Don’t grow out your Beetlejuice bangs just yet. After what seems like an eternity in limbo, the follow-up to Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic finally looks set to be released next year, with the director returning alongside stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder (fingers crossed Lydia Deetz hasn’t grown out of her goth phase).
Joining the haunted household this time around are Jenna Ortega (AKA the star of Tim Burton’s Wednesday), who is set to play the daughter of Ryder’s character, and Justin Theroux, whose role is yet to be revealed. Production is expected to start in London today (May 10).
In case you’re not caught up with your Beetlejuice lore, the original film revolves around a recently-deceased couple, the Maitlands, and the family that move into their house after they pass away, the Deetzes (including Ryder as the moody teenaged daughter). Annoyed by the Deetz family and their pastel-hued renovations, the Maitlands enlist the help of Beetlejuice, a crude and devious “bio-exorcist” from the spirit world, to scare the new family away – but predictably, havoc ensues.
Right now we don’t know much about the plot of Beetlejuice 2, though Wednesday writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar have penned the screenplay, according to Variety. Warner Bros. has also announced that the film is scheduled to hit the big screen on September 6, 2024.
Revisit the trailer for the original Beetlejuice below.