"The Weird Charm Is Still There": 'Wednesday' Season 2 Promises Intense Return at Press Conference

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"Season 2 is even more 'Wednesday-like'!" (Director Tim Burton)

Netflix's original series Wednesday is back for its second season. A spin-off of the newspaper comic The Addams Family, the show depicts the daily lives of an eccentric family who loves negative emotions like death and suffering.

With the daughter, Wednesday, as its protagonist, Season 1 became a global sensation shortly after its 2022 release. It ranked No. 1 among all-time English TV series on Netflix, surpassing a cumulative total of approximately 1.7 billion viewing hours.

Director Tim Burton promised the series' signature dark atmosphere, stating, "Just like Season 1, we worked by following our hearts and instincts. We tried to stay faithful to the identity of the show."

The press conference celebrating the cast's visit to Korea for Wednesday Season 2 was held today, August 11th, at the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul. Director Burton and actors Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers were in attendance.

Season 2 Focuses on Family Secrets

Season 1 of Wednesday saw the protagonist investigate a series of murders at Nevermore Academy, an oddball school for outcasts, while developing her psychic abilities and a stronger sense of self.

Season 2 promises a deeper dive into the family's history, as secrets of the women spanning three generations—Wednesday, her mother Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones), and her grandmother Frump (Joanna Lumley)—are unveiled.

Burton, who also directed Season 2, shared his long-standing fascination with quirky family stories. "I think everyone has a strange side to them," he said. "So I was more comfortable with the idea of a 'weirdo' than with the idea of normalcy."

Wednesday was Burton's first time directing a TV series. He revealed his passion for the project, saying, "I made it as if I were working on a film. I poured in the same kind of intense development and creativity you would find in a movie." He specifically highlighted a stop-motion sequence in Episode 1, praising the technique as "true art" that perfectly suited the scene of children reading a fairytale.

Ortega and Myers Tease Character Growth

Jenna Ortega plays the title character, Wednesday Addams, an outcast among outcasts with psychometry abilities. Though she initially disliked social interaction, she grew more social during her time at Nevermore.

Ortega served as an executive producer this season. "I was able to get a much deeper understanding of the show before we started filming," she explained. "It felt like a new world was opening up to me as an actor, and it helped my performance a lot."

She also expressed her admiration for Director Burton. "I think the charm of this work is in the characters' honesty and confidence. Director Burton helps us preserve and express that part of them so well."

Ortega once again perfectly embodied the unique Wednesday character this season. "For every take, I changed my lines, gestures, and expressions by thinking, 'What would I do if I were Wednesday?' I tried a lot of things based on my intuition," she said.

The cast also gave a glimpse into a key point of the new season. "Episode 6 will center on Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers)," Ortega hinted. "Emma loves Korean culture so much that we put a few Korean songs in it. Korean fans will really love it."

Emma Myers, who plays the bright and bubbly Enid, Wednesday's roommate, described her character as "even more lovable because she's a weirdo." She added, "Enid doesn't care what others think and acts outside the box. That's why I have so much fun playing her."

Enid's ability is to transform into a werewolf. In the beginning of Season 1, she only showed her claws, lacking confidence in her powers. However, she achieved a full transformation in the latter half of the season. In Season 2, she's expected to showcase her full werewolf form.

"She hangs out with the werewolf pack much more confidently than before," Myers revealed. "All the characters grow more in Season 2, but Enid, in particular, undergoes a lot of changes."

Their relationship also evolves. "Wednesday has a vision and tries to push Enid away," Myers said. "Enid doesn't know the full story, so there are misunderstandings between them. They go through a natural human relationship and ultimately heal each other."

Cast Reflects on Korea Visit

The trio also shared their thoughts on their visit to Korea. Director Burton said, "Every time I come to Korea, I think it's a truly creative country. I'm happy to be back with a project that I have more pride in than ever."

This was Jenna Ortega's first time in Korea. "I was so happy to directly experience and see Korean culture with my own eyes," she said. "I had a direct connection with the Korean fans who love the show at yesterday's event. It's a precious memory."

It was also Emma Myers's first official visit for work. "The last time I was here was about two years ago," she said. "Korean fans were so passionate. I'm so happy to be able to share such an important moment with them."

Wednesday Season 2, Part 2 is set to be released on September 3rd.