Hopes fade for ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel

The chances of seeing Tim Burton’s eccentric ghost return to the big screen keep getting slimmer as the years go by. According to Michael Keaton, who played the legendary Beetlejuice, the much-rumored follow-up could already be dead and buried.

Michael Keaton suggests “Beetlejuice” sequel is off the cards.
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“It’s possible that ship has sailed,” came Michael Keaton’s metaphorical reply when asked about the long-awaited “Beetlejuice 2” in an interview with showbiz news site Variety. There has been talk of a Beetlejuice sequel since the 1990s, but this famous follow-up has struggled to get off the ground, despite encouraging news over the last few years.

Until the early 2010s, a sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 hit comedy remained firmly in the realm of fantasy for both fans and the team (director Tim Burton and lead actors Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder). In 2011, the project started to take shape when a screenwriter was signed up. The idea of a sequel then gained traction, even if nothing was officially confirmed.

Script not up to scratch?

No specific reason has been given to explain the long delay. The actors have said they’ll happily appear in a second instalment and Tim Burton has never hidden his love of this mischievous and eccentric character. However, everyone seemed to agree that a follow-up should only see the light of day if the script was up to scratch.

And this could be the crux of the matter. “The only way to do it is to do it right,” said Keaton in the Variety interview. “So much of it was improvised and so much was beautifully handmade by the artist that is Tim Burton. If you can’t get close to that, you leave it alone.” These echoes Tim Burton’s words back in May, when the director suggested that the sequel was unlikely to come together despite persistent rumors.

Ahead of a possible reunion, Tim Burton, Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are all still pursuing their Hollywood careers. Tim Burton’s latest movie, “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Particular Children,” is up for US release September 30. “Birdman” star Michael Keaton is set to start filming “American Assassin,” and will be seen on the big screen in “The Founder” August 5, based on the true story of the McDonald’s founder, and in “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” due summer 2017. Winona Ryder currently stars in “Stranger Things,” a fantasy series that landed on Netflix July 15.