It is your favorite bio-exorcist returning. Yes, Betelgeuse—who is once again portrayed by Michael Keaton and is appropriately pronounced ‘Beetlejuice’—has made a comeback. Yes, the trailer for Tim Burton’s upcoming flick, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, was just released, teasing fans about what to expect from the eagerly awaited sequel.
Keaton will be joined by Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara, as Delia Deetz. Starring as Ryder’s daughter Astrid Deetz is Jenna Ortega, who earlier collaborated with Burton on the hugely successful Netflix series Wednesday. In addition, Willem Dafoe plays a ghost investigator, and Monica Bellucci assumes the role of Betelgeuse’s wife.
However, Keaton had specific demands for the project. After years of working with enormous green screens, The Flash actor, now 72, emphasized how refreshing it was to return to practical filmmaking.
Defying Expectations: Beetlejuice 2 Trailer Highlights Michael Keaton’s Brilliance
The news that Michael Keaton will be playing the lead role again has everyone incredibly relieved. Interestingly, he discussed the production of the much-anticipated sequel, stating that he had specific requirements.
Variety reported that he was adamant about keeping the amount of CGI in the movie to a minimum. In a time when cutting-edge technology frequently rules the film industry, this may seem like an odd choice. But for Keaton, it was a conscious decision motivated by a desire to preserve the spirit of the original 1988 flick To quote him:
“The one thing that [Tim] and I decided on early, early, early on from the beginning, if we ever did it again, I was totally not interested in doing something where there was too much technology. It had to feel handmade. It’s the most exciting thing. When you get to do that again after years of standing in front of a giant screen, pretending somebody’s across the way from you, this is just enormous fun.”
Keaton is reunited with Burton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara from the original cast of Beetlejuice in the sequel. Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe are among the newcomers. The former previously discussed her character with Vanity Fair:
“She’s weird, but in a different way and not in the way you’d assume, I would say. The relationship between Lydia and Astrid, my character, is very important.”
In addition to piqueing fans’ interest, Beetlejuice 2’s decision to forgo extensive CGI has generated conversations about how the film industry is changing. Keaton reprised his role of Batman in the heavily VFX flick The Flash before moving on to Beetlejuice 2.
Michael Keaton Discusses Beetlejuice 2’s ‘Handmade’ Feel
Michael Keaton, who was gracious enough to be hosted by Empire, talked about how much he was enjoying working on Beetlejuice 2, a movie that features the return of one of his iconic characters. He is obviously excited to be working with director Tim Burton again and to find more mayhem to unleash on his crazy bio-exorcist character. He shared:
“Beetlejuice is the most f–kin’ fun you can have working. 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.”
Well, after years of development limbo, Burton and Keaton are finally back with the long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel. And, from the sounds of it, making it by hand rather than using heavy CGI appears to be exactly what they wanted:
“Making stuff up, making stuff happen, improvising and riffing, but literally handmade stuff like people creating things with their hands and building something. F–kin’ great. It’s the most fun I’ve had working on a movie in I can’t tell you how long.”
And now, seeing the enthusiasm and elation surrounding the trailer, it’s clear that his stubbornness and gutsy decision paid off. And if its trailer is any indication, Beetlejuice 2 is shaping up to be one hell of a ride.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is arriving in theatres on September 6, 2024. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice (1988) can be rented on Apple TV.
