A journey through trajineras, tombs, applause and handmade dolls. This is how Tim Burton’s visit to Mexico City was lived.

Today, the LETSGO BLOG changes hands.

Bringing Tim Burton: The Labyrinth to Latin America for the first time —and choosing Mexico as the first destination outside Europe— was no coincidence. You’ve probably already heard about the buzz surrounding his arrival in Mexico City, but there are details no media outlet has revealed. Today, we’re opening the blog for a takeover as special as the occasion deserves: our Head of Communications shares the behind-the-scenes of Tim Burton’s triumphant return to CDMX. From inside the Labyrinth —and very close to Burton himself— Elena Garrán offers a more intimate glimpse into a cultural phenomenon as singular as the master of gothic cinema himself.

When you think of Mexico, it’s unlikely that an American film director is the first thing that comes to mind. And yet, the passion —or rather devotion— that Tim Burton inspires in the Mexican capital rivals that of any international rock star.
Maybe it’s his almost affectionate relationship with death and the mysterious —so deeply rooted in Mexican culture; maybe it’s that so many young people —and not so young— see themselves reflected in the work of a genius who speaks directly to the hearts of outsiders; or maybe, quite simply, it’s that the Mexican public is just like that: passionate and unconditionally devoted to its idols.
As Salvador Dalí once said: “I will not return to Mexico. I can’t stand being in a country more surreal than my paintings.” Clearly, Burton doesn’t share the sentiment. After the success of Beetlejuice, he gladly accepted our invitation to return to CDMX and open his (our) Labyrinth.

During his visit, he once again sparked collective hysteria without ever losing his kind, calm, generous —and yes, deeply introverted— demeanor.
Our challenge? Finding the balance between making sure this creative genius enjoyed his time with us —we do want him to come back, after all— and creating the level of impact needed to bring our Labyrinth to the ears (and hearts) of nearly ten million people in Mexico City. And we did just that.
His stops in Tepoztlán and Xochimilco left unforgettable moments. In one of the most spontaneous scenes, a trajinera carrying a little girl dancing with her mother to mariachi music crossed paths with Burton’s. His delighted reaction, applauding them from his boat, became one of the trip’s most genuine highlights.
He asked to take photos with locals in traditional dress. He gave autographs and selfies to every fan who approached him. And he even agreed to one of our more eccentric ideas: giving a masterclass in a cemetery, under the rain. It was there that he uttered the phrase that would appear in newspapers the next day: “Welcome to my new home,” referring to a crypt in the Panteón de Dolores.

Despite his well-known shyness and distaste for socializing, Burton knows how to take the spotlight when it matters. He shows up when needed, says only what’s essential, and delivers it with the perfect blend of authenticity and theatricality that has made him an icon.
Polite and generous with both his team and his fans, he’s fully aware of his Hollywood star status —after all, who else would walk through city streets flanked by discreet but efficient security guards?— and yet, he never loses sight of what makes him truly great: his profound, genuine, and almost mystical connection with his audience.
His fans are always front and center: he agrees to teach masterclasses only if there are art students in the room. He’ll stop to talk to a security guard with his work tattooed on her arm before making small talk with a corporate executive. And he still makes the effort to greet his fans, even in moments where safety might advise otherwise.

He never turns down a fan who truly needs that moment. Because he knows, in the end, the most valuable photo won’t be the one with a celebrity —it’s the one taken by a teenage girl who hands him a doll she made by hand. That’s the real measure of his artistic greatness.

Tim Burton is a global star who has remained deeply loyal to his creative core. An artist who’s never lost the seed of his craft —and who, when our CEO Iñaki Fernández presented him with the idea for an immersive exhibition based on his universe, didn’t hesitate.
He opened the doors of his home in London, listened to the proposal, and simply replied: “Yes. Go ahead. I love the idea.”

By Elena Garrán, Head of Communications at LETSGO, on July 7th, 2025.