They release the trailer for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and these are all the details

Beetlejuice is back! Oscar-nominated singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton’s award-winning Beetlejuice. (Credits: Warner Bros)

Warner Bros. has announced that on September 6, 2024, movie theaters will witness the return of one of the most emblematic figures of horror and gothic comedy cinema: Beetlejuice. After three and a half decades, Michael Keaton will once once more give life to the unmistakable and chaotic character in the sequel Beetlejuice, under the direction of Tim Burton, who was also in charge of the original film that marked an entire generation 36 years ago. Expectations are high among the public and critics, who hope to see how this new installment will honor and expand the universe created by Burton in 1988.

Along with Keaton, Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) and Catherine O’Hara (Home Alone) will reprise their original roles, joined by new talents such as Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux (The Lesftovers). Ortega, known for her role in the recent Netflix series Merlina, will play Astrid, the daughter of Ryder’s character Lydia. The actress shared that her character is “weird, but different and not in the way one would expect,” hinting at the complexity and potential this new story might bring.

Catherine O’Hara, Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder and Justin Theroux in a key scene from “Beetlejuice 2.” (Credits: Warner Bros.)

The inclusion of Monica Bellucci (Spectre, Matrix) as Beetlejuice’s couple and Willem Dafoe (Poor Things) in the role of a former action actor who is now a police officer in the followinglife, along with the actors already mentioned , presage a work that skillfully mixes the classic with new elements. Burton has placed special emphasis on using practical effects and stop-motion animation to capture the visual essence that characterized the first film, thus promising a nostalgic but renewed experience for the viewer. Also joining the cast is Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon).

The sequel not only promises to be a milestone for its gathering of talents in front of and behind the cameras, but also for continuing to explore themes of family and transcendence, focusing its plot on a crucial event for the Deetz family that triggers the entire story. It is rumored that the death of Charles Deetz, Lydia’s father, might be the trigger for new conflicts.

The sequel to the iconic 80s film will be directed by Tim Burton and star Michael Keaton. (Credits: Warner Bros.)

“After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return to their home in Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the city in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened,” the synopsis advances. “With trouble in both kingdoms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his own kind of chaos,” concludes the plot summary for this sequel.

Although a sequel titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian had already been considered in the 1990s, it never materialized due to scheduling conflicts between the cast and the director. This anecdote highlights the difficulty of capturing the magic of a classic once more, a challenge that Tim Burton and his team seem willing to face with this new installment.

The original film not only launched the careers of Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, but also won the Oscar for Best Makeup for Beetlejuice’s iconic scruffy green hair, in addition to grossing more than €70 million at the box office. This sequel represents, then, not only the reunion of old friends but also the closing of a creative cycle that began more than three decades ago.

Michael Keaton returns to his iconic character in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice following more than three decades. (Credits: Warner Bros.)

This return of Beetlejuice to the screens is, without a doubt, one of the most anticipated cinematic events of the coming years, marking a new chapter in the prolific collaboration between Tim Burton and Michael Keaton, and promising to revive the spirit of one of the most darlings of late 20th century cinema with new twists and characters that, they hope, will capture the imagination of a new generation.