49/17
Chronology
After a 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 teenage daughter, Astrid, accidentally opens the portal to the afterlife. Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci share why filming Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was an experience they’ll never forget. Tim Burton has said that this film would only be made if Michael Keaton returned to reprise his role.
Beetlejuice: I think it was Dostoevsky who said
Keaton said in March 2014 that this is the only sequel he’s interested in making. The film makes a reference to “French physicist” Maria Sklodowska-Curie; she is, in fact, one of the most famous Polish scientists in history, often considered second only to Copernicus. Later, motherfucker.
Featured on Late Night with Seth Meyers: Michael Keaton/Connor O’Malley (2024)
SPOILER: There’s a dedication in the end credits to Bob the Skinner, who died in the film. MacArthur Park Written by Jimmy Webb Performed by Donna Summer Courtesy of Island Def Jam Music Group Under license from Universal Music Operations Ltd. As a huge fan of the original, it pains me to say that the long-awaited sequel is a dull, scattered mess.
It’s fun to see Michael Keaton reprising one of his most famous roles
There are a lot of stories unfolding in this film, and not all of them are interesting enough to make us care. He slips back into that pinstripe suit like he hasn’t missed a beat. But the movie doesn’t really come alive (or does it become undead?) until the last third of the film.
The original Beetlejuice was perfect
That’s when the pace picks up and the laughs start flying at a rapid clip. By then, it’s too late. The sequence is a good example of why people say that perfection is something you shouldn’t mess with.