It's finally official: Beetlejuice 2 is in the works. It's been announced by Warner Bros. that the long-gestating sequel is in development, though this follows months of rumors that the sequel was finally getting on the right track. Per Screen Rant, Warner Bros. made the announcement during the studio's panel at CinemaCon, though not much else was announced beyond the confirmation that the sequel is in development. It's unclear if Michael Keaton will return to the role, though it seems likely, given his interest in doing so in the past. He's also had no issues in revisiting classic Tim Burton characters as seen by his return as Batman for the upcoming movie The Flash.
There have been rumors flaring about the movie's casting. It was previously reported in March that Wednesday star Jenna Ortega was being eyed for a major role in the film. Stranger Things star Sadie Sink had been up for the same part before turning it down, according to the rumor mill. It was also reported that Keaton was expected to come back with Burton also returning to the director's chair.
Last fall, Burton admitted he was working on a potential plan for Beetlejuice 2, but he wasn't getting his hopes up just yet on the sequel actually seeing the light of day. That's to be expected, given how he's contemplated making a sequel ever since the original film was released. At one point, he was planning a follow-up film called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Different writers have also been attached to try and help continue the story in subsequent years, but the project just never made its way out of development hell.
“Nothing is out of the question," Burton said last year, addressing if the film would happen (per Deadline). "I only know if I’m making a film when I’m actually on the set shooting. I try to go back to the root of everything. It springs from a seed and then it grows, rather than out these statements. I am working on ideas and things but it’s all very early days. We’ll set how it goes."
Beetlejuice 2 Is Finally Happening
Apparently, things have gone well, given that the movie has its official announcement. It will presumably pick up some time after the events of the original film, which was released in 1988. That movie, directed by Burton, was written by Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren. It stars Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton, Catherine O'Hara, Winona Ryder, and Robert Goulet.
While Beetlejuice 2 hasn't happened yet, the movie has been branched out into different mediums. It was given its own animated series that ran in the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was turned into a stage musical in 2016, which had performances off and on up to earlier this year. There have also been a variety of Beetlejuice comic books and video games.
According to reports, Beetlejuice 2 is expected to start filming in London in May or June of this year. The movie doesn't yet have a release date.