Directed by Tim Burton, the stand-alone series starring Jenna Ortega represents a much needed perspective of the Addams Family universe.
Set in the woods of Vermont, Netflix's newest series directed by Tim Burton ("Coraline" "Beetlejuice" "The Nightmare Before Christmas") focuses on the Addams Family's most intriguing character: Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega). Older than in the previous films and series in the franchise, Wednesday's story begins with a taste of the uniqueness and morbidity the character is known for. In an attempt to punish her brother's bullies, Wednesday drops two bags of piranhas inside the high school's pool as the water polo team practices. After being expelled, Wednesday is sent to her parents' (played by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Muñoz) alma mater, a boarding school in the Vermont wilderness called Nevermore Academy.
Built for "outcasts" to exist without the threat of "normies," Nevermore represents a nightmare for Wednesday – and not with the Addam's positive connotation. But as she begins to discover the secrets that hide behind Nevermore's walls, Wednesday sets on a thrilling quest that involves monsters, supernatural powers, and the best kind of high school melodrama.
While the premise set by the series is exciting enough, the true shining star of Wednesday is Wednesday herself. With this performance, Jenna Ortega continues to situate herself as the most exciting name in horror-based films. While Netflix's version of Wednesday is more Chilling Adventures of a Sabrina-horror than Scream horror, Jenna's take on the iconic character undoubtedly tells a story that needed to be told. Her comedic timing is strong, and her ability to capture the stoicalness of Wednesday while simultaneously making us care deeply in an emotional level is astounding. Jenna Ortega is young and still a rising name in Hollywood, but her resume already boasts huge appearances, including Netflix's "You" alongside Penn Badgley, and in the slash cult film "Scream" where she starred alongside Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox.
With her role as Wednesday, Jenna Ortega reaches another incredible milestone in her short yet decorated career. We anticipate her portrayal of Wednesday to not only become an icon of the franchise, but to also represent a standard for any future adaptations of the universe created by Charles Addams.
Follow MUD on Instagram for the latest content on your favorite shows and movies.