Michael Keaton and Tim Burton are a combination that fans can’t get enough of, and for good reason. Their first collaboration was on the 1988 film Beetlejuice, which left audiences in awe and wanting more.
Despite the success of the original film, Beetlejuice 2 remained stuck in development hell for decades. However, just this year in May, an official announcement was made with the acclaimed director Burton at the helm and a script co-written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the scribes of the TV show Wednesday. Keaton is set to reprise his iconic role.
While details about the project are being tightly kept under wraps, the return of cast member Winona Ryder confirms that the sequel will be a direct continuation set in contemporary times. In a recent interview with Empire Magazine, Keaton praised the “handmade” nature of the project. He revealed, “Beetlejuice is the most f–kin’ fun you can have working.
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It’s so fun, it’s so great. And you know what it is? We’re doing it exactly like we did the first movie.” Keaton also provided a small visual tease of the highly-anticipated sequel, mentioning a scene where a woman in the waiting room for the afterlife uses a fishing line to make a cat move.
The journey to bring Beetlejuice 2 to the big screen has been a long one for Keaton and Burton. The two had discussed the possibility of a sequel years ago, keeping it a secret from everyone. Keaton explained, “If it happens, it has to be done as close to the way we made it the first time.”
Now, the movie is currently in production, and Keaton shared some details about Burton’s vision. Like the original film, they are “making stuff up, making stuff happen, improvising and riffing, but literally handmade stuff like people creating things with their hands and building something.” Keaton expressed that it’s the most fun he has had working on a movie in a long time.
The sequel boasts a fantastic cast, with Jenna Ortega from Wednesday set to play Lydia’s daughter, Catherine O’Hara reprising her role as Delia Deetz, Monica Bellucci joining as Beetlejuice’s wife, and Justin Theroux and Willem Dafoe in undisclosed roles.
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Beetlejuice 2 is scheduled to hit cinemas on September 6, 2024. Stay tuned for further updates.
