"Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse, Betelgeuse". Hopefully, you had the good sense to not read that quote out loud, but if you did, then you may be getting a visit from a sleazy poltergeist pretty soon. Legendary auteur filmmaker Tim Burton had a niche following in his early career, having directed numerous short films, a TV movie, and a feature directorial debut with Pee Wee Herman's Big Adventure (1985). However, the moment when Tim Burton really became a household name was with the release of Beetlejuice (1988) - one of the most iconic horror comedies ever made. Though the story mainly follows a recently deceased ghost couple as they try to scare away a dysfunctional family from their own home, the film is named after and remembered for the film's villain, the character of Betelgeuse. Played to perfection by Michael Keaton, the Oscar-nominated actor channels his early days as a stand-up comedian to deliver a performance that is both hilarious and terrifying, despite having very little screen time.

Talks of a sequel to the run-away smash hit film began ever since the film was released in 1988, but for whatever reason, the project never got off the ground. Development on a sequel looked like it might have started up again in the 2010s, but the project was ultimately shelved yet again in 2019. The franchise has occasionally been resurrected in non-theatrical forms, such as theme park attractions, an animated series, and a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, but the itch for a proper sequel has always remained. Now, almost 30 years later, it looks like the long-delayed continuation of the Beetlejuice saga has finally found a new afterlife. Beetlejuice 2 is finally happening after years in development hell, with Tim Burton set to return to the spooky and surreal world of his breakout franchise along with original star Michael Keaton and Wednesday stand-out Jenna Ortega. Now titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice the long-awaited sequel, is finally starting to ramp up its marketing campaign. To find out more, here is everything we know so far about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Editor's Note: This article was last updated on March 24.

Does 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Have a Release Date?

Warner Bros has officially set a release date for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and it will finally be hitting the big screen on September 6, 2024. Since the Beetlejuice franchise is so well known for its creepy visuals and spooky atmosphere, it makes sense to think that Warner Brothers would be looking to release Beetlejuice 2 in the fall.

Will 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' be Released in Theaters or on Streaming?

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be premiering exclusively in movie theaters. Once its theatrical window ends, it will inevitably be available to stream on Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service Max.

Does 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Have a Trailer Yet?

Warner Bros released the first teaser trailer for Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice on March 22, 2024. Set to a children's chorus cover of "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)," the teaser trailer doesn't reveal much in terms of the plot, outside the fact that the Deetz family is dealing with a death in the family that brings "the Ghost With the Most" back into their lives.

On February 1, 2024, Warner Bros unveiled the first official poster for the sequel.

Who Is Starring in 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'?

Michael Keaton is returning as the iconic ghostly troublemaker that the movie is named after. Keaton of course has worked with Burton several times in his career, immediately playing his version of Batman a year after the first Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice would mark the second Tim Burton movie character that he has reprised, with the first being his surprising return as the Caped Crusader in The Flash.

Also, joining the cast of the film is Jenna Ortega, who became an overnight sensation following her starring role in Tim Burton's hit Netflix series, Wednesday. The new take on The Addams Family isn't Ortega's only claim to fame either, having also been a part of the recent revival of the Scream franchise. Ortega will play the role of Lydia's daughter, Astrid Deetz.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Ortega revealed what led her to sign on for the sequel:

“That’s why I was excited that they were bringing it back as well. I feel like studios nowadays, of course, they want people in seats, and you’ve got to do reboots or sequels or things like that to get people entwined, but to bring Beetlejuice back — of all of the stories — is so good because people need to revisit weird, strange, off-putting stories again. We need to introduce the younger generation that’s always on the phone to new artistic and creative ideas. The weirder you get with it, the more people you can get to see it, I think will probably do a lot for film in general.”

Winona Ryder is set to reprise her role as Lydia in the film with Justin Theroux (The Leftovers) as a character named Rory. Academy Award nomineeWillem Dafoe has also been cast in the movie, playing an afterlife law enforcement officer, described by the actor as a B-movie action star who died and became a cop in the hereafter. Monica Bellucci will star in the sequel as well, playing Beetlejuice's wife. Catherine O'Hara is also set to reprise her role as Lydia's mother Delia Deetz. Burn Gorman (The Dark Knight Rises) will play a local reverend and Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) will appear in an undisclosed role.

Who Is Making 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'?

Of course, Tim Burton is returning to make the sequel to one of the most influential films of his career. Since making Beetlejuice, some examples of his impressive filmography include Batman (1989), Edward Scissorhands (1990), and Corpse Bride (2005). The rest of the film's crew has not yet been revealed, but it's likely that many of Burton's usual collaborators will be returning, such as long-time Burton collaborator, and composer Danny Elfman.

When Did 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Film?

Following the initial reports about Beetlejuice 2, we also got an estimate on when the project was looking to begin filming. The film began production on Wednesday, May 10, 2023, in the UK. As a result of the WGA strike and subsequent SAG-AFTRA strike, the filming was paused just two days from completion. On July 6, People Magazine unveiled set photos of Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega filming a wedding scene. With the strikes now ended, production on Beetlejuice 2 resumed and the movie has now wrapped filming as of November 30.

In an interview with The Jess Cagle Show, Keaton revealed that he has already seen the sequel, going on to say:

"I've seen it now. I'm going to see it again after a couple of little tweaks in the editing room, and I confidently say this thing is great. The other one was so fun and exciting visually, it's all that but really beautiful and interestingly emotional here and there. I wasn't ready for that. It's great."

What Will 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Be About?

The official synopsis for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice reads:

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.

The story of the first Beetlejuice begins with Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara (Geena Davis) - a private young couple who live in a quaint house on top of a hill in a quiet neighborhood. When the two are prepping to go on vacation, they hit something of an unexpected speed bump - death. The two get in a car accident and now are trapped in their home as ghosts, now having to grapple with their new lives as specters. They react to the situation surprisingly well, seeing as how they never liked leaving their house much anyway, but that all changes when a new family moves into their humble abode. The family consists of desperately-in-need-of-relaxation father Charles (Jeffrey Jones), neurotic artist stepmother Delia (Catherine O'Hara), and their grieving Goth daughter Lydia (Ryder).

Fed up with the family (but tolerant of young Lydia), Adam and Barbara try to come up with a plan to get them out of the home they built. That leads them to meet Betelgeuse (yes that's how the movie spells it) - a self-proclaimed "bio-exorcist" who exorcises humans rather than demons. The shady character is charismatic, but ultimately extremely untrustworthy with ulterior motives of his own. So instead, Adam and Barbara decide to scare the new family themselves, which is easier said than done as their invisible to everyone except Lydia. They try to do this by possessing the family and making them sing "Banana Boat (Day O)" by Harry Belafonte, but this backfires as Lydia's parents view this as an unparalleled opportunity to make some real money.

Eventually, the parents and Delia's spiritual advisor and interior decorator Otho (Glenn Shadix) conduct a ritual to bring them into the real world, but this comes at the cost of permanently removing Adam and Barbara from existence. Feeling she has no other option, Lydia summons Betelgeuse and agrees to marry the repugnant wannabe stand-up comedian, which would officially unleash the currently exiled poltergeist onto the rest of the world. Lydia, Adam, and Barbara are thankfully able to stop Betelgeuse and send him packing to the afterlife. Thus, both the undead couple and the human family decide to peacefully coexist in the house, creating a big happy family. When we last saw Betelgeuse, he was nine millionths in line for an appointment in the afterlife, getting his head shrunk by the ghost next to him.

Is the First 'Beetlejuice' Available to Stream?

If you wish to revisit the original Beetlejuice, you're in luck. The first film is currently available to rent and buy on Prime Video.

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