Michael Keaton Breaks Silence on Beetlejuice 2 Sequel Announcement

Michael Keaton finally addressed his upcoming return as the titular character in Beetlejuice 2. 

The first Beetlejuice movie premiered in 1988, which elevated Keaton’s career along with Tim Burton and Winona Ryder’s after the film received widespread acclaim from fans and critics. 

Since then, clamor for a sequel has consistently popped up. In 2011, Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to pen the script for Beetlejuice 2, but Burton mentioned in 2016 that he would only return to direct the movie “under the right circumstances.” 

Michael Keaton Reacts to Beetlejuice 2 Return

In May 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery, via Variety, announced that Beetlejuice 2 will arrive in theaters on September 6, 2024. 

Beetlejuice filmmaker Tim Burton is set to return to the director’s chair, and it will also feature Michael Keaton’s return as the titular character and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. 

Speaking with Empire during an event highlighting his 1989 Batman movie and The Flash in London, Keaton broke his silence about finally reuniting with Tim Burton on Beetlejuice 2, with the actor giving high praise to the director: 

“He’s a rare breed, he’s a true artist. A true original.” 

Joining Keaton and Ryder in Beetlejuice 2 is a stellar cast that includes Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) as Lydia Deetz’s daughter, Catherine O’Hara (Home Alone) as Delia Deetz, Justin Theroux (The Leftovers), and Monica Belluci (Spectre) as Betelgeuse’s wife. 

The Hollywood Reporter then shared that Willem Dafoe (Aquaman, Spider-Man: No Way Home) joined the sequel’s stellar cast as a “law enforcement officer in the afterlife.”

Seth Grahame-Smith, the sequel’s original writer, revealed in a previous interview with Collider in 2012 that the events of Beetlejuice 2 will happen 27 years after the original. However, in 2017, Mike Vukadinovich was hired to rewrite the script that Grahame-Smith originally created. 

Despite that, the latest announcement about Beetlejuice 2 confirmed that Brad Pritt’s studio, Plan B Entertainment, is now spearheading the project as producers, with Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar credited as the sequel’s writers. 

What Is Beetlejuice 2’s Story?

Michael Keaton’s exciting comment about his return in Beetlejuice 2 is a promising sign for the sequel. Working with renowned director Tim Burton once again should be enough to propel the highly-anticipated sequel to newfound success. 

Meanwhile, plot details of Beetlejuice 2 are still being kept under wraps. However, the premise of the first movie could hint at how the sequel will explore new ways to tell the titular poltergeist’s story. 

At the end of Beetlejuice, Keaton’s character was banished to the netherworld while Lydia and the ghosts had a happy ending. The sequel could highlight how Beetlejuice escapes the netherworld, potentially seeking revenge against the Deetz family.

Given that Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar are now heavily involved, it’s possible that it will further explore the concept of family while also pushing Beetlejuice at the forefront. 

Jenna Ortega’s key role as Lydia Deetz’s daughter alongside Winona Ryder’s return may strongly indicate that the Deetz family will have a key role once again. 

Beetlejuice 2 is currently filming, set to premiere in theaters on September 6, 2024.