Yes, the late 1980s classic film Beetlejuice is getting a sequel.
The beloved 1988 Tim Burton classic about ghosts haunting the new housemates of their former house is apparently a go. Speaking to Showbiz Spy, Burton said the film has been approved and everybody is on board.
“The film is a go and has been approved by the Warner Bros. team. We have talked with the cast members we wanted for the film and they are all on board, this includes both [Ryder] and [Keaton]. We have the script in hand everything is in place all we need to do now is get ready to start filming.”
Getting a sequel made is impressive for numerous reasons. A Beetlejuice sequel Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian was in development in the early 90s and underwent multiple rewrites, but ultimately never made it past that stage. It seemed like a sequel was never destined to happen.
The other big obstacle in making Beetlejuice 2 was getting the talent back on the project. Getting Tim Burton and Michael Keaton back together seemed impossible. Burton hasn’t done as much pure comedy in recent years and getting him back to jump on the nostalgia train never seemed like a given. Keaton, on the other hand, has become an Oscar good luck charm, starring in best picture winners Birdman and Spotlight in the last two years – and seemed keen on pursuing dramatic roles. It’s great to see them return to his roots almost 30 years later.
It’s hard to believe the project is official until filming actually starts, but for Beetlejuice fans saying his name three times in the mirror proved to be successful.
UPDATE: As it turns out, there’s probably a reason few people had previously heard of Showbiz Spy. Tim Burton certainly hadn’t. A representative for the director confirmed to MTV that Burton never provided the supposed statement to the site. Maybe a Beetlejuice sequel is being developed, but it’s not yet official.
