UPDATED: Composer Danny Elfman has confirmed his presence for the sequel which he says will start shooting “in a couple of months.”
EARLIER: Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2” is currently in pre-production in the UK. It will be Burton’s next film, there’s no doubt about it. His last film was 2019’s “Dumbo.”
The sequel was officially confirmed this afternoon during a sizzle reel at CinemaCon. This is the first time Warner Bros has acknowledged that the project is indeed a go.
The main actors of the 1988 original are all set to return, that includes Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, with the possible addition of Jenna Ortega in a newly added role. Ortega would reportedly be playing Ryder’s daughter Lydia Deetz.
A few weeks ago there was a posting for the “Beetlejuice” sequel in an issue of Production Weekly. The project was said to still be “in development”, but I keep hearing a summer shoot is being eyed. Maybe as soon as late May.
Last October, Burton stated that he was done making Disney movies because he felt enslaved working for them. It makes sense. Burton has not directed a good movie in almost 10 years.
Regardless, he has an impressive filmography that includes “Beetlejuice”, “Batman,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Ed Wood”, “Sleepy Hollow”, “Mars Attacks”, “Big Fish” and “Sweeney Todd”.
The last thing Burton worked on was the mega-popular Netflix series “Wednesday” — he directed the first four episodes and was also the creator of that show. Ortega was the lead actress of the series.