EXCLUSIVE: Alice in Wonderland director Tim Burton has found a new 3D project. He will direct a stop-motion animated film based on Charles Addams' original ghoulish cartoon drawings of The Addams Family. Illumination Entertainment, the Universal-based family film unit headed by Chris Meledandri, has acquired the underlying rights of the Addams drawings, once a staple of The New Yorker magazine.

Other than being inspired by the same source material, the animated feature is unrelated to previous incarnations of Addams’ work, the 60s TV series, the two `90s feature film comedies that Barry Sonnenfeld directed with Raul Julia and Anjelica Huston, or the Broadway musical opening this spring with Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth in the starring roles.

MGM has set the voice cast for its Oct. 11, 2019 animated take on The Addams Family including Oscar winners Charlize Theron (Morticia), Allison Janney (arch nemesis Margaux Needler), two-time Oscar nominee Bette Midler (Grandmama), Chloë Grace Moretz (Wednesday), Finn Wolfhard (Pugsley), and Nick Kroll (Uncle Fester).

As previously announced, Oscar Isaac will play Gomez. Sausage Party director Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan are co-helming this brand new take on Charles Addams’ classic New Yorker cartoon series which has been adapted into various formats since its debut in 1938 including a black and white ABC TV series during the early 1960s, a Hanna-Barbera cartoon during the ’70s, two Paramount features which made over $240M WW during the early 1990s and a recent Broadway show.

Matt Lieberman wrote the script, which follows the kooky Addams family as they face-off against a crafty reality-TV host voiced by Janney while also preparing for their extended family to arrive for a major celebration, Addams-style.

Vernon is producing with Gail Berman, via her shingle The Jackal Group, and Alex Schwartz. Andrew Mittman, Kevin Miserocchi and Joe Earley are EPs. Tabitha Shick, MGM’s Executive Director, Worldwide Motion Pictures is overseeing the project on behalf of the studio. CG Animation and digital visual effects production is underway in Vancouver at Cinesite Studios.

Vernon said in a statement, “Greg and I have always been a fan of the Addams Family in past versions, so when we set out to make this movie, we were excited to do something new. With that in mind, I drew from the brilliantly original Charles Addams New Yorker cartoons for the look of the film and decided to tell the story of how Gomez and Morticia meet, find their house and start their family. This unique approach is what drew me in to direct the film. The reimagining also extends to the stellar cast we’ve put together who will each bring their own spin to our film that will appeal to longtime fans of the Addams and introduce them to a new generation.”

“Conrad and Greg are masters of animation with the keen ability to create something both kids and their parents will enjoy for different reasons. Adding to that a world class caliber of talent with Oscar, Charlize, Chloë, Finn, Nick, Bette and Allison – we can’t wait to bring their fresh and modern take on The Addams Family to the worldwide audience,” said Jonathan Glickman, president of MGM Motion Pictures Group.