Credit: Edited by Inside the MagicIt seems that Willem Dafoe regrets “spilling the beans” on Beetlejuice 2 in fear of what director Tim Burton is now thinking about him.
Beetlejuice started in 1988 as an American supernatural comedy film directed by the iconic Tim Burton. The film stars Michael Keaton as the leading bio-exorcist character, a mischievous and obnoxious ghost named Beetlejuice. The plot revolves around a recently deceased couple, Barbara and Adam Maitland, portrayed by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin. When they find their home taken over by the living and a peculiar family, they seek the help of Beetlejuice to scare away the new inhabitants (Winona Ryder who plays Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara, and others)
The film has gained a cult following over the years, and Beetlejuice, with his eccentric personality and iconic striped suit, has become a pop culture icon. The character’s catchphrase, “It’s showtime!” and the memorable sand worms from the film are frequently referenced, and has even become a hit Broadway musical, as well as a popular character at Universal Orlando Resort (as well as Universal Studios Hollywood).
In terms of box office success, Beetlejuice grossed over $73 million worldwide against a budget of approximately $15 million. Despite not being a massive box office hit upon its initial release, the film’s popularity has endured, leading to its status as a beloved classic with a dedicated fanbase that really shines during Halloween.
Knowing how the cult classic has elevated itself over the years as one of the more iconic spooky movies of our time, it is not shocking to know that Tim Burton decided to create Beetlejuice 2. The film will have Micheal Keaton reprising his role as Beetlejuice, Catherine O’Hara returning as Delia Deetz, and Winona Ryder returning as Lydia Deetz.
Wednesday and Scream breakout star Jenna Ortega is stepping in to play the daughter of Lydia, with other actors like Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci being added as well.
Until Willem Dafoe spoke out, we knew very little about the plot of this new film, aside from a 2024 September 6 release. Burton did speak out during the SAG-AFTRA strike, “I feel grateful we got what we got. Literally, it was a day and a half. We know what we have to do. It is 99 percent done.” The production only needed a few final days of shooting and has already wrapped.
Dafoe spoke out on his character, which was entirely new to the franchise, saying, “I play a police officer in the afterlife, so I’m a dead person. And in life I was a B-movie action star, but I had an accident and that’s what sent me to the other side. But because of my skills, I became a detective character in the afterlife. So that’s my job. But it’s colored by the fact of who I was [when I was alive]: a B movie action star.”
Related: ‘Pirates’ Star Johnny Depp Reportedly Cast in Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice 2’
Now, he regrets it.
During an interview with The Guardian, Dafoe opened up, “Do me a favour,” he says, annoyed at himself. “I said this two days ago, and I regret it, because it occurs to me that Tim Burton is probably one of those people who doesn’t like people to talk about the movie. I think he probably thought, ‘That f*cker, he should have kept his mouth shut!’” He laughs. “I had a weak moment, ya know! I spilled the beans, as they say.”
At the moment, Burton has not spoken out on Dafoe opening up on the project, however, his information is really the only spoilers that have been given away since the film wrapped. Clearly, the actor does fear Burton was not impressed with his over-exposure on the character and storyline of the film.
The film is being dubbed as one of the most anticipated films of 2024, as Thought Catalog wrote, “This film’s shaping up to be a grand slam.”
Dafoe is known for many films, including his foray into superhero films with Spider-Man (2002) and Aquaman (2018), which underscored his ability to seamlessly transition between genres. He returned as the Green Goblin in Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). He just stared in Poor Things alongside Emma Stone (who won a Golden Globe for her performance) and Mark Ruffalo.
Will you be watching Beetlejuice 2 once it is released this September?