Justin Theroux joins ‘Beetlejuice 2’

Tim Burton is back to direct with Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder returning to star. ‘Wednesday’ and ‘Scream’s Jenna Ortega is also aboard.

Justin Theroux in HBO's 'The Leftovers.'

Tim Burton’s 1988 cult hit ‘Beetlejuice’ not only saw him work for the first time with Michael Keaton (who would go on to star as Burton’s Batman for two movies about the Caped Crusader, and then crop up in the director’s 2019 Disney live-action effort ‘Dumbo’), but also cemented him as a director whose kooky, oddball style could succeed at the box office.

It was popular enough to generate a big fan following, a wealth of merchandise and even a Broadway musical adaptation. But even with its enduring popularity, a sequel has been a long time coming.

That all changes now that ‘Beetlejuice 2’ is finally ready to kick off shooting, with Burton back calling the shots in the UK today. Cast-wise, Keaton and Winona Ryder (who played disaffected teen Lydia Deetz) are back, with ‘Scream VI’s Jenna Ortega (who starred for Burton in the recent Netflix hit ‘Addams Family’ spin-off ‘Wednesday’) playing Ryder’s daughter.

Now we know that Justin Theroux is also aboard in an unknown role.

So, how did we get here?

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

"The wait is almost over."

Not Yet RatedSep 6th, 2024

Showtimes & Tickets

After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia's life is turned upside... Read the Plot

The story of the Beetlejuice sequel

1988’s ‘Beetlejuice’ saw the spirits of a deceased couple (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) harassed by an unbearable family (Jeffrey Jones as Charles Deetz, Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz and Ryder as Charles’ daughter, along with various assistants and hangers-on) that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit (Keaton’s Betelgeuse, which is how his name is spelled) to drive them out.

But when Betelgeuse’s malicious chaos becomes too much, the ghostly couple team up with Lydia to try and stop him. Famously, he’s summoned by saying his name three times.

Burton enjoyed making ‘Beetlejuice’ enough that in 1990 hired Jonathan Gems to write a sequel called ‘Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian’, which would have seen the Deetz’ head to the island nation to open a resort, only to build on the burial ground of an ancient Hawaiian Kahuna. The spirit comes back from the afterlife to cause trouble, and Betelgeuse’s services are once more reluctantly required.

Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse in 1988's 'Beetlejuice.'

Related Article: Jenna Ortega in Talks to Star in ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel With Tim Burton Directing

The idea languished in development for nearly a decade, going through different scripts and potential writers (including ‘Heathers’ Daniel Waters, who instead went to work on ‘Batman Returns’ for Burton and Kevin Smith, who turned down the idea in favor of the similarly doomed ‘Superman Lives’), before ending its limbo status in apparent failure around 1997.

Yet after years of official silence, Warner Bros. decided to try again, hiring Seth Grahame-Smith to write a script that would set the story in contemporary times with Ryder and Burton back. But even that didn’t turn into anything, despite Mike Vukadinovich re-writing the script.

Now, though, Deadline reports that it’s officially back on, boasting a script from ‘Wednesday’ creators and Alfred Gough and Miles Millar.

‘Beetlejuice 2’, or whatever it ends up titled, should be in theaters on September 6th, 2024.