Beetlejuice 2: The Trailer Is Here

Beetlejuice fans have been waiting rather a while for a sequel to the film – 36 years, to be exact. Tim Burton’s horror-fantasy-comedy classic first came out in 1988, and although he began planning a follow-up just a couple of years later, it ended up taking decades to actually make it happen. But finally, Beetlejuice 2 is set to hit cinemas this year, with a star-studded cast which will see some of the originals reprising their roles. Here’s everything we know so far.

Beetlejuice 2: Plot, Cast, Release Date

Recap: What Is The Plot of Beetlejuice?

When it came out in 1988, Beetlejuice was a box-office hit – and it has gone on to become a cult classic. The film tells the story of suburban couple Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) who die on their way to their Connecticut country house. They find themselves stuck haunting the residence, and when the Deetz family buy the property, they attempt to scare them away – attracting a spirit called Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) to assist. But Betelgeuse has other ideas…

Why Has Beetlejuice 2 Taken So Long?

It’s been a long road to getting Beetlejuice 2 off the road – but this wasn’t for a lack of trying. Back in 1990, Burton allegedly hired a writer to pen the script for a sequel called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, which would have seen the Deetz family moving to Hawaii to develop a resort (located on a burial ground, naturally). However, this never came to fruition. 

In 2011, Warner Bros. had another attempt at a sequel, enlisting Seth Grahame-Smith to work on the script. But in 2019, this one was shelved too. Fast forward to 2022, and a new movie was announced – this time with Brad Pitt’s studio Plan B Entertainment, alongside Warner Bros. Finally, this one actually made it through to production, with filming kicking off in May 2023. 

Who Is In The Cast?

The cast was worth the wait. Spook queen Jenna Ortega will star as Lydia Deetz’s daughter Astrid in the movie, having worked with Burton previously on Netflix series Wednesday – which went on to become one of the platform’s biggest shows. Speaking about her character in an interview with Vanity Fair, she said: ‘she’s weird, but in a different way and not in the way you’d assume, I would say. And it’s also really strange because it’s a lot of catching up and putting the pieces together of what’s gone on in Lydia’s life since, which is nice, I think, for anybody who loves the character and is excited to see her again.’

Ortega will be joined by a number of other new additions including Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux. They’ll star alongside some of the original cast members, who will be reviving their roles: Keaton as Betelgeuse, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz.

Keaton has spoken about his excitement about the sequel, saying: ‘It’s so fun, it’s so great. And you know what it is? We’re doing it exactly like we did the first movie.

‘[Tim Burton] and I were talking about it years and years ago, never telling anybody. We’ve both said we’re doing it many times. We both agreed, if it happens, it has to be done as close to the way we made it the first time. Making stuff up, making stuff happen, improvising and riffing, but literally handmade stuff like people creating things with their hands and building something.’

What’s The Plot of Beetlejuice 2?

The official synopsis from Warner Bros says: ‘Beetlejuice is back! 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 down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.’

Is There A Trailer?

Yes – a first look teaser trailer has just dropped. It opens with a chilling rendition of Harry Belafonte’s song Day-O, giving us a first look of Ortega riding a bike along a rural road, before cutting to a funeral scene. We also see Keaton as Betelgeuse, popping up in front of a terrified Lydia Deetz and announcing: ‘the juice is loose’. 

When Is The Release Date?

Beetlejuice 2 will be released in UK cinemas on 6 September 2024.