Beetlejuice 2: Tim Burton Claims He Fell in Love With Movies Again After Working With Partner Monica Bellucci for the Sequel

Tim Burton films have always ensnared us in a fantastical, whimsical world. The director who defines modern Gothic on the screen is set to once again ignite our imagination with his return to the bizarre world of Beetlejuice 2. It’s been 35 years since this quirky and humorous masterpiece captivated audiences with its dark, gothic aesthetic and eccentric characters. The 1988 movie Beetlejuice was a box office hit that grossed over $73 million in the United States alone and won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Special Effects.

Tim Burton conjures his gothic magic in Beetlejuice 2

Director Tim Burton is set for the highly anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice 2, with all the incredible characters. Michael Keaton is back in the iconic title role of Beetlejuice, along with Stranger Things actor Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz, in addition Some new actors are coming on board, Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, and Wednesday star Jenna Ortega. Remarkably, Beetlejuice also marked the iconic reunion of the director and actor of Wednesday.

In an interview with Empire, Keaton expressed his enthusiasm for reprising the role and also revealed that the sequel will be shot the same as the first movie.

“Beetlejuice is the most f—in’ fun you can have to work. 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, “There’s a woman in the great waiting room for the afterlife literally with a fishing line—I want people to know this because I love it—tugging on the tail of a cat to make it move.”

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The whimsical adventure of Beetlejuice revolves around the story of deceased couple Adam and Barbara Maitland, portrayed by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, who seek help from the mischievous ghost Betelgeuse, donned by Keaton, to scare away the family that has moved into their home. With its imaginative artwork and quirky characters, the movie takes us on an unpredictable wild journey to the afterlife.

Michael Keaton and Tim Burton wanted the sequel to stay true to the original film

Keaton and Burton had a long discussion about creating Beetlejuice 2 and wanted to keep it under wraps until they moved for it.  He continued,

We both agreed that if it happens, it has to be done as close as possible to the way we did it the first time. Making stuff up, making stuff happen, improvising, and riffing, but literally handmade stuff, like people creating things with their hands and building something, is freakin great. It’s the most fun I’ve had working on a movie in I can’t tell you how long.”

He emphasized that the new movie should maintain the same cult character as the original film, which needs more improvisation and should maintain the same spontaneity as the previous one did.

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Tim Burton’s lover to join as Beetlejuice’s wife

In the recent interview Burton had with the Independent, he shared specifics about the imminent movie and teased a “back to basics” approach.  He expresses the emotional closure he had working on Beetlejuice over his other films.

“That’s why it is hard for me to watch the movies afterward because I still feel the emotional aspect of them.” I don’t get a release from that. But I do enjoy all the people I’ve worked with. On this last one, Beetlejuice 2, I really enjoyed it. I tried to strip everything away and go back to the basics of working with good people, actors, and puppets. It was kind of like going back to why I liked making movies.”

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The upcoming movie will cast Burton’s partner, Monica Bellucci, as the wife of Beetlejuice. Monica Bellucci is a former model and has been known for her roles in the Matrix movies and James Bond’s Spectre. Beetlejuice 2 will haunt theaters on September 6, 2024. The first film is available to stream on Hulu.

Source: Independent and Empire