After 36 years, legendary director Tim Burton helms more escapades with Michael Keaton, as he returns as the mischievous ghoul and spirit exterminator Beetlejuice, ready to cause havoc and mayhem for the living and the undead with even greater eccentricity and charisma. We see the return of Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) as Lydia Deetz, the former rebellious teen goth now mother to teenage daughter Astrid Deetz, who is a budding environmental activist played young rising star Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream 5 & 6). Lydia Deetz is now a world famous host and mystic to the supernatural. Her stepmother, played once again by Catherine O’ Hara as Delia Deetz, has now finally become a successful well-renowned artist in New York. We get to witness the second part of Lydia as a mother, while in the original we experienced her life as a teenage daughter 36 years ago. We are introduced to new characters such as Beetlejuice’s disgruntled wife Delores, played by iconic Italian actress Monica Bellucci, who is out for revenge and the destruction of his soul, British actress Amy Nuttall who does a hilarious take as the daughter of the original Jane Butterfield from the original movie in 1988. Amy Nuttall takes over the mantle as little Jane Butterfield who is also a realtor like her mother was, but now all grown up and carrying on the family business. Beetlejuice deals with various characters of women from three different generations who are dealing with the various trauma and realities of life, such as Lydia’s father and husband’s deaths, Delia’s love of her late husband, and Astrid still traumatised by the death of her father years before. Astrid unknowingly gets herself involved with the world of the undead, forcing Lydia to team with the mischievous ghoul Beetlejuice again to literally save Astrid’s life and soul from being lost to the underworld forever by promising to marry him in exchange for his help. We are also joined by Lydia’s sleazy manager and boyfriend Rory played by Justin Theroux and the eccentric deceased and former B-list actor Wolf Jackson courtesy of an amusing performance by Willem Defoe. It is a beautifully shot movie and really emphasizes the fictional town of Winter River, Connecticut, especially in the opening credits. Another standout performance was that of newcomer and British actor Arthur Conti as Jeremy. It is a fun film that has nods to the history of the original for older fans and new parts of the Beetlejuice universe are explored for new fans, especially with the practical puppetry and visual effects.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is doing record numbers at the box office, proving that it is an iconic franchise and brand. $226.8 million is how much it has its made domestically and worldwide box-office of $329.7 million as reported in film media outlets showcases that it has been doing tremendously well during the month of September. Director Tim Burton, Producers Miles Millar and Alfred Gough along with Netflix’s star of the global hit TV series Wednesday: Jenna Ortega. They all seem to be a part of a formula for success, by all continually working together.
Below are quotes from Jenna Ortega and Michael Keaton during the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Press tour:
Jenna Ortega:
“No one is aware of whether or not I’m being serious. My career is in a very different place than when I first started when I was 9 or 10.” – GQ
Michael Keaton:
“He’s a thing. He’s more of a thing than a he or a she, he’s more of an it. And I’m not saying ‘it’ to be politically correct .” – GQ
Official Warner Bros. Pictures Synopsis:
Directed By:
Tim Burton
Starring:
Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Arthur Conti, Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci & Willem Dafoe
Beetlejuice is back! Oscar-nominated, singular creative visionary Tim Burton and Oscar nominee and star Michael Keaton reunite for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to Burton’s award-winning Beetlejuice.
Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Oscar nominee Winona Ryder (Stranger Things, Little Women) as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara (Schitt$ Creek, Corpse Bride) as Delia Deetz, with new cast members Justin Theroux (Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi, The Leftovers), Monica Bellucci (Spectre, The Matrix films), Arthur Conti (House of the Dragon) in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega (Wednesday, Scream VI) as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe (Poor Things, At Eternity’s Gate).
Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
Burton, a genre unto himself, directs from a screenplay by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Wednesday), story by Gough & Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith (The LEGO® Batman Movie), based on characters created by Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson. The film’s producers are Marc Toberoff, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tommy Harper and Burton, with Sara Desmond, Katterli Frauenfelder, Gough, Millar, Brad Pitt, Larry Wilson, Laurence Senelick, Pete Chiappetta, Andrew Lary, Anthony Tittanegro, Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg executive producing.
Burton’s creatives behind the scenes includes director of photography Haris Zambarloukos (Meg 2: The Trench, Murder on the Orient Express); such previous and frequent collaborators as production designer Mark Scruton (Wednesday), editor Jay Prychidny (Wednesday), Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sleepy Hollow), Oscar-winning creature effects and special makeup FX creative supervisor Neal Scanlan (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) and Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman (Big Fish, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman); and Oscar-winning hair and makeup designer Christine Blundell (Topsy-Turvy).
