Tim Burton’s live-action Frankenweenie was shelved in 1984 after Disney decided it was too scary for kids. See what happened, how the 2012 remake fixed it and where to stream both.
Before “Beetlejuice” and “Edward Scissorhands,” Tim Burton made a short Disney movie about a boy who brings his dead dog back to life.
Disney didn’t know what to do with it. The movie got shelved, and Burton was soon out the door.
That movie was Frankenweenie. Almost 30 years later, Burton remade it for Disney as a stop-motion feature, and that version got an Oscar nomination. Here’s the whole strange story, plus where to watch both versions this Halloween.
What is the 1984 Frankenweenie about?
It’s a 30-minute tribute to the horror movies of the 1930s, according to D23, Disney’s official fan club.
Young Victor Frankenstein’s dog, Sparky, gets hit by a car. Victor fills the attic with electrical junk and uses his famous namesake’s methods to bring Sparky back to life. The neighborhood panics, D23 says.
Barret Oliver plays Victor, with Shelley Duvall and Daniel Stern as his parents. Paul Bartel plays his teacher.
The filmmakers even tracked down some of the same lab equipment used in the original “Frankenstein” movie, D23 noted.
Burton was just 25, and he made it on a budget of about $1 million in only 15 days, Film Stories reported.
Why did Disney shelve Frankenweenie?
It scared the grown-ups.
Disney planned to show the short in theaters before a re-release of “Pinocchio” in December 1984, Film Stories reported. Then a test audience of parents and kids ages 6 to 9 saw it that September.
The reaction wasn’t great. Moms reportedly worried their kids might try to play with electricity, and the movie got a PG rating, according to Film Stories, citing Cinefantastique magazine. Disney decided it was too risky to pair with “Pinocchio.”
Burton couldn’t believe the rating.
“I was a little shocked, because I don’t see what’s PG about the film,” he said in the book “Burton on Burton,” as Film Stories reported. “There’s no bad language, there’s only one bit of violence, and the violence happens off-camera.”
The ratings board told him “there’s nothing you can cut. It’s just the tone,” he said.
Did Disney fire Tim Burton over Frankenweenie?
Sort of. The cost of the short led Disney to ask Burton to leave not long after, Film Stories reported.
Burton described it more gently in 2012. “It wasn’t like Alan Sugar saying, ‘You’re fired,’” he told Yahoo, as Film Stories reported, referring to the host of the British “Apprentice.” “It was a ‘thank you very much, but you go your way and we’ll go our way’ kind of thing.”
Disney had hired Burton as an artist in 1979, D23 says. He worked on concept art for “The Black Cauldron” and made two shorts, “Vincent” and Frankenweenie, before leaving in 1984.
He landed on his feet fast. Paul Reubens and his producers had seen “Vincent” and Frankenweenie, and they hired Burton to direct “Pee-wee’s Big Adventure,” which came out in 1985, Film Stories reported.
When was the 1984 Frankenweenie released?
Barely, at first.
D23 lists a Los Angeles release on Dec. 14, 1984. It played in the U.K. in 1985 alongside “Baby: Secret of the Lost Legend,” Film Stories noted.
It got a wider U.S. release on March 6, 1992, playing with “Blame It on the Bellboy,” according to D23. It has also aired on The Disney Channel, and it came out on video in 1992, D23 says.
How is the 2012 Frankenweenie different?
It’s animated, it’s longer, and it’s still black and white.
The stop-motion feature opened Oct. 5, 2012, in Disney Digital 3-D, after premiering Sept. 20 at Fantastic Fest in Austin, Texas, according to D23. It runs 87 minutes.
Charlie Tahan voices Victor. The voice cast also includes Catherine O’Hara, Martin Landau, Martin Short, Winona Ryder and Atticus Shaffer, D23 says. Christopher Lee shows up as “Movie Dracula.”
Much of it is a shot-for-shot remake of the 1984 short, Film Stories noted. A fan put the two side by side:
The 2012 movie made about $86.9 million worldwide on a $39 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. It was nominated for the Oscar for best animated feature.
Here’s Disney’s trailer for the 2012 version:
Where can you watch Frankenweenie?
Both versions are streaming on Disney+, according to JustWatch. The 2012 movie is also on Fubo, and you can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
Freeform is airing the 2012 movie twice more this month as part of 31 Nights of Halloween, according to Freeform’s schedule:
Sun., Oct. 18, 8 a.m. EDT/PDT
Sat., Oct. 31, 12 a.m. EDT/PDT
What are some fun facts about Frankenweenie?
The lab props have movie history. The equipment came from Kenneth Strickfadden’s props for the 1931 “Frankenstein,” which also showed up in Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” Film Stories reported.
Sparky has a Bride of Frankenstein crush. In the 1984 short, he meets a poodle with white streaks in her fur, like the Bride’s famous hairdo in “Bride of Frankenstein,” Film Stories noted.
Burton grew up next door to Disney, almost. He was born in Burbank, just across the street from Disney’s studio, Film Stories reported.
Burton came back. He returned to Disney in the 1990s to produce “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” and direct “Ed Wood,” D23 says.
Article compiled with the help of the Pirates & Princesses newsroom.
Pirates and Princesses is your destination for Disney news, theme park updates, and the pop culture you love. From Disney cruises and travel tips to Disney fashion, food, collectibles, and movie news, PNP covers it all. Visit us at piratesandprincesses.net for daily coverage. Follow PNP on Facebook and Instagram, and listen to the Pirates & Princesses podcast on Apple Podcasts and YouTube.
Hat Tips:
D23 Disney A to Z: Frankenweenie (1984 film), Frankenweenie (2012 film) and Tim Burton entries
Ryan Lambie, Film Stories, Sept. 3, 2024: Frankenweenie and the test screening that almost derailed Tim Burton’s career (citing Cinefantastique and Yahoo)
Lauren Miles, Film Stories, Aug. 22, 2022: Frankenweenie, the short film that got Tim Burton fired (citing Burton on Burton)
Box Office Mojo: Frankenweenie (2012)
Freeform, Sept. 16, 2026: 31 Nights of Halloween 2026 schedule
JustWatch: Frankenweenie (1984) and Frankenweenie (2012) U.S. listings, checked Oct. 10, 2026
Disney UK on YouTube: Frankenweenie first trailer; Matt Skuta on YouTube: Frankenweenie 1984/2012 side-by-side comparison
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