The hype is really starting to build for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a long-awaited sequel to the 1988 original. Michael Keaton coming back to play the iconic titular character is exciting in and of itself. Director Tim Burton is a frequent collaborator of Keaton’s, and wouldn’t be inclined to do a Beetlejuice follow-up just for the sake of it unless there was a worthy story to tell.
While the teaser didn’t reveal a whole lot, it was fun to get a look at the cast, including Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara returning to the characters they played in the first movie. Jenna Ortega is playing Winona’s daughter, which is bound to bring us some comedy gold. But the best part of the teaser has to be the end, where the old mini model of the property animates and brings Beetlejuice back to the land of the living.
It’s understandable that some are skeptical about this movie, given that Keaton’s return to Batman in The Flash netted a one-off appearance in a soon-to-be-rebooted cinematic universe. The whole vibe and use of practical effects from this teaser makes me think Beetlejuice Beetlejuice really is getting back to the roots of what made the first one so memorable.
As for how or why somebody would’ve let The Juice loose, well, that’ll be interesting to see. All the characters must know that saying “Beetlejuice” three times in a row is what resurrects the guy. Will it be Ortega’s character being rebellious and ultimately responsible for unleashing the ultimate agent of chaos yet again? Hard to say, since in the teaser, Winona’s Lydia Deetz is the one in the room when Beetlejuice rises. There’s still so much mystery as to what the story is, though — and that’s what has me leaning in more than I thought I would.
This dude looks ready to roll.
Keaton’s physical comedy as Beetlejuice is some of the most kinetic you’ll ever see. There’s just no telling what the character is going to do at any given moment. Has to be an absolute blast to play as an actor. So no, the new Beetlejuice movie doesn’t seem like a cynical nostalgia bait type of project.
We’ll see how it all turns out on September 5 when it hits theaters everywhere. Can’t wait to see if Keaton and Burton cooked.
