What is the current status of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice 2? Details explored

The magnificent Beetlejuice, which was originally released in theaters back in 1988, took the world by storm, but few expected the film to make a comeback decades later.

However, now, this rather unusual turnaround is very much real, and the film has been in development for quite some time, even featuring most of the original cast members like Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton, who played the titular character.

With the SAG-AFTRA strike halting production for a long time, most projects, including Tim Burton's long-awaited sequel to Beetlejuice, were affected. However, now it has been confirmed that the film has wrapped up production as of today. It was announced on Instagram earlier today, i.e., November 30. Burton told The Independent in September 2022:

"I feel grateful we got what we got...Literally, it was a day and a half. We know what we have to do. It is 99 percent done."

Production for the film was halted at a very crucial stage, with only two days left for the shoot. Since then, it was paused indefinitely until the strike wrapped up for good. With a little luck, the film could have gone into post-production long before.

Beetlejuice 2 will premiere theatrically on September 6, 2024.

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What is Beetlejuice 2 about?

Made as a sequel to 1988's Beetlejuice, the film is expected to follow the same characters and have a similar storyline. Based on a story by Seth Grahame-Smith, the film will follow Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse as he engages in another set of gothic antics.

The film also brings back Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, among others, maintaining character continuity.

The exact plot details are still blurry, but with the shooting wrapped up, it shouldn't be long before we get to know much more from WB and Tim Burton.

Keaton previously told Empire magazine in an interview that Burton was prioritizing the practical effects of the film.

"Beetlejuice is the most fuckin’ fun you can have working,...It’s so fun, it’s so great. And you know what it is? We’re doing it exactly like we did the first movie. There’s a woman in the great waiting room for the afterlife literally with a fishing line – I want people to know this because I love it – tugging on the tail of a cat to make it move," he said.

"It has to be done as close to the way we made it the first time. Making stuff up, making stuff happen, improvising and riffing, but literally handmade stuff like people creating things with their hands and building something. Fuckin’ great. It’s the most fun I’ve had working on a movie in, I can’t tell you how long," he added.

So for the most part, Beetlejuice 2 will follow in the veins of the original film, right down to the production techniques.

The film also adds several talented new faces to the story, which would spice things up further. The new additions include Wednesday star Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, and Justin Theroux. The film will also feature the very talented Willen Dafoe, who has long been a perfect casting choice for any kind of horror.

Beetlejuice 2 is set to be theatrically released on September 6, 2024, by Warner Bros. Pictures.