The ’80s Horror Comedy Classic On Max Getting A Big Budget Sequel

We’d say that it’s pretty likely for streaming numbers to go way, way up for Beetlejuice over the next month as audiences prep themselves for the sequel. The movie that started it all centers on a freshly married couple named Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin), whose house of their dreams soon becomes the dungeon of their nightmares after they die in a car accident with their spirits unable to depart from their beloved home. After a new family moves into their residence, the Maitlands are willing to go to extraordinary lengths to scare the new owners out for good and reclaim their property.

Along the way, a ghoulish entity known as Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) gets involved, with his questionable ethics and morals putting everyone involved in danger. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice has an angle of his own, as he hopes to get the very much alive daughter of the home’s new owners, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), to be his bride.

The original feature was a star-studded overnight classic that also boasted performances from the iconic Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) and Sylvia Sidney (Sabotage), the latter of whom received a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress for her work in the film. Running on a $15 million budget, Beetlejuice more than quadrupled its budget, raking in nearly $75 million at the global box office by the time the movie left theaters. Winning big at the Academy Awards, the movie took home the bragging rights of Best Makeup at that year’s festivities. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a long time coming as the legacy of Tim Burton’s sinisterly silly production has already found success in the ‘90s animated series and a hit Broadway musical. Even if you’re on the fence about how good a Beetlejuice sequel could possibly be, it’s a terrific sign that so many of the original players are back on board with Burton returning to the helm. The movie marks yet another collaboration between Michael Keaton and the filmmaker, with Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara also reprising their roles.

There are going to be plenty of exciting new faces in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as well, with Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) continuing the Deetz family tradition of goth-heavy influence as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid. Justin Theroux (The Leftovers) will appear as Astrid’s dad and Lydia’s husband, Rory, with Willem Dafoe (The Boondock Saints) as a ghost detective named Wolf Jackson and Monica Bellucci (Spectre) as Beetlejuice’s ex-wife.

Once you’re done reliving the magic of Beetlejuice, you can catch up on Tim Burton’s Batman and Batman Returns, both of which see Michael Keaton trade in the makeup and ghoulishly good looks for a cape and cowl. Watch the movie that started it all now before Beetlejuice Beetlejuice arrives on September 6.