As breakout TV star Ella Purnell looks to capitalize on her 2024 success, Tim Burton should consider making a sequel to the ill-fatedMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. The 2016 teen fantasy film, cut from the cloth ofHarry PotterandX-Men, follows the mysterious residents of the titular home, where a group of youngsters with strange superpowers come of age, develop their skills, and embrace their peculiarities while fending off a formidable foe.
Despite scoring mixed-to-positive reviews and nearly tripling its budget at the international box office,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenwas shuttered before receiving its planned cinematic sequel. Now that a decade has passed and Ella Purnell has become a highly sought-after Hollywood A-lister, Tim Burton Productions and 20th Century Fox should revisit the movie and make an official sequel.
Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children
Who Is Ella Purnell?
Ella Purnell is an accomplished English actor who debuted onscreen in the 2010 filmNever Let Me Go. With over 30 credits amassed since then, Purnell raised her profile by appearing in studio tentpolesKick-Ass 2andMaleficent. In 2014, Purnell made her TV debut viaAgatha Christie: Ordeal by Innocence. Before returning to televisionin 2018 withSweetbitter, Purnell’s movie credits includedWildlike, The Legend of Tarzan, The Journey Is The Destination, Access All Areas,andMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
Before detailing whyMiss Peregrinefailed to resonate enough to warrant a sequel, it’s worth tracking Purnell’s last ten years in Hollywood. Although the Tim Burton movie didn’t launch her career into the A-list stratosphere, Purnell continued to deliver stellar performances mainly on the small screen. Aside from starring inZack Snyder’sArmy of the Dead,Purnell’s TV credits since 2020 includeBelgravia, Yellowjackets, Arcane,andFallout.
Two mega-popular video game adaptations,ArcaneandFallout,have catapulted Purnell into Hollywood’s upper echelon. Yet, despite the massive popularity, Purnell has stated that she does not want to be typecast as the “video game girl,” (via GamesRadar+).As such, returning to her role as Emma in a Miss Peregrine sequel would be ideal.
What Is ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children’ About?
Based on the Ransom Riggs YA Fantasy novel,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrenis a story of outcasts accepting and embracing their inner selves. The plot centers on Jake Portman (Asa Butterfield), a 16-year-old who has heard about the notorious “Home” from his grandfather, Abe (Terence Stamp).
When Jake’s therapist urges him to travel abroad and visit the school off the coast of Wales to deal with Abe’s death, Jake meets the mysterious headmistress, Miss Peregrine (Eva Green), who oversees a group of children, known as “Peculiars.“The Peculiars possess superpowers and live in a protective time loop in September 1943 that prevents them from public persecutionfor being different and allows them to relive the same day over.
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From dystopian fright fests to playing a coddled adopted daughter, Ella Purnell has proven herself to be more than versatile.
When Jake is introduced to the students,he’s immediately drawn to Emma Bloom (Purnell), a plucky teenager with aerokinetic abilities to manipulate air and wind with her mind and breathe underwater. Once Jake discovers he shares the same “Peculiar” powers to see invisible monsters (called Hollows) as Abe, Emma helps him navigate his newfound skills. During their adventures, Jake learns that Emma was Abe’s romantic partner in the 1940s, putting their contemporary romance into an awkward bind.
Apart from the crackling chemistry between Purnell and Butterfield,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrendid above-average business and earned a majority of positive reviews from critics. Alas, the film was not deemed successful enough to make a sequel, a decision Tim Burton and Fox should revisit ASAP.
Why ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children’ Deserves a Sequel
Hailed by critics asthe best Tim Burton film in years,Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Childrencurrently holds a 65% Rotten Tomatoes score and a 57 Metascore, indicating above-average, positive reviews. Audiences also enjoyed the movie, backed by its 6.7 IMDb rating, 60% Popcornmeter score, and a B+ CinemaScore grade.Despite overtHarry PotterandX-Meninspirations, Tim Burton’s whimsical quirks and visual flair were atop the highlights.
Of course, even the best reviews were not good enough to warrant a Hollywood sequel. However, looking at the financial figures, it’s bizarre that Fox gave up on what could have been a lucrative movie franchise.Miss Peregrinegrossed $296.5 million globally against a $110 million budget(via The Numbers), nearly tripling its production costs. Yet, perhaps due to its underwhelming $87 million domestic haul, coupled with the slightly positive aggregated reviews, Fox did not pursue a sequel. With nearly 10 years of sobering hindsight, Fox and Burton should reopenMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.
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Ella Purnell is one of TV’s most electrifying breakout stars, having skyrocketed to prominence with her role in the post-apocalyptic hit Fallout.
Not only is Ella Purnell one of the hottest Hollywood stars in 2025, but Burton has also seen a career resurgence withWednesdayandBeetlejuice Beetlejuice. Given Purnell’s star wattage off Arcane and Fallow, and Burton’s current hot streak, both would greatly benefit from reuniting for aMiss Peregrinesequel a decade after the original. After all, Fox originally planned to turn the first film into a franchise, with Riggs' subsequent novelsHollow CityandLibrary of Soulsproviding story blueprints.
Now that a fourth novel,A Map of Days, was published in 2018, there’s plenty of source material to return Ella Purnell toMiss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Between that, Burton and Purnell’s current heat, and the original movie earning more money and better reviews than people remember, the underrated YA fantasy film deserves a continuation.Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Childrenis available to stream on Max
