Ella Purnell’s $296M Fantasy Movie In Netflix’s Global Top 10 Is One Of Tim Burton’s Most Underrated Movies

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, directed by Tim Burton and starring Ella Purnell, Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Green, and Asa Butterfield, has made a long-due resurgence since dominating the Top 10 list on Netflix’s streaming platform. The book with the same title, which inspired the movie, is the first of five in the Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children series by author Ransom Riggs. Anyone familiar with the story of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children and the work of Tim Burton will immediately see their compatibility and potential, making it slightly surprising that the movie didn't receive instant widespread appreciation.

On its initial release in 2016, Miss Peregrine’s themes and settings were immediately compared to other successful YA franchises. The movie follows the young Jake (Asa Butterfield) as he discovers a fairy-tale-like school established by Miss Peregrine (Eva Green) whose intent is to foster the otherworldly talents of young children. In this fantastical school, Jake develops feelings for the eccentric Emma Bloom (Ella Purnell), as he and his new friends face many otherworldly threats. The quirky whimsy that permeates the film is natural territory for Burton. And yet, there's a sense that Miss Peregrine's remains an underappreciated gem in his resume.

Why Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children Is An Underrated Tim Burton Movie

A Hidden Gem in Burton's Filmography

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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is one of Tim Burton’s most underrated films. Although it was a box office hit, bringing in $296 million on a budget of $110 million, the film went largely unnoticed after its time on the big screen. Immediately, reviewers and Burtonites alike praised Tim Burton’s film for its utilization of the unique visual language that defines Burton’s career. However, the film adaptation did meet its fair share of criticism, with some saying it focused too heavily on special effects while neglecting the original story.

Related Will Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children 2 Ever Happen? Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children had a mediocre opening at the box office and received mixed reviews, slashing hopes of a sequel.

The partnership of an abnormal school filled with somber, quirky children and a sinister eye-eating Mr. Barron (Samuel L. Jackson) perfectly blends the ingredients required to create a Burton classic. And, although Miss Peregrine’s was met with mixed reviews, it was ultimately a triumphant return to the dark and creative settings upon which Burton could continue to build his career.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children Released At A Difficult Time For Tim Burton

Burton's Box Office Slump: Miss Peregrine's Impact

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Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children went unappreciated after its initial debut because of the timeframe in which it was released. The 2010s were a challenging decade for Tim Burton’s work as his films began to lag in viewership and profits, and the soul of his labor appeared to diminish.

In 2007, Burton’s film adaptation of Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street won Best Motion Picture in the Musical or Comedy genre, Burton was nominated for Best Director, and his longtime collaborators Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter were in their prime. Following this success, Burton released Alice in Wonderland, which was met with negative reviews, being considered a shallow rehashing of a successful Disney story. This was followed by the costly Dark Shadows, Frankenweenie, box office failure Big Eyes, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, and the miscalculated Dumbo remake.[

Fans couldn’t help but group Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, which was released in the middle of this period, alongside other of the director's more negatively received works.

Many of Burton’s films released from 2010-2020 underperformed. Fans couldn’t help but group Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, which was released in the middle of this period, alongside other of the director's more negatively received works. Yet, despite this reception – demonstrated by its mediocre box office and lack of enduring legacy, the movie proves that Burton was still producing enjoyable work in one of his supposedly weaker periods.

Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children Shows Ella Purnell & Tim Burton Should Team-Up Again

Reunite the Magic: Miss Peregrine's Legacy

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Amid all the overlooked qualities of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is Tim Burton’s collaboration with Fallout, Yellowjackets, and Arcane actor Ella Purnell. Ella Purnell has already praised her time working with Burton, likening him to a creative mad scientist who allows his actors to execute their own creative solutions before he steps in to help better mold the project’s vision.

Ella Purnell is more than capable of portraying her characters in a way that aligns with the tone of Burton’s most successful films, as seen in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Ella Purnell has aesthetic qualities consistent with several of Tim Burton’s most successful collaborators: Christina Ricci (Sleepy Hollow and Wednesday), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), and Helena Bonham Carter (Big Fish, Corpse Bride, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). Although Burton has been criticized for working with women who share similar physical qualities, it undoubtedly contributes to his films' successful vision. And Ella Purnell is more than capable of portraying her characters in a way that aligns with the tone of Burton’s most successful films, as seen in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.

Following her memorable role as Emma in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Ella Purnell would be an excellent addition to any Tim Burton project, including future episodes of Wednesday, Beetlejuice 3, or even the Attack of the Fifty Foot Woman remake. Given the recent resurgence of the underrated Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, hopefully, Ella Purnell and Tim Burton will team up to continue their earlier success.