‘Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children’: 8 Things You Didn’t Know About Tim Burton’s New Movie

Tim Burton’s latest film, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children,” finally hits theaters today. Based on the novel of the same name, the film tells the story of Jacob “Jake” Portman (Asa Buterfield), a 16-year-old boy who travels to a mysterious island. While on this island, fairy tales from his childhood begin to happen in real life.

Featuring a cast that includes Eva Green, Judi Dench, Chris O’Dowd, Samuel L. Jackson and Allison Janney, the film has already received positive reviews. Before you head out to see the film, here are a few things you may not have known about it.

1. It’s Based On A New York Times Best Seller

The book, written by Ransom Riggs, was released in 2011 and became a New York Times best seller. The book also reached No. 1 on the Children’s Chapter Books list in April 2012, staying there until the following month.

2. Zooey Deschanel, Miranda Cosgrove And More Were Considered For Role of Dr. Golan

The role of Dr. Golan, which is played by Allison Janney, could have originally went to Zooey Deschanel, Miranda Cosgrove, Demi Lovato or Selena Gomez. At one point, all of the actresses were considered for the part. The role differs from the book though, where the Dr. Golan character is a man.

3. Samuel L. Jackson’s Character Isn’t In The Book

In the film, Samuel L. Jackson plays the character Mr. Barron, the leader of the Wights. This character isn’t featured in the book and was created for the movie.

4. The Film Was Shot In Florida And London

Much of the movie was filmed in the Tampa Bay area of Florida as well as in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. It was actually Burton’s second time filming a movie in the Tampa Bay area, the first being “Edward Scissorhands.” Production of “Miss Peregrine’s” later went to Cornwall and Blackpool in the United Kingdom.

5. The Rights To The Book Were Sold In 2011

Not long after the release of the book, Riggs sold the screen rights to 20th Century Fox and Chernin Entertainment. According to Deadline, Fox paid “six against seven figures.”

6. Tim Burton Was Drawn To The Project Before Reading The Book

According to Burton, even before he read the book, he was drawn to the idea of the film. Burton said it was Riggs’ photos in the book that intrigued him. Burton told Collider.com that Riggs’ photos were a “brilliant idea.”

7. It’s Judi Dench’s First Time Working With Burton

With careers as long as there's, one would think Dench and Burton would have worked together at some point, but the film marks their first collaboration.

8. The Film Doesn’t Use Many Visual Effects

While creating the film, Burton tried to use as little visual effects as possible. “It was nice to shoot on location, to be connected to a place and geography while having people actually floating, as opposed to doing it all digitally,” Burton told Entertainment Weekly.