Michael Keaton returns as Beetlejuice
Prepare yourself for excitement because Pop Séries! will talk about one of the great classics of the 1980s. Beetlejuice is a horror comedy directed by Tim Burton that marked a generation.
With the confirmation of the sequel to this iconic work, the original film is back in the spotlight. Let’s remember the unusual story and revisit the unforgettable characters.
The 1988 film tells the story of the couple Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis), who live in a beautiful country house in Winter River, Connecticut. Jane Butterfield (Annie McEnroe) is a real estate agent and Barbara’s cousin who tries to convince the couple to sell their house at all costs.
On a quiet day, the couple returns home when a dog runs into the road, and in an attempt to avoid the animal, their car swerves and falls off a bridge directly into the river. When they return, they don’t remember how they got back, and when Adam tries to leave, he enters a kind of desert with strange monsters. The characters then find a book titled “Handbook for the Recently Deceased” and soon realize they died in the accident and have become souls trapped in their former home.
Jane sells the house to the Deetz family from New York. Charles (Jeffrey Jones), his wife Delia (Catherine O’Hara), and their gothic teenage daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) move into the beautiful property but have no idea of the surprises that await them.
Delia calls her architect Otho (Glenn Shadix) to help with some house renovations, but the Maitland spirits try to scare the family without success. They cannot be seen and end up hiding in the attic. The newly deceased couple meets a strange specter named Beetlejuice, who promotes himself as a “bio-exorcist.” Confused, they consult the manual and open a portal to the underworld. Adam and Barbara discover that the afterlife comprises a well-structured, bureaucratic society.
The couple meets Juno (Sylvia Sydney), a kind of social worker for the dead, who reveals their mission: to expel the Deetz family from the house. They ask about the strange Beetlejuice, and Juno explains that he was her assistant but now works as a freelancer. She warns them about his impulsive and quarrelsome temperament.
When they return to the living world, the Maitlands discover that only Lydia can see them, and the three become closer. However, the plan to remove the Deetz family from the house remains in action. Not knowing what to do, the ghost couple decides to summon Beetlejuice. Initially, they believe they made a mistake by summoning such a rude and grumpy specter and even refuse to work with Beetlejuice.
The Maitlands make a disastrous attempt to scare the Deetz family during dinner, but instead of causing fear, they end up entertaining everyone. The guests go to the attic for more contact, and Otho takes the manual for himself. Beetlejuice intervenes and manifests as a horrible snake that attacks the living. The former residents then order the specter back to the world of the dead.
Hearing of the events, Juno summons the couple and reprimands them because the hilarious manifestations, as well as Beetlejuice’s appearance, were providing too much proof of the afterlife to the living. She orders the couple to get rid of the Deetz family once and for all.
Unable to scare the guests away, the couple decides to let them stay in the house. Meanwhile, Charles has the idea of turning the town into a ghostly tourist spot and convinces his former boss to visit, but he demands proof of the supernatural. Charles uses the manual and summons the souls of Adam and Barbara, who begin to wither. He soon realizes that the summoning ritual is an exorcism. Desperate, Lydia turns to Beetlejuice, who helps solve the exorcism problem but demands that she marry him so he can enter the world of the living. With few options, Lydia agrees to Beetlejuice’s proposal. He helps with the exorcism and expels the ex-boss from the house.
Beetlejuice summons a creepy minister from the underworld to marry Lydia, but the Maitlands intervene and prevent the ceremony from finishing. One of the most iconic scenes is when Barbara appears riding a giant worm and orders it to devour Beetlejuice!
The Maitlands and the Deetz family live harmoniously in the house, and Lydia overcomes her social problems and integrates more at school. Meanwhile, in the afterlife, Beetlejuice waits in line for processing. Tired of waiting, he steals a wizard’s number, who shrinks Beetlejuice’s head.
With a whimsical plot that blends horror, humor, and fantasy, the film was a milestone of its time and even won an Oscar for Best Makeup.
The new sequel promises to be as electrifying as the original.
Beetlejuice 2 is coming!
Warner Bros. has revealed that the sequel to Beetlejuice will be released in September 2024, causing great excitement. Gradually, more details about the production are being revealed, raising expectations.
Michael Keaton will return in the new production, much to the delight of fans. Another confirmed and highly celebrated name is Jenna Ortega, who will play Lydia Deetz’s daughter, originally played by Winona Ryder, who is also confirmed to return.
Tim Burton, who also directed the 1988 film, is the director of the new production. Other announced names include Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci. Catherine O’Hara will reprise her role as Delia.
The screenplay is written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, the creators of the Netflix series Wednesday. The plot details are kept under absolute secrecy. Production is expected to start later this year.
Trailer
The premiere of Beetlejuice 2 is scheduled for September 5, 2024.
Check out the preview:
