Danny Elfman Promises Michael Keaton Will Look '150' Years Old Once More In Beetlejuice 2
It's crazy that we've been hearing rumors of a "Beetlejuice" sequel for years and we may finally be on the cusp of it actually becoming a reality. The rumors of the sequel intensified in the weeks leading up to CinemaCon, including some on-the-nose reports of Jenna Ortega joining up as Lydia's (Winona Ryder) daughter.
We'll know soon enough if that turns out to be true (you can't deny she's a good pick for the unique brand of "strange and unusual" roles you expect in a "Beetlejuice" movie), but what we do know is that Warner Bros. confirmed "Beetlejuice 2" at CinemaCon. And now, composer Danny Elfman has talked a bit about the sequel and it sounds like it's not only happening, but happening sooner than expected.
Talking with Deadline, Elfman said he expects the film to start shooting in a couple of months and that when it does he'll be "a fly on the wall" during shooting because hanging out on the set is one of his favorite things to do, especially when Tim Burton is behind the camera.
He also said that he spoke with someone recently who was doubtful that Michael Keaton would work in the role at his age and Elfman quickly nipped that line of thinking in the bud. He said that he expects he won't even look that much different from the 1988 version of the character because he'll be covered in makeup! The character is a huckster corpse, after all, and as Elfman put it, "He already looked like he was 150 in the first one!"
Bring on more Michael Keaton, I say
Listen, we're all excited by Michael Keaton returning as Batman in "The Flash." For a certain generation of movie nerds, that 1989 "Batman" film was formative and Keaton did become an icon in that role, despite the fan outcry when "Mr. Mom" was cast as the Caped Crusader. You'll notice those people shut up real quick once the movie came out.
Anyway, I join all my excited geek brethren in anticipation of the return of The Bat, but if I'm going to be honest, the news that Keaton is returning for a sequel to "Beetlejuice" is even more exciting to me.
Tim Burton's original "Beetlejuice" was a cornerstone movie of my childhood and one that remains a top-tier Tim Burton film. It's kind of the perfect Burton movie that has all of his distinct style without it totally overwhelming the story.
Today's Tim Burton isn't as hungry as the man who made the first film, but Keaton back sowing chaos as the ghost with the most against a surely surreal Tim Burton backdrop is always going to get me excited.
If what Elfman implied is true and the film does start shooting in a couple of months, that should mean we'll be seeing casting announcements soon. Maybe Ortega will pan out (again, she's just a no-brainer for this world and just worked with Burton on "Wednesday") and maybe we'll get some other legacy cast members back. I'm pulling for Catherine O'Hara and Winona Ryder. Jeffrey Jones ... well, you can sit this one out, my dude.