10 Best Performances in Tim Burton Movies, Ranked (2025)

Tim Burton is one of the most singular filmmakers of all-time, as it would be hard to mistake any of his films for anyone else’s. While Burton may have delivered some critical duds in recent years with Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Dumbo, his films tend to be so visually inventive and sporadically comedic that they are generally worth watching at least once.

Although he’s best known for his amazing creature designs and elaborate set decoration, Burton has managed to get great performances out of some of the best actors of their respective generations. The strange mix of straight-up horror, bizarre comedy, dark fantasy, and obviously satirical elements in Burton’s films have given his actors more than enough great material to work with. Here are the ten best performances in Tim Burton movies.

10 Amy Adams, ‘Big Eyes’ (2014)

Character: Margaret Keane

Big Eyes was a major deviation from the work that Burton normally does, as it was a factual biopic about the brilliant painter Margaret Keane (Amy Adams), who got into a bitter feud over the integrity of her work when her malicious husband (Christoph Waltz) tried to claim it as his. Although there are some visual idiosyncrasies that trademark Big Eyes as a Burton film, he shows a little bit more restraint that allowed the performance by Adams to really shine.

Adams is able to show how creative genius can be taken advantage of, and succeeds in generating empathy for Margaret as she has to fight to prove her work is actually original. While she did end up receiving a Golden Globe award for her work in the film, Adams’ performances was once again looked over entirely by the Academy Awards.

Big Eyes

PG-13

Biography

Documentary

Drama

Release Date

December 25, 2014

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Krysten Ritter , Amy Adams , Christoph Waltz , Jason Schwartzman , Danny Huston , Vanessa Ross

Runtime

106 Minutes

Main Genre

Biography

Writers

Scott Alexander , Larry Karaszewski

Tagline

A true story about art and the art of deception.

Website

http://bigeyesfilm.com

Watch on Prime Video

9 Ewan McGregor, ‘Big Fish’ (2003)

Character: Edward Bloom

Big Fish is perhaps the most sincere and emotional of Burton’s films, as it tells a sincere story about the relationship between an aging storyteller (Albert Finney) and his skeptical son (Billy Crudup) as they face his mortality together. However, the flashbacks including Ewan McGregor as a younger version of Finney’s character allows the father-son dynamic to resonate even more powerfully.

McGregor is able to play earnestness and glee brilliantly, and fits perfectly within the quirky world that Burton has designed. It’s made clear that the version of Edward that is seen isn’t as much what actually happened, but the version that his older self has imagined it to be. Playing a translation of the truth is no easy task for an actor, but McGregor was able to fit within these parameters and give yet another charismatic performance that indicates how underrated of a star he really is.

Big Fish

PG-13

Adventure

Documentary

Drama

Fantasy

A frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.

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All Tim Burton Movies Ranked8 Actors Whose Greatest Performances Are In Tim Burton Movies

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Release Date

December 25, 2003

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Albert Finney , Billy Crudup , Jessica Lange , Helena Bonham Carter , Alison Lohman

Runtime

125 minutes

Writers

Daniel Wallace , John August

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8 Paul Reubens, ‘Pee-wee’s Big Adventure’ (1985)

Character: Pee-wee Herman

Pee-wee’s Big Adventure was a massive breakthrough for Burton as a first-time director, but it also helped begin the legend of Paul Reubens, a comic star like no other. The character of Pee-wee Herman wasn’t a conventional hero by any stretch of the imagination, but his childlike sensitivities and undying enthusiasm made him the perfect lead for Burton’s wacky road trip comedy.

Reubens was so good in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure that the character came to define his career, as he would go on to reprise his role in a live-action television series, two sequels, and several late night and talk show appearances. As fun as it was to see Reubens always staying in character, none of his future versions of Pee-wee ever felt quite as exciting as it was when he was working closely alongside Burton to make a modern comedy classic.

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7 Helena Bonham Carter, ‘Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street’ (2007)

Character: Mrs. Lovett

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is one of the darkest films of Burton’s career, and one of the few to receive an R-Rating from the MPAA. Translating a musical by the great Steven Sondheim came with a tremendous amount of responsibility, but Helena Bonham Carter’s portrayal of the ruthless Mrs. Lovett, who cooks the decapitated heads of Sweeney Todd’s (Johnny Depp) victims into meat pies, felt just as exciting in theaters as it was on stage.

