Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to the beloved Tim Burton supernatural comedy, is hitting theaters next week, and, naturally, the director is facing one question: how about a third movie, Tim?
Most of the time, when iconic directors and stars reunite after decades to produce a sequel to an unexpected hit film, there isn’t an expectation that another one must be right behind it.
But we live in an era of franchises where every movie is increasingly part of an expanded Multiverse, so perhaps it is not that surprising that Tim Burton is already being pestered about Beetlejuice 3 (presumably titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice) and whether it will happen.
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Speaking at the world premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice at the Venice Film Festival, Tim Burton admitted that a second sequel to his beloved 1988 supernatural comedy could happen, but it would probably require some life-extension technology (per Deadline).
Burton said, “Let’s do the math. It took 35 years to do this one. For another, I’d be over 100. It could be possible thanks to medical science. But I don’t think so.”
While that’s not exactly confirmation that Burton will team up with Michael Keaton to bring the ghost with the most back again for a third round, it is not off the table either. Plus, a big part of the ‘Juice mythos is the principle that he shows up when you say his name three times, so a third movie is already kind of baked into the premise.
It will likely depend on the box office receipts of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as to whether Warner Bros. Pictures will push for another film, but apparently, Tim Burton is less concerned about that aspect. In fact, he is still kind of confused why the first movie was ever a hit at all. The filmmaker said:
“As much as I love it, I never understood why it was a success. I could never place the film as something other than personal to me. So, after all these years, being able to work with Michael [Keaton], Winona [Ryder], and Catherine [O’Hara] again made it more personal and special, along with Jenna [Ortega], Monica [Bellucci], Justin [Theroux], and Willem [Dafoe] — new people who got into the spirit of it. So it was a very personal project for me.”
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Notably, the second Beetlejuice movie does not include Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, the nominal leads of the first film. Burton told People that the deceased married couple Barbara and Adam Maitland did not return for the movie, “the thing was for me I didn’t want to just tick any boxes. So even though they were such an amazing integral part of the first one, I was focusing on something else.”
Basically, Burton says he’s not down for fan service. That may not be good news for a third movie, but who knows? Someone’s going to say the name three times eventually.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is directed by Tim Burton from a script by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, story by Gough, Millar, and Seth Grahame-Smith. The film stars Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe. It will be released wide in the United States on September 6.
Do you want a third Beetlejuice movie, or is two enough?