Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, writers of Ed Wood, are getting back into the Burton game with Big Eyes, the strange true story of painter Margaret Keane and her husband Walter. Walter took credit for his wife’s creepy (but incredibly popular) paintings she created during the sixties, which turned into a long and arduous court battle that Margaret didn’t win until 1986.
Big Eyes will see a wide release this Christmas, which means the film will be heavily pushed during awards season. Amy Adams plays Margaret, and is Christoph Waltz stars as her husband Walter. Adams and Waltz are great choices, but they also reek of Oscar bait. That’s not really a bad thing, but they’re very safe, too.
This is a passion project for Burton, who has been a long-time fan of Keane’s work. If you’re wondering where the title of the film comes from, just have a look at one of her paintings:
The stuff of nightmares!