Bonham’s ability to play eccentric characters fit perfectly within Burton’s aesthetic, so it's no surprise that the two collaborated on several other projects. While Carter still managed to turn in respectable performances in more reviled Burton projects like Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows, Mrs. Lovett is a unique character who is just as hilarious as she is completely terrifying.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

R

Horror

Musical

Thriller

Drama

Benjamin Barker, now known as Sweeney Todd, returns to London after being wrongfully imprisoned. Seeking revenge against the corrupt judge who destroyed his life, Todd opens a barbershop and partners with Mrs. Lovett to turn his victims into meat pies, leading to a bloody spree of vengeance.

Release Date

December 20, 2007

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Johnny Depp , Helena Bonham Carter , Sacha Baron Cohen , Alan Rickman , Timothy Spall , Jamie Campbell Bower , Ed Sanders , Jayne Wisener

Runtime

116 Minutes

Writers

John Logan , Stephen Sondheim , Hugh Wheeler

Watch on Prime Video

6 Glenn Close, ‘Mars Attacks!’ (1996)

Character: Marsha Dale

Mars Attacks! is a film that was widely ahead of its time, as the film ended up getting overshadowed by another alien invasion movie, Independence Day, which was released the same year. Mars Attacks! examined just how incompetent mankind would be if they were actually forced to make preparations for an alien invasion.

Glenn Close gives a standout performance in the film as the First Lady, whose complete ignorance of the reality of the situation leads to a series of hilarious moments where she is forced to cope with the collateral damage. Seeing an actor like Close, best known for prestigious work in Dangerous Liasons and Fatal Attraction, play such a comically absurd part ended up making the sarcastic cynicism of Mars Attacks! even more effective than it would have been with a more traditional comedic actress cast as the First Lady.

Mars Attacks!

PG-13

Sci-Fi

Comedy

Release Date

December 13, 1996

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Jack Nicholson , Pierce Brosnan , Sarah Jessica Parker , Annette Bening , Glenn Close , Danny DeVito , Martin Short , Michael J. Fox , Natalie Portman

Runtime

106 Minutes

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

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5 Michelle Pfeiffer, ‘Batman Returns’ (1992)

Character: Selina Kyle/Catwoman

Batman Returns is one of the defining DC comic book adaptations of all-time, as it cut to the heart of Bob Kane’s original characters and explored the true nature of evil in Gotham City. Although Anne Hathaway and Zoe Kravitz would go on to play the role in future iterations of the Batman series, Michelle Pfeiffer’s performance as Catwoman in Batman Returns is the single best interpretation of one of the Dark Knight’s most sinister villains.

Pfeiffer perfectly captures how the mousy, insecure Selina Kyle transforms into Catwoman, becoming a feared member of Gotham City’s criminal underbelly that even the Penguin (Danny DeVito) has to begrudgingly respect. Had the Oscars not had such significant biases about recognizing performances in comic book films, Pfeiffer would have received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for playing Catwoman in Batman Returns.

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Batman Returns

pg-13

Action

Crime

Fantasy

Superhero

While Batman deals with a deformed man calling himself the Penguin wreaking havoc across Gotham with the help of a cruel businessman, a female employee of the latter becomes the Catwoman with her own vendetta.

Release Date

June 19, 1992

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Michael Keaton , Danny DeVito , Michelle Pfeiffer , Christopher Walken , Michael Gough , Michael Murphy

Runtime

126minutes

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Bob Kane , Daniel Waters , Sam Hamm

Studio

Warner Bros.

Tagline

The The Bat, the Cat, the Penguin

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4 Jack Nicholson, ‘Batman’ (1989)

Character: Joker

Batman was a bold comic book film that sought to revitalize the genre after a series of disappointing Superman sequels had shaken the industry’s faith in superheroes. Burton seemed to understand that the character of Batman would only be interesting if he had colorful villains, and gave the part of his most famous nemesis Joker to Jack Nicholson.

Nicholson is arguably the leading character of Batman, as the film goes into depth exploring his backstory, and how he became the “Crown Prince of Crime.” Batman is deeply inspired by gangster movies of the 1930s, and Nicholson turns the character into a malevolent prankster who is willing to turn the city into chaos. While Mark Hamill, Heath Ledger, and Joaquin Phoenix would all go on to win accolades for their performances as the Joker, Nicholson deserves credit for proving that he is a character that is worth taking seriously.

Batman (1989)

PG-13

Action

Adventure

Superhero

The Dark Knight of Gotham City begins his war on crime with his first major enemy being Jack Napier, a criminal who becomes the clownishly homicidal Joker.

Release Date

June 23, 1989

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Michael Keaton , Jack Nicholson , Kim Basinger , Billy Dee Williams , Robert Wuhl , Pat Hingle , Michael Gough

Runtime

126 Minutes

Main Genre

Action

Writers

Tagline

Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale moonlight?

