It’s been 23 years since The Addams Family had their own live-action TV show. However, Netflix is putting the spotlight on a single member of the family in its upcoming series, Wednesday. Yes, it’s true: America’s favorite Goth girl is going solo. But if the first teaser trailer for Wednesday is any indication, Wednesday Addams hasn’t lost her edge. Just ask the local high school swimming team who dared to harass her brother. Wednesday’s response to their cruelty involves trapping the swimmers in a pool with hungry piranhas.
From there, Wednesday’s parents ship her off to Nevermore Academy. However, Gomez and Morticia don’t see it as a punishment. In fact, Gomez states that he met Morticia there years ago. And as Wednesday acclimates to her new surroundings and classmates, she soon finds herself engulfed in a murder mystery that has a connection to her parents that dates back over twenty-five years. But rather than showing any fear, Wednesday appears to be eager to embrace the situation.
Jenna Ortega headlines the series as Wednesday Addams, with Catherine Zeta-Jones as Morticia Addams, Luis Guzmán as Gomez Addams, Isaac Ordonez as Pugsley Addams, George Burcea as Lurch, Victor Dorobantu as Thing, Riki Lindhome as Dr. Valerie Kinbott, Jamie McShane as Sheriff Donovan Galpin, Hunter Doohan as Tyler Galpin, Georgie Farmer as Ajax Petropolus, and Gwendoline Christie as Larissa Weems. Christina Ricci, the actress who portrayed Wednesday in two Addams Family movies in the early ’90s, will also appear in Wednesday in a currently undisclosed role.
Smallville executive producers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar developed Wednesday for television based on the characters created by Charles Addams. Tim Burton is directing all eight episodes of the first season, and he recruited his frequent collaborator, Danny Elfman, to provide the music. Netflix hasn’t set a date for the show yet, but Wednesday will premiere sometime this fall.