Did someone say Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice? Because ‘the ghost with the most’ is back. Yes, after years of languishing in the mire of development purgatory, the Beetlejuice sequel has finally taken a step forward, and it’s all thanks to Brad Pitt.
Well, we say Brad Pitt. It’s actually his production company, Plan B, who, according to Deadline, has resurrected plans at Warner Bros. to produce a sequel to the hit ’80s comedy movie. The project is reportedly only in early development and hasn’t yet got a script, release date, or title.
The big question, though, is will leading man Michael Keaton return? A few years ago, we’d probably have said ‘no,’ but he’s shown a nostalgia for old roles recently. He’s once again donning the rubber cape and cowl that made him a megastar and reprising the role of Batman in The Flash and Batgirl. So maybe the MCU star will dust off his old black and white suit for “showtime”.
Directed by Tim Burton, Beetlejuice tells the story of Barbara and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), two recently deceased ghosts who turn to bio-exorcist Beetlejuice (officially spelt Betelgeuse, but no one would know who we were talking about if we spelt it that way) to rid their home of its new living residents.
Part comedy, part horror movie Beetlejuice was a huge success when it was released in 1988, earning millions at the box office and span off an animated series. Despite this success, though, a sequel never materialised.
Burton reportedly hired his frequent collaborator Jonathan Gems to write ‘Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian’, a sequel set in Hawaii. Unfortunately, Burton and Keaton were quickly distracted by Batman and Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian fell by the wayside.