Tim Burton's latest directorial effort, Big Eyes, opens in U.S. theaters this; and thus, of late the filmmaker has been inundated with questions from the press about the long-awaited Beetlejuice 2. Burton has confirmed that the project - which would see Michael Keaton reprise his beloved role as the eponymous "Freelance bio-excorist" - is closer to becoming a reality than ever before in the many years since his original comedy/horror film was released in 1988.
However, although Winona Ryder is lined up to return as the grown-up Lydia Deetz, after so many years, it goes without saying that Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis won't be reprising their roles as the Maitlands from the original Beetlejuice (since, as Davis once pointed out, ghosts don't age). Meanwhile, it's sad to say, but there are certain cast members from the original movie - Glenn Shadix (who played savvy yuppie Otho), to be exact - who have passed away in the time it's taken Beetlejuice 2 to happen.
For those reasons, it's easier to understand what Burton meant when, during a recent interview with Yahoo! Movies, he indicated Beetlejuice 2 isn't something he thinks of as being a direct sequel to its predecessor. Here is the full quote from the director, on the topic:
"There’s a script now, that I think is closer to what it could be and I’m excited about it. I wouldn’t call it so much a sequel, but it’ll have some characters [from the original 'Beetlejuice']. It’s a bit too early to say but it’s definitely something that’s on my radar and something I’d love to do.”
Beetlejuice 2 is definitely in a different boat than most every other upcoming revival of a long-dormant property that's currently in the works. Such 2015 tentpoles as Jurassic World and Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens are meant to transition their respective franchises into the future, setting up for additional sequels and/or spinoffs. By comparison, Beetlejuice 2 screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith (Dark Shadows) has maintained from the beginning that the project was designed to bring Keaton back to his famous role - not, say, to cast someone else as "The Ghost with the Most" to appeal to a new generation of filmgoers.
This year's Dumb and Dumber To brought back Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels for yet another wild road trip as their Dumb and Dumber characters, offering moviegoers a second chance to spend time with their knuckled-headed onscreen counterparts. That is to say, Beetlejuice 2 will, most likely, travel a similar route; having Ryder as Lydia and Keaton as Beetlejuice reunite for some yet-to-be-revealed story purpose, as the basis for another kooky Burton comedy about the afterlife and the world of the living.
... Thing is, Dumb and Dumber To failed to recapture the magic of its predecessor for many people, including many a fan of the first movie. And unless it features a really good story to justify its existence, Beetlejuice 2 will likewise face all the greater challenge of trying to bottle lightning a second time so many years after the fact. So best to approach the proposal of another Beetlejuice movie with hopefulness, but more than a bit of caution at the same time.
We'll bring you more information on Beetlejuice 2 when we have it.
Source: Yahoo! Movies