Beetlejuice 2’s Latest Update Is Great News For Fans
Beetlejuice 2 is going to start filming this year, perhaps as early as May, and it's possibly going to star Wednesday's Jenna Ortega.
Fans have uttered his name for years, and now the devilish bio-exorcist Betelgeuse finally looks to head back to the big screen. After more than 30 years in development limbo, Beetlejuice 2 is coming to life. According to MovieWeb, original Beetlejuice star Michael Keaton, and director Tim Burton will return for the long-anticipated sequel, which we know will start shooting this summer, maybe as soon as May.
Produced by Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Warner Bros., filming for Beetlejuice 2 is rumored to begin earlier than estimated but decades beyond when it was first announced. Details about the film’s story have been kept tightly under wraps, but the new movie is rumored to follow the daughter of Lydia, the character originally played by Winona Ryder in 1988 original.
Wednesday actress and scream queen phenomenon Jenna Ortega has reportedly been circling a role in Beetlejuice 2, potentially as Lydia or Lydia’s daughter, depending on the story’s slant. Stranger Things star Sadie Sink has also been rumored to play Lydia’s daughter.
In addition to Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, the original Beetlejuice boasted an all-star cast that included Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Jones. The film was a hit with critics and at the box office, earning nearly $75 million against its $15 million budget. Discussions about Beetlejuice 2 have been on and off ever since.
Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, and all the stars of Beetlejuice went on to huge success in their careers after the film. Over that span, there have been Beetlejuice cartoons, video games, and stage productions. Several ideas and scripts for Beetlejuice 2 have swirled around Hollywood, but nothing has stuck.
In the age of sequels and reboots, the stars may have finally aligned to resurrect the beloved Michael Keaton role. The actor has seen a career revival since the 2014 release of Birdman, while Burton is coming off one of his biggest hits in years with Netflix’s Wednesday. Keaton is the only original star expected to return for Beetlejuice 2, though many others have expressed interest over the years.
In addition to Beetlejuice 2, Michael Keaton will appear in this summer’s The Flash, in which he will reprise another of his most famous roles: Batman. Keaton hasn’t played the Caped Crusader since 1992’s Batman Returns, which he also made under the direction of Tim Burton.
Jenna Ortega also makes a nice addition to Beetlejuice 2. The actress’s popularity has exploded recently with hits like Scream V and VI, You, X, and Wednesday. Ortega praised Tim Burton, who directed her in the Addams Family spin-off, and with the show has embraced her reputation as a modern horror icon.
Beetlejuice tells the story of a pair of recently deceased ghosts, played by Davis and Baldwin, who attempt to scare off a family moving into their home. When their attempts fail, they hire Betelgeuse, a bio-exorcist who will haunt the house and get rid of the pesky living – for a price. Beetlejuice 2 will likely tell another haunted house story, but fans will have to wait to see how the film brings the wackiest Michael Keaton role back from the dead.
