When news broke early last year that Warner Bros. had plans for a Beetlejuice sequel with original director Tim Burton on board, the internet, in an orderly and timely fashion, did what it usually does when a sequel is announced. It went nuts. How dare the beloved Betelgeuse be dredged from the deep and subjected to another outing? Nothing new, really.
This morning, screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith, responsible for previous Burton collaborations Dark Shadows and Night Of The Living, posted an enigmatic teaser via Twitter. A Beetlejuice figure standing in front of a computer screen with the caption “It’s showtime…” was posted this morning, leading expectant fans to surmise that he’s finished his first draft. You can check out the photo below.
Before you start planning a Beetlejuice party wherein you try and scare people out of their houses by wearing white sheets, this news follows earlier reports in January from a cautious Burton. He has previously mentioned that his involvement is not 100% confirmed as it hinges upon his verdict on Grahame-Smith’s script. Standard fare, he doesn’t want to say yes if he doesn’t like it. Understandable.
Well, sort of. You see, Burton had originally planned to shoot the sequel in 1990 directly after the first flick was released. The proposed treatment for which had the Deetz family moving to Hawaii where they would develop a beach resort on an ancient burial ground, and the crème de la crème: Beetlejuice was to win a surfing contest! What a colossal shame to have not seen the stripey-trousered buffoon wielding a surfing trophy as rivulets of water hung in his greasy mane.
Should Burton opt to take on the script, will any of the original cast return? Winona Ryder made comment at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival that she was meeting with him to discuss her involvement. As Catherine O’Hara (and Ryder) voiced a character in Frankenweenie there’s a chance she’ll be back as Mama Deetz too, although nothing has been announced.
We’ll keep you posted when more news surfaces on the Beetlejuice sequel.
What do you think to Seth Graeme Green’s tantalising image this morning? And are YOU excited for the Beetlejuice sequel? Have your say in the comments below.