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3 Johnny Depp, Edward Scissorhands’ (1990)

Character: Edward Scissorhands

Edward Scissorhands is in many ways Burton’s most personal film, as it examines what it is like to be an outsider who does not feel accepted by society at large. Although the titular role almost went to Tom Cruise, the casting of Depp solidified his relationship with Burton as one of the best actor-director collaborations since John Wayne and John Ford.

Depp was able to bring out a childlike sensitivity in Edward, a character who is just as terrified of the effect that he has on others as he is curious about how “normal people” are allowed to live. Although Edward Scissorhands is a film that is packed with some of the most amazing visuals and makeup of any of Burton’s films, it's the sincere romantic chemistry between Depp and a young Winona Ryder that makes the film such an all-time classic.

Edward Scissorhands

PG-13

Romance

Fantasy

Drama

A scientist (Vincent Price) builds an animated human being -- the gentle Edward (Johnny Depp). The scientist dies before he can finish assembling Edward, though, leaving the young man with a freakish appearance accentuated by the scissor blades he has instead of hands. Loving suburban saleswoman Peg(Dianne Wiest) discovers Edward and takes him home, where he falls for Peg's teen daughter (Winona Ryder). However, despite his kindness and artistic talent, Edward's hands make him an outcast.

Release Date

December 14, 1990

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Vincent Price , Dianne Wiest , Anthony Michael Hall , Johnny Depp , Winona Ryder , Kathy Baker

Runtime

105 minutes

Main Genre

Drama

Writers

Caroline Thompson

Studio

Warner Bros. Pictures

Tagline

The story of an uncommonly gentle man.

Website

http://www.foxhome.com/edwardshdvd/index_frames.html

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2 Michael Keaton, ‘Beetlejuice’ (1988)

Character: Betelgeuse

Beetlejuice is simply a miracle of a movie that wouldn’t have worked had its leading actor and star not been on the same page throughout production. Burton put a lot of trust in Michael Keaton to deliver a performance that could have easily gone disastrously awry had the tone not been figured out; Keaton would go on to receive significant acclaim for his performances in Batman, Jackie Brown, Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and Spotlight, but Beetlejuice remains the most defining role of his career.

The brilliance of Beetlejuice is that the titular character is actually only a supporting one, meaning that Keaton’s few scenes in the film felt even more valuable than they would have been if Burton had decided to give him more screen time. The “less is more” approach was essential in creating one of Burton’s most wondrous characters.

Beetlejuice

PG

Comedy

Fantasy

The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.

Release Date

March 30, 1988

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Catherine O'Hara , Michael Keaton , Geena Davis , Alec Baldwin , Winona Ryder , Jeffrey Jones

Runtime

92 minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

Writers

Michael McDowell , Larry Wilson , Warren Skaaren

Studio

Warner Bros. Pictures

Tagline

In This House... If You've Seen One Ghost... You Haven't Seen Them All.

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1 Martin Landau, ‘Ed Wood’ (1994)

Character: Bela Lugosi

Ed Wood is Burton’s best film because it is about the nature of artistry, and shows how a filmmaker as incompetent as Ed Wood was worthy of respect, despite his continued creative failures. While Depp’s performance as the titular cult filmmaker is perhaps the greatest of his entire career, it was Martin Landau’s Academy Award winning performance as the former Dracula star Bela Lugosi that became the film’s true scene stealer.

Landau captured the integrity of a beloved actor who returns to his roots, even when his body seems to be failing him. Ed Wood is often cited as the most profound and sincere of Burton’s projects, and that’s largely because of the unique sensibilities that Landau brings with his performance. It was evident that both Burton and Landau had a tremendous amount of respect for Legosi, and wanted to depict him in a compelling way.

Ed Wood

R

Comedy

Biography

Drama

Tim Burton's 1994 biographical movie Ed Wood recounts the real-life story of the infamous B-movie director behind disastrous films such as Plan 9 From Outer Space and Glen or Glenda. Johnny Depp stars as the titular filmmaker, with Martin Landau as famous horror actor Bela Lugosi, and Sarah Jessica Parker and Patricia Arquette as Ed's girlfriends.

Release Date

October 7, 1994

Director

Tim Burton

Cast

Johhny Depp , Sarah Jessica Parker , George "The Animal" Steele , Patricia Arquette , Martin Landau , Bill Murray

Runtime

127 minutes

Main Genre

Biography

Writers

Scott Alexander , Larry Karaszewski

Tagline

When it came to making bad movies, Ed Wood was the best.

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