In an exciting development for fans, a new trailer for Tim Burton’s highly anticipated sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, has been released, showcasing an intriguing array of new characters portrayed by Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, and Justin Theroux.
Scheduled for a cinematic release on September 6, the film continues the legacy of Burton’s classic 1988 horror comedy, Beetlejuice. The trailer reveals a significant plot point: the death of Charles Deetz, originally played by Jeffrey Jones.
Winona Ryder returns as Lydia Deetz, now an adult with a daughter named Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega, known for her role in Wednesday. Following Charles’ death, Astrid summons Beetlejuice, with Michael Keaton reprising his iconic role.
Catherine O’Hara also returns as Delia Deetz, Lydia’s mother. New faces in the cast include Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s wife, Willem Dafoe as the ominous Wolf Jackson, and Justin Theroux as a character named Rory. Additionally, Arthur Conti from House of the Dragon makes his feature film debut.
Earlier this year, Tim Burton discussed the inspiration behind the sequel, sharing that it mirrored his own life journey “from cool teenager to lame adult.” The 65-year-old director told Entertainment Weekly about the surreal experience of seeing Keaton don the Beetlejuice costume once again. “He just got back into it,” Burton said. “It was kind of scary for somebody who was maybe not that overly interested in doing it. It was such a beautiful thing for me to see all the cast, but he, sort of like demon possession, just went right back into it.”
Burton revealed that he and Keaton had considered a sequel for years but only pursued it once it felt right. “I think we all felt the same way. It only made sense if it had an emotional hook,” he noted, explaining that this hook was found in Ortega’s character, Astrid.
Reflecting on the personal connection to the project, Burton said, “I so identified with the Lydia character, but then you get to all these years later, and you take your own journey, going from cool teenager to lame adult, back and forth again. That made it emotional, gave it a foundation. So that was the thing that really truly got me into it.”
In an interview with The Independent last year, Burton shared how working on Beetlejuice 2 rekindled his passion for filmmaking. “I tried to strip everything and go back to the basics of working with good people and actors and puppets. It was kind of like going back to why I liked making movies,” he said.