Few TV and movie families compare to the macabre nature of The Addams Family. Cartoonist Charles Addams originally created this fictional family in the 1930s, and some of Addams’ cartoons later appeared in The New Yorker.
From the comics, The Addams Family was adapted into a slew of other media, starting with a TV show. The first TV version of The Addams Family premiered in 1964, and followed the odd lives of Gomez and Morticia, their two children, Pugsley and Wednesday, and a band of other family members and characters, including Uncle Fester, Grandmama, the butler, Lurch, Cousin Itt, and The Thing.
The original TV series ran for two seasons, followed by an animated series in 1973 that ran for just one season. The series was later followed up by the made-for-TV movie Halloween with the New Addams Family in 1977.
More Addams Family media followed in the 1990s. It seemed like people just couldn’t get enough of the gothic, satirical bunch. With The Addams Family, it could be like Halloween every day.
The upcoming spin-off series by Tim Burton titled, Wednesday, which will be about the daughter of the family, set to premiere later this year, is a perfect time to recap the past movies from The Addams Family franchise.
6 Addams Family Reunion (1998)
Addams Family Reunion was a direct-to-video release in 1998, following the successful The Addams Family and Addams Family Values movies from the early '90s. However, this iteration brought forth a new cast, with Daryl Hannah (The Little Rascals, Splash) as Morticia Addams and Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, It) as Gomez Addams. The movie follows the family as they mistakenly arrive at the wrong family reunion, and shenanigans ensue.
The movie was originally intended to sort of pilot a new Addams Family TV series, but unfortunately it underperformed so significantly that it didn't get off the ground. This movie was far different from any other Addams Family media because it took out a lot of the macabre, dark comedy, and satire that the Addams Family is known for, in order to make it geared more towards children. The best part of this movie is Tim Curry's performance as Gomez. Otherwise, Addams Family Reunion falls flat among the rest of the movies in the franchise.
5 Halloween with the New Addams Family (1977)
This made-for-TV movie debuted in 1977 and was based on The Addams Family TV show, which ran from 1964-1966. Halloween with the New Addams Family premiered 11 years after the TV series ended, and brought back most of the original cast to reprise their roles. The plot revolves around the family celebrating Halloween, complete with classic Addams Family hijinks and family drama to spice up the holiday.
The movie is decent in that it brought back much of the original cast, playing on nostalgia and getting audience members excited to see their favorite characters in action again. It certainly succeeds as a revival movie, even if the special effects feel cheap, and the plot falls flat in comparison to the original TV show. Despite those downsides though, it's still a fun watch during the Halloween season and doubles as a trip down memory lane.
4 The Addams Family 2 (2021)
In 2019, The Addams Family returned to the big screen with an animated feature, and in 2021 it was followed up with the sequel, The Addams Family 2. The sequel follows the kooky bunch as they take a family road trip. Something notable about The Addams Family 2 is its star-studded cast. The movie features the voices of Nick Kroll (Big Mouth), Bette Midler (The First Wives Club), Bill Hader (Barry), Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride), Charlize Theron (Monster), Oscar Isaac (Dune) and Snoop Dogg.
Unfortunately, The Addams Family 2 feels a bit unnecessary. It's not as good as the prequel in 2019; it's certainly not as good as the live-action movies, and sits at a 28% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That said, it's a good watch for kids, and would be a decent pick for a family movie night.
3 The Addams Family (2019)
While the animated movies pale in comparison to the live action ones, 2019's The Addams Family is certainly the best out of the two animated features. The movie follows the Addams Family as they prepare for a visit from all their oddball relatives. The prequel has much of the same cast members that returned for the sequel in 2021, minus Finn Wolfhard (Stranger Things), who was replaced by Javon Walton (Euphoria) for the role of Pusley Addams.
The animated Addams Family isn't as sharp as its predecessors, but it somehow manages to still maintain a bit of that Addams Family charm that viewers have grown to love over the years. While it isn't a hit by any means, it still showcases some of the best traits of each character, peppers in a bit of dark Addams Family humor, and tops it off with a decent soundtrack, complete with a revamped version of the classic theme song by Vic Mizzy. It's fun to enjoy with kids and is also a good background movie if you're looking for something festive to play in the background, while you decorate your house for Halloween.
2 The Addams Family (1991)
1991's The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel are the best adaptations of the eccentric family from the original comics and '60s TV show. The movie is about the family connecting with Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd), who they think is a long-lost relative, but it turns out to be an elaborate scheme. This version of The Addams Family is arguably the best cast. It features Anjelica Huston (The Royal Tenenbaums) as Morticia, Raul Julia (The Rookie) as Gomez, Jimmy Workman as Pugsley, Carel Struycken (The Witches of Eastwick) as Lurch, Christina Ricci (Casper) as Wednesday, Judith Malina as Grandmama, and of course Christopher Lloyd (Back to the Future) as Uncle Fester. Each actor assumes their role seamlessly, almost as if it was made for them.
This Addams Family adaptation perfectly captures the macabre, gothic vibe and humor that the Addams Family is supposed to have. It's creepy, funny, and entertaining all at once. When it premiered, The Addams Family received mixed reviews and praise from both critics and general audience members, but overall it was a commercial success.
1 Addams Family Values (1993)
Columbia Pictures
In 1993, Addams Family Values premiered and significantly out-shined the family's previous adaptations. In this sequel, Uncle Fester marries Debbie Jellinsky (Joan Cusack) a serial killer who intends to kill Fester for his inheritance. At the same time, Pugsley and Wednesday head to summer camp and Gomez and Morticia welcome their newborn son Pubert. Much of the same exceptional cast from the 1991 movie returned for the sequel, with the exception of Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) replacing Judith Malina as Grandmama, and the addition of Joan Cusack (School of Rock) as Fester's new wife.
Addams Family Values is a perfect blend of dark humor, bizarre antics, satire, well-developed, dynamic characters, and is jam-packed with iconic, memorable scenes. When most people think of The Addams Family, it's likely that the portrayal in Addams Family Values is what comes to mind. It's Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, and stands the test of time as a fun, enjoyable watch, any time of year.