It’s showtime at last! After a long development cycle and a few false starts, “Beetlejuice” is finally getting resurrected. Warner Bros. is working on a sequel with Michael Keaton (the original Beetlejuice) and “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega leading the film. Find out everything we know so far about the return of the “Ghost With The Most” below.
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Here is the plot synopsis for "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," via Warner Bros.:
"Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem."
In May of 2024, the studio released the full-length trailer for the film, giving a closer look at the sequel's storyline:
Along with Keaton, original stars Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are returning for the sequel. O’Hara opened up about working with Keaton again, telling People, “Beetlejuice has aged very well.”
“I had a little two-person moment with Michael as Beetlejuice. I'd been in the first movie in group scenes with Michael, but in this, I had an actual moment where [it was just] the two of us. And it was just so crazy and thrilling, really, to just be face-to-face with Beetlejuice. He looks the same,” O’Hara says.
Also confirmed is “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega. Ortega is playing the daughter of Lydia Deetz, played by Ryder in the parent film. Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe, and Monica Bellucci also star in the sequel.
Burton, who directed the original “Beetlejuice,” is also returning to direct the sequel. "Wednesday" co-creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar wrote the script, from a story by Gough, Millar, and Seth Grahame-Smith ("The Lego Batman Movie").
The 1988 film also starred Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Annie McEnroe, and Jeffrey Jones.
Production for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” began on May 10 and finished filming in late Nov. 2023, per Burton’s Instagram account. The director shared the news with fans with a photo of himself on set, captioning the picture: “Just finished shooting Beetlejuice. Thank you to everyone involved.”
While this means the project is no longer casting, fans of Burton or Ortega can still get in on the action, thanks to Netflix’s “Wednesday.” The hit show is currently filming its second season. To learn how to get cast on “Wednesday,” check out our guide, or you can always peruse this roundup of major streamers casting talent now.
Despite the 2023 strikes and production delays, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” release date remains the same—Sept. 6, 2024. On Feb. 1, 2024, Burton shared an official poster for the sequel, which displayed the release date and the film's title as “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Previously the film was being referred to as “Beetlejuice 2.”
It’s been a long developmental road for the sequel, though, with multiple changes of hands over the years. This includes earlier drafts from Seth Grahame-Smith (“The Lego Batman Movie”) and David Katzenberg (“The Hard Times of RJ Berger”). Stay tuned for more updates!
Looking to get cast? Apply to casting calls on Backstage.