This week Variety announced that Tim Burton (Batman, Nightmare Before Christmas) is set to direct a new version of Roald Dahl's classic children's novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Dahl disliked the 1971 Gene Wilder version and his estate has resisted Warner Brother's attempts to obtain the rights to do a remake.  Only when Warners promised that Burton would direct, did the Dahl estate give its approval to the project.  Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston and Brad Grey will produce for Warner Brothers.  Burton has a second project at Warners, he is producing the stop motion animated version of The Corpse Bride.

Few directors manage to move as much merchandise as does Tim Burton.  Burton's 1989 Batman film set the standard for a post- Star Wars merchandising hit, and Nightmare Before Christmas (which Burton produced and which shares his visual sensibility) and Edward Scissorshands continue to stimulate sales of elaborate tie-in items to collectors long after they have left the theaters.