Tim Burton: How Disney fired me

Tim Burton is currently promoting his new film, Frankenweenie, but some may not know that the crazy director was actually fired 28 years ago for making the same film!

In 1984, Burton directed a 30-minute live-action film about a boy who uses the power of science to resurrect his dead dog. Disney, the studio that financed the film, immediately fired the director for wasting his money on a children's film that was too scary.

[Related story: Tim Burton ‘completely normal’ says cast]
[Related video: Watch the ‘Frankenweenie’ trailer]

In the following video he talked to us about the moment he was fired:

“It wasn't like Alan Sugar said, 'You're fired.' I didn't feel it quite that strongly,” he said. “But yes, we parted ways at that point. We have a nice revolving door policy! It's all based on projects and how companies change.

“It was a case of 'Thank you very much, but go your way and we'll go our way.'”

The '70s and '80s were a difficult time for Disney. The company was struggling financially and the original animators were retiring, leaving a gaping hole in the creative departments. The Mouse House brought Tim Burton in from college after seeing his short film “Stalk Of The Celery Monster” and he immediately gained a reputation as a truly distinctive filmmaker.

The company was still fairly conservative, releasing very kid-friendly films until the mid-1980s, after only producing a few PG-rated films. Burton's style was obviously never right for the big corporate bosses who were in financial trouble.

It wasn't easy for things to fall apart. Don Hahn, producer of 2012's Frankenweenie (who was working for the studio at the time), told us that Disney “didn't really know what to do with him.” Hahn explained that Burton was fired because he was too quirky and made some odd films.

How things have changed.

Watch the full interview below:

“Frankenweenie” is now in theaters.