Michael Keaton Talks Making ‘Beetlejuice 2’ With Tim Burton Using ‘Handmade Stuff’ Over New Tech: ‘Exactly Like We Did The First Movie’

Actor Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton are keeping the “Beetlejuice” sequel as close to the original as possible.

Keaton spoke with British film magazine Empire for an article published this weekend about how he and Burton tackled the highly anticipated sequel, which has been rumored to be in the works for decades. “Beetlejuice 2” finally has an official premiere date of September 6, 2024.

“Beetlejuice is the most f***in’ fun you can have working. It’s so fun, it’s so great. And you know what it is? We’re doing it exactly like we did the first movie,” he told Empire. “There’s a woman in the great waiting room for the afterlife literally with a fishing line – I want people to know this because I love it – tugging on the tail of a cat to make it move.”

The Oscar-nominated actor also discussed how he and Burton approached the project. He said the concept didn’t include fancy special effects which are so prevalent in contemporary films.

“[Burton] and I were talking about it years and years ago, never telling anybody. I said, if it happens, first of all, we’ve both said we’re doing it many times. We both agreed, if it happens, it has to be done as close to the way we made it the first time,” Keaton said.

“Making stuff up, making stuff happen, improvising and riffing, but literally handmade stuff like people creating things with their hands and building something. F***in’ great. It’s the most fun I’ve had working on a movie in, I can’t tell you how long.”

The original “Beetlejuice” fantasy horror comedy was released in 1988 and has become a cult classic. In it, Keaton plays the main character, a rowdy ghost and freelance “bio-exorcist.” The spirits of a deceased couple contacted him to scare the new inhabitants from their former home. 

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The original “Beetlejuice” was a commercial success, earning more than $74 million on a budget of $15 million. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and various other honors following its release. “Beetlejuice’s” popularity also inspired an animated television series, video games, and a stage musical.