Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to director Tim Burton’s 1988 classic Beetlejuice (watch it HERE), is set to reach theatres on September 6th – and when it reaches the big screen, we’ll have the chance to see Winona Ryder reprise the role of Lydia Deetz, the first time in her career that she has been able to revisit a character in a sequel. During an interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Ryder revealed that her one condition when she agreed to star in the Netflix series Stranger Things back in 2015 was that, if the Beetlejuice sequel ever moved into production, the show’s creators the Duffer Brothers would have to let her clear her schedule and make the movie.
Ryder said (with thanks to Movieweb for the transcription), “At the time, Tim and I were talking about the Beetlejuice sequel. There have been moments over the last 15 years that we thought it was gonna happen but, again, that’s a thing that it had to be perfect with everybody in order for it to happen. But I remember, in my first meeting with the Duffer brothers, I said, ‘As long as, if Beetlejuice 2 happens, you let me go do that,’ and they agreed. Luckily, it worked out. That was my one condition.“
This makes sense, because if you look back at 2015 news reports, Ryder’s Stranger Things casting was announced in June, and in August she was confirming her involvement with the Beetlejuice sequel.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was in development hell for decades before it finally got made. In 1990, Jonathan Gems was hired to write a sequel that was going to be titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Burton considered having Daniel Waters rewrite that script, Pamela Norris did rewrite it, and Warner Bros. offered Kevin Smith the chance to do another rewrite. He turned it down. Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to write and produce a new version of a sequel in 2011. Mike Vukadinovich was brought on to rewrite his script in 2017.
Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, co-creators and co-showrunners of Wednesday, have written the screenplay for Beetlejuice 2 that was actually filmed. Brad Pitt’s Plan B is producing the sequel, which filmed in London before moving to Vermont and Massachusetts.
Here’s the official synopsis: 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.
Ryder is joined in the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast by Catherine O’Hara, back as Lydia’s stepmother Delia; Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter Astrid, Justin Theroux as a fellow named Rory, Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s wife and Willem Dafoe as a law enforcement officer in the afterlife. Arthur Conti is also in there, in an unspecified role. And, of course, Michael Keaton is back as Beetlejuice.
Are you looking forward to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? What do you think of Winona Ryder making this sequel her top priority when she signed on for Stranger Things? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
