CalArts alum and visionary filmmaker Tim Burton (Film/Video 79) was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Tuesday, Sept. 3. Burton, whose legendary career includes classic films like Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Beetlejuice, shared how meaningful the star’s location was to him.
Located in front of the iconic Hollywood Toys & Costumes shop, Burton fondly recalled visiting the shop during his childhood. “When I found out it was here, I almost started crying,” Burton said, according to KTLA. “I’ve been coming here ever since I was a little child and this store hasn’t changed at all. So for me, it’s just an honor to have a star but also to have it right here in front of this incredible shop.”
The ceremony was attended by several of Burton’s longtime friends and collaborators, including actors Danny DeVito and Monica Bellucci, and costume designer Colleen Atwood. Special guest speakers included Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton, both of whom co-starred in the 1988 classic Beetlejuice and its 2024 sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice had its world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival in August and is set for wide release in theaters on Friday, Sept. 6. In this long-awaited sequel, three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River, only for their lives to be turned upside down by the return of the mischievous demon Beetlejuice.
Over the years, Burton has cemented his reputation as one of the most successful filmmakers in both live-action and animation genres, directing iconic films including Ed Wood (1994), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Big Fish (2003), and Alice in Wonderland (2010). He’s been twice nominated for the Animated Feature Academy Award for Corpse Bride in 2006 and Frankenweenie in 2013.
