Nearly 30 years after the original haunted our dreams, Beetlejuice is finally getting a sequel. Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic comedy-horror film took the world by storm with its twisted sense of humor and surreal supernatural thrills. Now Michael Keaton is set to don the ghostly makeup once again for Beetlejuice 2.

Fans have been clamoring for a follow-up to the spooky misadventures of the “ghost with the most” for decades. And after years stuck in development hell, it looks like Beetlejuice 2 is crawling its way back to the land of the living.

From the returning cast to the potential plot, here’s everything we know so far about the highly-anticipated next chapter in the beloved franchise.

Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder Reprise Their Roles

The decrepit waiting room won’t be quite so lonely this time around. Michael Keaton is confirmed to reprise his manic performance as the titular poltergeist Betelgeuse. It just wouldn’t be Beetlejuice without Keaton bringing his deranged slapstick energy to the role.

Alongside Keaton, Winona Ryder will also return as Lydia Deetz, everyone’s favorite gloomy teen with a dark imagination. Lydia was able to see Betelgeuse when no one else could, forging a macabre friendship with the “ghost with the most.”

Seeing Keaton and Ryder step back into these iconic parts over 30 years later will be a nostalgic blast for fans. And the two stars slipping back into their eccentric chemistry on screen together again after all this time is sure to conjure up some serious box office magic.

Catherine O’Hara and More Familiar Faces

Lydia’s delightfully narcissistic stepmother Delia will also be returning, with Catherine O’Hara back to reprise the role. O’Hara’s committed campy performance as the self-absorbed Delia was a highlight of the first film. So more of her eccentric antics is great news for the sequel.

We can also expect some other familiar faces to pop back up, with cast announcements still rolling in. But so far, it’s looking like the main players from the original misadventure are getting the band back together. The returning veterans will lend Beetlejuice 2 some authenticity, while also passing the torch to a new generation.

Jenna Ortega Plays Lydia’s Daughter

Joining the lineup is rising star Jenna Ortega, who will play Lydia’s daughter in Beetlejuice 2. Ortega recently had a major breakout performance as the iconic Wednesday Addams in Tim Burton’s Netflix series Wednesday.

With her pitch-perfect deadpan and natural screen presence, Ortega stole the show right out from under Catherine Zeta-Jones. So getting to team up with Burton and Keaton again in Beetlejuice 2 is quite the encore.

Seeing goth girl Lydia all grown up as a mother herself adds an intriguing new dynamic for the sequel. And Ortega is the perfect choice to carry on Lydia’s darkly offbeat legacy. The young actress brings just the right weird edge and youthful energy to face off against old pro Keaton.

Monica Bellucci Joins the Cast as Beetlejuice’s Wife

In some surprising casting, Italian screen siren Monica Bellucci has joined the Beetlejuice universe as Betelgeuse’s wife. Not much is known yet about her character or how she’ll fit into the story. But pairing the glamorous Bellucci with Keaton’s shabby supernatural swindler feels like signature oddball Burton.

Betelgeuse being married opens up all kinds of possibilities for where the character has been since we saw him last. And Bellucci always brings an air of European sophistication to her roles that should make for an amusing contrast with Keaton’s uncouth antics.

Tim Burton Returns to Direct

Naturally, the only man twisted enough to resurrect everyone’s favorite “freelance bio-exorcist” is Tim Burton. After Beetlejuice became Burton’s big mainstream breakout, the film defined his darkly whimsical aesthetic for decades to come.

Burton is overseeing the long-delayed sequel as director, shepherding the beloved franchise into a new era. And though it’s been 35 years since Beetlejuice, Burton doesn’t seem to have lost his macabre touch if Wednesday is any indication.

Having the Burton stamp of approval will give Beetlejuice 2 legitimacy in the eyes of cautious fans. And the edgy auteur can be trusted to preserve the bizarre, surreal charms of the sandworm-filled universe he created back in 1988.

Musical Maestro Danny Elfman Likely to Return

No Burton film would be complete without the auditory artistry of frequent collaborator Danny Elfman. The composer’s brilliantly off-kilter, almost circus-like score was pivotal in establishing the quirky tone of Beetlejuice.

While not yet confirmed, Elfman seems like a lock to return for the sequel. It’s hard to imagine that creeping, carnival soundtrack being crafted by anyone else.

