The beloved spooky movie character Beetlejuice is returning to the big screen very soon. The sequel film, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to be helmed by Tim Burton and features an all-star cast in Catherine O'Hara, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe. Michael Keaton is also returning as the titular character, which is making the upcoming horror flick one of the most anticipated of the year. Apparently, Keaton had some problems with how the public reacted to the character, and wanted to make sure it didn’t affect the way he approached the character this second time around.
After Beetlejuice was released in 1988, the character became somewhat of a cultural touchstone for many. The character ended up on T-shirts, mugs, backpacks, and any other marketing material you can think of. Beetlejuice’s oddities drew many fans to the character, and in his own way became a pop culture icon especially amongst Tim Burton fans. This was something Michael Keaton found very off putting, considering it was his face and performance being marketed. He wanted the pop culture figure to be separate from him, and wanted to go back to his original influences for the character. He said to Empire:
That was fucking weird. To be honest with you – I’m being very frank – it was off-putting, to look and go, ‘I don’t want to look like all these little things, fuck that – what was the thing that started this?’
Based on the initial trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton has already succeeded. The teaser of his performance feels like a natural continuation of his performance in the '80s film, and not a forced imitation of a pop culture phenomenon. Nobody can play the character like Keaton, with his deranged energy and playful creepiness. It’s such a specific character, and fans will be happy to know he played careful not to be bogged down by Beetlejuice’s legacy with the Birdman actor’s latest approach.
There are still many details being kept under wraps about the film, but what we do know about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, is that it will follow the new generation of the Deetz family as they return home to Winter River after a family tragedy. Of course, the family home is still being haunted by the demon known as Beetlejuice and madness ensues. There is plenty to be excited about, with many in the original Beetlejuice cast returning, and the introduction of characters played by Justin Theroux and Jenna Ortega.
Sequels to beloved films can be a tough thing to navigate, but Michael Keaton has already expressed his happiness for how Beetlejuice Beetlejuice turned out, which should give speculative fans some pause. He has been enthusiastic about the highly anticipated sequel since he saw the script, and as someone who seems very protective over the original film, this is great news. I personally can’t wait to see Keaton return to Beetlejuice, and all the chaotic fun he creates in the pinstriped suit once again.
You can see Michael Keaton reprise his role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice when it hits theaters on September 6th. Fans can also revisit his performance in the original Beetlejuice film, which you can rent now on Amazon. For more information on other exciting films heading to cinemas this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.
