Beetlejuice 2 is casting a former Bond girl in an unexpected role: Beetlejuice's wife. The film, which is expected to release on September 6, 2024, will be directed by Tim Burton, who also helmed the original film. The original Beetlejuice, which came out in 1988, followed a recently deceased couple enlisting the help of an unruly spirit named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to get rid of the living family that has moved into the house that they now haunt.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Spectre star Monica Bellucci is currently in talks to take a major role in the Beetlejuice 2 cast. Although no further details were divulged, the report revealed that the character in question would be the wife of the infamous Beetlejuice. Because part of the first film's plot revolved around his attempts to get Winona Ryder's Lydia to marry him, this character has presumably come into his life in the decades since that film took place.
Monica Bellucci Joins a Cast of Heavy-Hitters in Beetlejuice 2
Bellucci is a screen icon who is well-known for her works in Italian and French classics as well as her steamy romance with Daniel Craig's James Bond. However, her work in Hollywood has also involved quite a few iconic titles, including The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. Most recently, she appeared in the Italian mob comedy Mafia Mamma opposite Toni Collette.
If she ends up taking the part, she will join a cast that already includes a roster of heavy hitters. The list begins with Keaton, who will reprise the iconic role, though his married life probably won't see him any more settled down. Winona Ryder is also set to return as Lydia Deetz opposite Catherine O'Hara, who reprises the role of her mother.
The Beetlejuice 2 cast will also bring in fresh blood in the form of Jenna Ortega as Lydia's daughter. The star will continue the goth trajectory of her career after starring in a variety of horror films like X and the new Scream films, which led to her getting the lead on the smash hit Netflix series Wednesday. While reviving an iconic property is now familiar territory for Ortega, this new casting announcement proves that the film's dynamic will likely be very different from what audiences are familiar with.
Source: THR