Entertainment

Is the Beetlejuice Sequel Finally Happening?

Beetlejuice is, without a doubt, one of the most iconic movies of all time. The 1988 offering from Tim Burton became a cultural phenomenon thanks to the director’s distinctive style and quirky storytelling, an exceptional performance from Michael Keaton, and numerous memorable catchphrases.

There has long been talk of a sequel for the classic hit, but nothing has ever come to fruition. It was announced last year, though, that Burton is keen to revive the franchise and a new title could be on the horizon soon.

Beetlejuice Was a Cultural Sensation

Beetlejuice had a highly original premise, and it’s hard to compare it to anything else that came before it. The movie was about a recently deceased couple who had to hire the services of Michael Keaton’s mischievous poltergeist, Betelgeuse, to scare away the new inhabitants of their house. Its box office take was impressive for the time, earning $74.7 million from a $15 million production budget.

Beetlejuice was also praised by critics and recognized at major award ceremonies. It was referred to as a “comedy classic”, and Keaton’s performance was deemed “deliciously manic.” It won the award for Best Makeup at the 61st Academy Awards and picked up Best Horror Film at the 1988 Saturn Awards. Beetlejuice also had a significant impact on the rest of the popular culture of the era. It led to many merchandising opportunities and spread out into a range of different media.

It’s not surprising that Warner Bros. is looking to revive Beetlejuice given its franchise potential in the modern age. The original film instantly spawned a spinoff television series, which aired from 1989 to 1991. It was an animated offering developed by Burton, who served as executive producer.

There were also numerous videogames at the time, including Adventures of Beetlejuice: Skeletons in the Closet for MS-DOS in 1990, Beetlejuice for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1991, and Beetlejuice: Horrific Hijinx from the Neitherworld! for the Nintendo Game Boy in 1992. There’s also a Beetlejuice slot game at PartyCasino, which is regarded as the best slot site in 2023 thanks to its generous welcome bonus. Players can get a deposit match when they sign up, and the range of games has been lauded as well. Along with all these related things, there was a theme park attraction at Universal Studios and a comic book series published by DC Comics.

If Beetlejuice 2 were to be released, there’s vast potential to expand the franchise in many fresh ways using the modern platforms available today. For instance, there could be mobile and console games, along with a spinoff series on one of the major streaming platforms. It could be argued that a new offering would have a great chance of smashing the box office record set by the original.

Beetlejuice 2 Has Been Touted for Decades

From all the related media that dropped after Beetlejuice, it’s clear that everyone involved wanted to capitalize on the 1988 picture’s popularity as much as possible. Burton was keen on following up on his early hit, and he hired Jonathan Gems to write a sequel in 1990 with the premise that Beetlejuice would be in Hawaii. Michael Keaton had already agreed to reprise his role as the iconic character, but he and Burton were both asked to work on Batman Returns. The superhero film became the priority and Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian was shelved.

Throughout the decades since Beetlejuice, there has often been talk about coming up with a new adventure for the character. Keaton and Winona Ryder have both professed in numerous interviews that they’d love to return to the franchise if the right project comes along. Indeed, back in 2013, Ryder hinted in an interview that something was happening, but she’d been sworn to secrecy. Throughout the 2010s, there was a lot of talk about various people being involved with a new script, but Warner Bros. eventually announced in 2019 that the project had once again been abandoned.

In February last year, it was announced that a Beetlejuice revival could be on the cards. Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment has reportedly teamed up with Warner Bros. to produce the movie, and this time it looks like it could well be going ahead. Various outlets have stated that the new film is officially happening, and now talk has turned to speculation about what it could be about. It will most likely catch up with all the characters from the original and see what has changed in the last 35 years.

Actors Keen to Reprise Their Roles

There’s no doubt that Beetlejuice is one of Keaton’s most iconic roles, and there simply wouldn’t be a project without the actor on board. That has been one of the consistent facts about any talk of a sequel over the years – Keaton has always been keen to get involved. Indeed, it was recently confirmed that the Batman star would be back in his distinctive suit if a new film was made. His main requirement over the years has been that Burton would have to be in the director’s chair if he was to return. This appears set to be the case as well, so the stars are aligning.

There are various other actors who have stated they would be happy to reprise their roles. Catherine O’Hara has confirmed that she has already signed on, and Ryder also declared that she was excited about returning to a role that helped propel her career massively. Along with those standout names, there are also rumors suggesting that long-term Burton collaborator Johnny Depp could also be involved. This would add some extra star power to the revival and could help boost its chances at the box office massively.

We’ve been here before and Beetlejuice fans have been let down on numerous occasions. However, now it feels as though a sequel could finally be happening. There’s a lot of noise around the project, which could potentially be ready for a late 2024 release if production gets underway soon.

Christopher Stern

Christopher Stern is a Washington-based reporter. Chris spent many years covering tech policy as a business reporter for renowned publications. He has extensive experience covering Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commissions. He is a graduate of Middlebury College. Email:[email protected]

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