It’s been decades since audiences last saw the ghost with the most, and it was confirmed in 2023 that sequel Beetlejuice 2 is finally in development. Beetlejuice was the movie that cemented Tim Burton as one of the most distinctive filmmakers in Hollywood. The 1988 movie was a blend of horror and pitch-black comedy, mixed with Burton’s unique visual style, that provided both Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton with career-defining roles. Beetlejuice would spawn a long-running animated series, a number of video games, and a broadway musical. In 2011, Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to write a script for Beetlejuice 2, but the sequel had been in development hell ever since.
Grahame-Smith — who wrote Burton’s Dark Shadows movie adaptation — once stated that Beetlejuice 2 was supposed to start filming in late 2015, and that it would take place 27 years after the original. Meanwhile, Burton said he would direct the sequel under the “right circumstances,” back in 2016. Another fairly recent Beetlejuice 2 update involves Mike Vukadinovich, who was hired in late 2017 to rewrite the script. Later, in March 2022, it was announced that Brad Pitt’s company Plan B Entertainment was reportedly heading the sequel’s production, with Keaton and Ryder returning as Beetlejuice and Lydia, respectively. Here is every important Beetlejuice 2 updates so far now that the sequel is officially entering development.
Latest Beetlejuice 2 News
Rumors of a sequel to Beetlejuice being in development had circled for months. Then, at Warner Bros.’ CinemaCon 2023 panel, the studio finally confirmed that Beetlejuice 2 is officially in development. A little over one month before this announcement, reports surfaced regarding Jenna Ortega — whom Tim Burton worked with on Wednesday — having a key role in the Beetlejuice sequel. There wasn’t any news on confirmed Beetlejuice 2 cast members alongside the announcement, although it’s a near-guarantee Michael Keaton will be reprising his role. There are also heavy rumors that Jenna Ortega is involved. WB. also confirmed at CinemaCon 2023 that Tim Burton will direct Beetlejuice 2, and its writing team includes long-time Burton collaborators Seth Grahame-Smith and Michael McDowell, and Child’s Play and It producer David Katzenberg.
Beetlejuice 2 Is Confirmed
Undoubtedly, the biggest of the Beetlejuice 2 updates is that it’s officially been green-lit by Warner Bros. Moreover, Michael Keaton is confirmed to be reprising his titular role as the ghost with the most. Following Warner Bros’ announcement that Beetlejuice 2 is indeed happening, filming is slated to begin in May or June 2023. This means that barring any huge hiccups in development and production, Beetlejuice 2 could see the light of day as early as late 2024 — perhaps in time for Halloween of that year.
Beetlejuice 2 Cast Members
Currently, there’s no officially confirmed Beetlejuice 2 cast beyond Michael Keaton. However, Jenna Ortega is heavily rumored to be involved in the project as reported by multiple outlets. Jenna Ortega’s specific role in the sequel is thus unknown if the reports are indeed accurate, but thanks to her age there’s speculation she could be Lydia’s daughter. It is not known if Alec Baldwin or Geena Davis will reprise their central roles as Adam and Barbara Maitland. Meanwhile, though Winona Ryder has been vocal about her desire to reprise her own role as Lydia for the sequel, it’s not yet confirmed whether Ryder will join the cast of Beetlejuice 2.
Beetlejuice 2 Story Details
While plot details for a second movie are not yet readily available, Burton once hired a writer for a follow-up called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, feeling it would be funny to mesh the gothic, German expressionist stylings of the original with a cheesy beach movie. The rough plot featured the Deetz family moving to Hawaii to open a holiday resort, and needing Beetlejuice’s help when they disturb the burial site of an ancient demon. Tim Burton has been tight-lipped about any details concerning the plot of Beetlejuice 2, but any of these prior plans for the scrapped sequel could find a new life in the upcoming movie.
Why Beetlejuice 2 Has Taken So Long
While the original cast was committed to returning for Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, Burton and Keaton soon became busy on 1992’s Batman Returns. Burton then moved on to Superman Lives, which he later dropped. Kevin Smith, who once wrote a draft of Superman Lives, was once offered the chance to rewrite the Beetlejuice sequel, but passed on the project. By 1997, that version of Beetlejuice 2 was declared dead, and a sequel seemed unlikely. Nearly three decades later, however, Beetlejuice 2 is finally officially on the way. With the gears finally moving thanks to Warner Bros., more Beetlejuice 2 updates are bound to arrive soon.