Elfman’s music will be key in recapturing the cockeyed spirit that made the original so special. So hopefully he has some new demented compositions up his sleeve for Beetlejuice’s long-overdue comeback.

Filming Kicked Off in May 2023

After decades trapped in development hell, Beetlejuice 2 is finally happening. Production on the sequel began in May 2023 at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, UK.

Principal photography will likely wrap later this summer before the post-production process begins. So we may not get a full trailer for a few more months yet. But the cameras rolling means the wait is nearly over.

Plot details are still scarce, with the script being kept tightly under wraps. But the pieces are falling into place to conjure up some Stripes and Sandworms once again.

Is There a Trailer for Beetlejuice 2?

Slated for September 2024 Release

Once filming finishes up, fans won’t have too long of a wait to see the zany supernatural hijinks on screen. Beetlejuice 2 haunts theaters on September 6, 2024.

The fall release date should give the film a nice launching pad into the Halloween season. After all, there’s no better time for some creepy comedy with the ghostly trickster than the lead-up to October 31st.

Mark your calendars horror hounds, because it’s finally showtime after 30 years. The Bio-Exorcist is back!

What to Expect from the Plot

Full story details are still shrouded in mystery for now. But Beetlejuice 2 will presumably pick up with Lydia’s life years after the events of the original. Judging by Ortega’s casting, Lydia likely has a gloomy teen daughter of her own with a penchant for the paranormal.

Maybe some scary hijinks from Betelgeuse’s past come back to haunt Lydia’s family. Or perhaps the daughter dabbles in the dark arts and accidentally summons everyone’s favorite troublesome poltergeist back from the underworld.

However Betelgeuse returns, we can expect him to get up to all kinds of manic mischief and morbid misadventures. Will the demonic ghost crash Lydia’s daughter’s birthday and plan a hostile takeover of the party? Or will he take the whole family on a deranged road trip to the Netherworld?

The possibilities are endless when your protagonist is an undead prankster daemon from beyond the grave. And Tim Burton’s twisted imagination can surely cook up something deliciously bizarre with these characters 30 years later.

One thing seems certain – there will be sandworms. No Beetlejuice adventure would be complete without those massive sand-swimming monstrosities. So brace yourself for some giant worm mayhem.

Will It Recapture the Magic?

The biggest question looming over Beetlejuice 2 – can it resurrect the bonkers spirit of the original after 30 years?

The first film’s mix of the morbid and outrageous captured lightning in a bottle back in 1988. Burton’s macabre vision walked a delicate tonal tightrope that balanced genuine chills with absurd humor.

Recreating such a delicate alchemy won’t be easy. But under Burton’s guidance, the sequel has a chance to do the impossible – live up to nostalgia. With fan anticipation through the roof, Beetlejuice 2 already has the makings of a horror-comedy smash.

Keaton slipping back into the striped suit as Betelgeuse should make for a manic trip down memory lane. And the prospect of him unleashing chaotic insanity across a new generation will be comedically captivating. Add in rising star Ortega with gothic chops well beyond her years, and the pieces are in place for a fittingly oddball legacy sequel.

It’s showtime…again! And Beetlejuice 2 has the potential to be the rare follow-up that captures the otherworldly fun that made the original so special. Can the Ghost with the Most cause as much havoc now as he did 30 years ago? We’ll find out when Beetlejuice 2 hits theaters on September 6, 2024 with Michael Keaton leading the charge to brilliantly bizarre places once again.

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The Bottom Line

After 30 long years of waiting, fans couldn’t be more excited to finally experience Beetlejuice 2 on the big screen. Early signs point to the sequel conjuring up the same eccentric charms that made the original a beloved phenomenon.

Michael Keaton slipping back into the striped suit as cinema’s favorite Ghost with the Most promises manic mayhem and outlandish fun. And with Tim Burton back at the helm, the pieces are in place for a long-overdue return trip to the macabre and bizarre world he created so memorably in 1988.

It won’t be easy to recapture lightning in a bottle. But Beetlejuice 2 boasts the perfect pedigree to pull off something few sequels dare attempt – living up to nostalgia. So get ready for some sandworm sized laughs when Betelgeuse haunts the screen once again on September 6, 2024!