The eccentric and creative genius director Tim Burton has returned once again to helm the highly anticipated sequel to his 1988 cult classic film Beetlejuice. Fans were treated to new footage from Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at CinemaCon that reveals more of the quirky supernatural world and characters that made the original so beloved.
The new Beetlejuice Beetlejuice teaser footage screened exclusively for attendees builds excitement around Burton’s special blend of the weird, magical and fun. It shows the return of Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, now a mother herself to a teenage daughter named Astrid played by rising star Jenna Ortega.
The story picks up three generations of the Deetz family returning to the small Vermont town of Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy.
Paranormal empath Lydia finds herself once again haunted by Betelgeuse and his plans to make her his bride, made even more urgent by the resurrection of his bitter undead ex-wife. Meanwhile Lydia’s teen daughter Astrid experiences her own brush with the paranormal when she falls for a local boy.
In the footage, Lydia attempts to give her daughter guidance on making contact with the dead and inadvertently summons back Michael Keaton’s chaotic trickster Betelgeuse.
“This ability didn’t exactly come with instructions, it happened when I was about your age,” Lydia tells Astrid. “The living. The dead. Can they co-exist? That’s what we’re here to find out.”
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The teaser footage cuts to Astrid frantically running from menacing sandworms in a desert landscape, suggesting she gets more than she bargained for when meeting Betelgeuse. Burton’s flair for the fantastical and creepy comes across in these scenes.
Betelgeuse encounters a shocked living person who can’t believe their eyes. “Do I look like a figment of your imagination?” Keaton quips with perfect comedic timing. Only an actor of his caliber could pull off a role as eccentric as Betelgeuse.
Burton and Keaton were both present at CinemaCon to discuss resurrecting this beloved property after 30 years. Keaton expressed initial nervousness about revisiting such an iconic character but says the script and cast won him over.
“It’s really [frick]ing good,” Keaton enthused. “I was very nervous to see if we could pull this off again, but every day just got better. This cast is so good. Everyone is so friggin’ funny.”
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Burton and Keaton agreed they didn’t want to turn the sequel into a CGI extravaganza, leaning more into traditional practical effects.
“The one thing that he and I decided on early, early, early on from the beginning, if [Burton and I] ever did it again, I was totally not interested in doing something where there was too much technology,” he says. “It had to feel handmade.“
“What made it fun was watching somebody in the corner actually holding something up for you, to watch everybody in the shrunken head room and say, ‘Those are people under there, operating these things, trying to get it right,’” he continues.
This means Burton’s unique directorial style full of heart, humor and fun that made the first Beetlejuice so special will be on full display in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Fans can expect his signature blend of fantasy, colorful visuals, and endearingly odd characters.
The sequel brings back stars Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O’Hara as her mother, along with some exciting new cast members. Monica Bellucci plays the role of Betelgeuse’s vengeful undead wife, adding a deliciously dark twist.
Acclaimed actor Willem Dafoe joins the cast as an afterlife cop hot on Betelgeuse’s trail. And Justin Theroux takes on an undisclosed part shrouded in mystery. Burton seems to be making sure his prized sequel is as star-studded as it is ghost-filled.
Burton also tapped Wednesday co-creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar to pen the script for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, so fans can expect smart writing and plenty of supernatural hijinks.
Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice arrives in theaters on September 6th, 2024, just in time for fans hungry for another taste of his signature weird and wonderful imagination. This sequel looks to honor everything that made the original so great while bringing exciting new characters and stories into the fold.
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It’s Showtime!
How is Lydia’s daughter fully Hispanic? Did she adopt?
When was the last time Burton directed a good movie? Over 15 years ago?