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
After years of rumors and false starts, Beetlejuice 2 is really ramping up with a slew of news for the Beetlejuice sequel coming shortly after the initial confirmation in May 2023. Perhaps most exciting of all, the long-awaited sequel now has a release date with Warner Bros. announcing Beetlejuice 2 will arrive on September 6, 2024. There has also being some confirmation (via Variety) in terms of the cast with Jenna Ortega officially playing the daughter of Lydia (Winona Ryder). It has also been reported (via Deadline) that Justin Theroux has joined the cast of the sequel in an undisclosed role.
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 2023. 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 Release Date
Beetlejuice 2 has set a release date for September 6, 2024. Interestingly, this release date is also currently occupied by the MCU’s Blade movie starring Mahershala Ali. While it is rare for two big movies like this to go head-to-head on the same release date, it isn’t likely this will be a problem for long. Blade has already paused its production due to the Writer’s Guild of America strike, and it is entirely possible Beetlejuice 2 will do the same, meaning both movies will likely need new release dates.
Beetlejuice 2 Cast Members
While Michael Keaton’s return was the biggest necessity for the Beetlejuice 2 cast, the sequel’s ensemble is shaping up nicely. After a lot of rumors and speculation, it was confirmed that Jenna Ortega has joined the sequel as Lydia’s daughter. Given that news, it is not surprising that Winona Ryder has also been confirmed to return as Lydia. Another new cast member for the sequel is Justin Theroux, whose role has not yet been revealed. It is not known if Bettlejuice 2 will feature Alec Baldwin or Geena Davis reprising their central roles as Adam and Barbara Maitland.
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.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
