Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel to his 1988 classic is almost upon us, but beforeBeetlejuice Beetlejuicehits theaters on September 6, starMichael Keatonis teasing that this second outingis much stronger than the first in terms of story. Keaton stars as the titular Ghost with the Most,reprising the rolethat helped make him famous more than 35 years ago. He’s joined by returning cast members Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, with newcomers Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci in tow.
Speaking with Total Film (viaGamesRadar), Keaton said that Burton’s new film has a “stronger story” than the 1988 original. That’s saying something, as in most cases, sequels tend to be weaker than their predecessors,with few exceptions. Keaton explained his reasoning for touting such a bold claim, adding,“there’s more of a connection for the audience in terms of the other characters.”
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
Burton has the heavy task of not makingBeetlejuice Beetlejuicea nostalgic act, balancing the old with new for two generations of moviegoers: one who grew up on his first film, and another that is being introduced to his world for the first time. When it came time to don the stripe suit, Keaton says that he was pleasantly surprised by what the sequel was trying to accomplish, mentioning that what Burton created made it easy to not lean heavily on said nostalgia.
There’s things in here that I wasn’t ready for, that are beyond delightful. Instead of saying, ‘I can’t wait until this thing shows up,’ or, ‘I just want this thing called Beetlejuice to go nuts.’
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Is Like Opening Up Tim Burton’s Head
Before Burton directedBeetlejuicein 1988, he had only helmed one other film: the zany comedy that would go on to launch a Saturday morning kids' show,Pee-wee’s Big Adventure. While that movie was grounded somewhat in reality,Beetlejuicewas a supernatural tale unlike anything seen before, with stunning visuals, offbeat characters, and a storyline that lent itself to the strange and unusual.
It’s a tough act to follow, for sure, but newcomer Justin Theroux – who plays Winona Ryder’s husband in the new flick – says that Burton has created something that “takes some very big swings,” and that stepping onto set was like stepping into a dream straight fromthe mind of a creative madman, rather than a studio-produced movie.
“There’s the phantasmagoria and it feels slightly out of control and unhinged. It has that vibe to it. It’s clear this movie was not made by taking polls from audiences, and studio notes, and executives going, ‘Well, what’s the most satisfying act three?’ This is 100% like someone opening the front of Tim Burton’s head, and letting it dump out onto the screen. It’s a fabulous ride for exactly that reason.”
What Does Beetlejuice Taste Like? Fanta’s New Drop Lets You Find Out
Some might say things have gone too far, but we can’t wait to taste the ghost with the most!
Anticipation is high forBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, and with all the hype surrounding it, we are eager to see what Burton has managed to accomplish this time around. Considering not only his past offerings like the original, but others such asCharlie and the Chocolate Factory,Alice in Wonderland, andBig Fish, we’re confident of at least one thing: that Burton will manage to immerse us all in a world that could only come from the mind of a true artist.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuicehits theaters on September 6. Check out the trailer below.
