justice.

Edward Scissorhands – Edwards Scissorhands

This project started a long-lasting relationship between the actor Johnny Depp and Burton. Although Depp has starred in so many blockbusters in his career, a large portion of them were roles from Burton. 

Edwards Scissorhands 1990 depicts a tale of forbidden love, with its titular character ‘Edward’ as an artificial human created by a scientist—Vincent Price. Vincent dies off at the very start of the movie, leaving incomplete Edward alone and unattended in a sizeable dark mansion.

The movie begins to fly when a woman from the town comes across Edward and takes him to stay with her. He easily wins the family’s heart with his childlike innocence and kindhearted nature. 

The heat begins to unfold when jealous townsfolk—Jim, in the bid to get rid of Edward, creates a conflict between him and other townsfolk.

Sparky – Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie 2012 was a proposed prequel to Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein.” The animated movie depicts the story of a young Victor Frankenstein, who sought to re-awaken his dead dog Sparky out of sheer love. 

The character first displays passionate grief from losing a loved one and transitions into hope, and Victor learns about a possible experiment that could bring his dog back. Using the remains dug up from the dog’s grave, Victor uses lightning to get his dog back to life. Then the fame and drama begin.

Sally – The Nightmare before Christmas

Yet another spinoff from the Frankenstein series, Sally, played by Catherine O’Hara, is a creation of mad scientist Victor Frankenstein. The audience was particularly drawn to the soft-spoken and Kid-hearted character as she adventures all the perils of the outside world.  

We see a spark of love in the course of the movie, which like most Tim Burton movies, dies off eventually. Sally later saves Santa from a villainous Oogie Boogie and the pumpkin king of Halloween town. Ultimately Sally’s character reminds us that there is beauty in everyone.

Lydia Deetz – Beetlejuice 1988

Lydia Deetz and her materialistic and absent parents moved into their new home in rural Connecticut with no idea that the house was haunted. This may already sound creepy, but the ghost wasn’t evil.

Because of Lydia’s curiosity, she discovers that the ghosts of Barbara and Adam (the former owners) still lurk around the house. Because of the absence of her parents, she grows a deep connection with the ghost, who plays a somewhat better role than her parent did. 

The twist and drama beings entirely when a specific Betelgeuse steps into the scene.

Sweeney Todd – Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

This musical drama portrays its titular character as a Serial Killer barber; thrilling, right? The story follows a judge who was wrongfully accused of killing his wife, Lucy (Laura Michelle Kelly), and was banished.

The Judge returns to town under the alias of Sweeny Todd, who owned a salon right above Johanna, a meat pie seller. With a drive for revenge, Todd begins to kill his clients, chop them up and gift Johanna to make her meat pies. The movie gets intense when revelations of his acts start to go out.

Oogie Boogie – The Nightmare before Christmas

Tim Burton also does a great job at scripting villains, like the Joker, which some audiences root for. Oogie Boogie (voiced by Ken Page) is a big bag of bugs and snakes constantly trying to take over Halloween town. 

Oogie presented a more comedic character in Nightmare before Christmas and his captivating rivalry with Jack.

Maggot – Corpse Bride

Maggot depicts an actual maggot in the land of the dead and Emily’s closest friend. Throughout the movie, you see Maggot advising Emily, She barely listens to his advice, but he dishes them out anyway. Maggot is truly a ride-or-die (pun intended) and plays the role of a genuine, caring, and protective friend perfectly.

Jack Skellington – The Nightmare Before Christmas

This relatable character speaks so many volumes on the dilemma of life. Jack goes through a mid-life crisis; he gets tired of the Hamster-wheel life and wonders what more there is. After discovering Christmas, his life changes, and he begins to appreciate it even more.

Wednesday Addams – Wednesday

This is Tim Burton’s most recent work and, it’s already one of the best of all his creations. Wednesday is a spinoff from the Addams family Franchise that follows the story of their daughter, Wednesday.

The series gets an A+ for thrilling, plus Jenna Ortega perfectly casts the character. Wednesday appears as a colorless, emotionless character. Watching her transition into Nevermore while still retaining her personality was a joy.

She learns the idea of fun, friendships, and love (which, like most of Tim’s work, blew up in her face). We’ve seen many iconic Wednesday depictions in other Addams family movies. Still, Jenna understood the assignment and delivered a fresh new take. 

Top 10 Tim Burton Characters – Conclusion

Which of these Tim Burton characters caught your attention? I understand the holidays are here, and you’re wondering what to watch; I hope this list helps you. If you haven’t seen any of these movies, you should see them; believe me, it’s worth watching.