Will Michael Keaton be back as the "bio-exorcist" Betelgeuse in the long-gestating sequel Beetlejuice 2? He might be, but only if original director Tim Burton is involved.

Michael Keaton has only appeared in one sequel, reprising his role as Bruce Wayne in 1992's Batman Returns, which was also directed by Tim Burton (returning as Jackie Brown's Ray Nicolette in Out of Sight doesn't really count). Speaking with MTV, the actor claims that Betelgeuse is the one role he'd like to try again. And that he has had talks with Tim Burton. But nothing is set in stone just yet.

"I've e-mailed Tim a couple of times, talked to the writer a couple of times, but all really, really preliminary stuff until relatively recently. I always said that's the one thing I'd like to do again, if I ever did anything again. But it kind of required Tim to be involved some way or another.

Now it looks like he is involved. And without giving too much away we've talked to each other, and e-mailed each other, and if he's in, it's going to be hard not to be in."

Seth Grahame-Smith is writing the screenplay for Beetlejuice 2, with Tim Burton in preliminary talks to return as director. Winona Ryder has also teased her return as Lydia Deetz on many occasions.

Michael Keaton can currently be seen in RoboCop, which will quickly be followed by Need for Speed and Birdman later this year. Tim Burton recently completed the biopic Big Eyes, and may next direct Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which is set for a summer 2015 release date. If he does direct Beetlejuice 2, we won't likely see it until 2017 (at the earliest), at which time, Michael Keaton will actually be as old as his Betelgeuse character.