Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder Reunite for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” in Cinemas September 4

The Juice is loose, Baby!

The mischief-making demon in black-and-white stripes is back! Michael Keaton returns as Beetlejuice, the bio-exorcist with a penchant for chaos, in the much-anticipated sequel “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” This film, directed by the visionary Tim Burton, reunites original cast members Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz) and Catherine O’Hara (Delia Deetz) with newcomers Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe. The film promises to deliver the same dead(ly) charm, ghastly humor, and quirky antics that made the 1988 original a cult classic.

A Long-Awaited Reunion

“It’s great when you see people that you haven’t seen for a while, and then you go back into it,” says Burton. “I didn’t realize it’s been like decades. You know, it felt like yesterday, and it’s quite amazing when that happens. It was great. Honestly, it was strangely emotional seeing them all together again. But that’s what made it a special thing.”

Despite the success of the original film, discussions of a sequel floated around for years without much traction. Burton reveals that what ultimately drew him back was the idea of revisiting the Deetz family 35 years later. “It’s like, what happened to the Deetz family? You know, it’s 35 years later, what happened to Lydia, this interesting teenager? And so you start to use your own life experience: you’re an interesting teenager. What happens when you become an adult? Do you have children? What are your relationships like? What have you become? Things happen to all of us as we get older and change – relationships, children – all those things. That was the nucleus of it for me that got me back interested in it – what happened to the Deetz family. It was quite emotional for me to revisit these characters.”

The Plot Thickens

In “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the Deetz family is drawn back to their eerie roots in Winter River following an unexpected family tragedy. Lydia’s life is thrown into turmoil when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), stumbles upon the mysterious model of the town in the attic, accidentally reopening the portal to the Afterlife. With Beetlejuice lurking just a name away, chaos is sure to ensue as the demon prepares to unleash his signature brand of mayhem once more.

The screenplay, crafted by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (“Wednesday”), with a story developed alongside Seth Grahame-Smith (“The LEGO® Batman Movie”), brings fresh twists to the beloved characters while paying homage to the original film.

A Nervous Return

Michael Keaton, who made Beetlejuice one of his most iconic roles, admits he was nervous about stepping back into the character’s shoes. “I was nervous, really nervous, because the choice that I made, that was a big leap. It was a risky move that happened to have worked. So then, you think, ‘Oh geez, can I pull that off again after all these years?’ I think there was way more pressure on this one – we didn’t really want to mess this up. I was very nervous about it and me. But we hope we got there. I think we did.” 

Keaton was especially thrilled to reunite with his original co-stars, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. “I was praying they would be back in it; you really need Catherine and Winona. To have them back was really fun. Winona is the sweetest and she just fit right back in… And Catherine’s a pal of mine – this is the third time we’ve worked together. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Tim Burton’s Vision and Nostalgia

Winona Ryder, who reprises her role as Lydia Deetz, echoes Keaton’s sentiments, describing the experience as “startlingly similar” to the original film. “startlingly similar. I don’t want to say even better, but… Well, these are the same characters, but they’re just older. Having been through the first one and the effect that it had, there was pressure in coming back to it, but there was also this complete trust, because it’s Tim. And also, I was going into something really, really brilliant and really special, because I’d been there when I was 15. And that’s all Tim, and that’s all Tim’s heart. His heart is just so fun, and it’s such a beautiful playground of emotion and humor, and everybody lives inside of it. You get to live in it for that time and it’s a really, really beautiful place to be.”

For Catherine O’Hara, who plays Delia Deetz, the “Beetlejuice” world holds a special place in her heart, not just for the fun but for personal reasons as well. “I met my husband [production designer Bo Welch] on the original, so that’s my first thought when I think, ‘What does that movie mean to me?’” she shares. “He designed the sets for the first movie. And Tim made him ask me out. So, I love them both.” Working with Burton, Keaton and Ryder on the sequel was “so fun! Like no time has passed,” says O’Hara. “It’s got the same great, loose, fun vibe that the first movie had. And that comes from the top… Tim and his great producers, who let him do what he does best.”

Mark Your Calendars

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” distributed in the Philippines by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Discovery company, is set to haunt cinemas on September 4. Get ready to say his name three times and witness the return of everyone’s favorite ghost with the most! #Beetlejuice #Beetlejuice

_{Photo & Video Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures}