‘Beetlejuice’ sequel is in purgatory
Remember the scene in 1988’s “Beetlejuice” where Michael Keaton’s obnoxious Betelgeuse is stuck sitting in the afterlife waiting room?
That might sum up the foreverstalled state of the movie’s sequel, which has refused to fully die or go forward since director Tim Burton‘s fantasy drama hit three decades ago.
Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis played a recently deceased ghost couple trying to chase human occupants out of their quaint Connecticut home. They befriend the Goth teen Lydia (Winona Ryder), who unwittingly unleashes the full power of Keaton’s demon.
“Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian,” which changed the locale to a tropical island, was green-lit after the original film made $74 million, but never went into production. Ryder confirmed a “Beetlejuice” sequel on “Late Night With Seth Meyers” in 2015. Then crickets.
In 2017, industry news site Deadline reported that a new screenwriter was hired to write a script in time for the film’s 30th anniversary. Then silence.
But the sequel talk has kicked back up again with a “Beetlejuice” musical on Broadway (opening April 25), as well as Burton reuniting with Keaton for the live-action “Dumbo” (in theaters now).
When USA TODAY asked Burton what’s going on with the “Beetlejuice” sequel during an interview for “Dumbo,” he mumbled, “Nothing, nothing.”
But is “Beetlejuice 2” going to happen?
“I don’t know. I doubt it,” Burton said, and waved off further questions.
Keaton didn’t address the sequel directly, but didn’t sound like an actor ready to step back into the part, calling “Beetlejuice” both “lightning in a bottle” and “unique” during a “Dumbo” news conference.
Thus far, there’s been an animated “Beetlejuice” TV series (1989-1991), video games and now a stage production, but no sequel.
Warner Bros. has shelved the project, with studio spokeswoman Candice McDonough telling USA TODAY “the project isn’t in active development.”
Larry Wilson, one of the original “Beetlejuice” screenwriters, has watched the sequel discussions ebb and flow over 30 years.
“The bottom line is, Tim Burton and Michael Keaton are not going to think about a ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel unless it somehow catches the energy of the first film. And that’s not easy,” says Wilson. “‘Beetlejuice’ really was lightning in a bottle. But there have been discussions since it really shocked everyone in 1988. And in terms of ‘Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian,’ wiser heads prevailed. Thank God there’s a level of integrity here.”
Wilson is planning to attend the Broadway production’s gala premiere to revel in the new direction. He’ll see how the conversation goes from there.
“I don’t sit around in a bathrobe, watching ‘Beetlejuice’ and waiting for a sequel,” he says. “But all eyes are going to be on that opening night. It seems like they have really reinvented the movie and it’s looking like a real hit. So we’ll sit tight until then.”