After 35 years, Michael Keaton’s bio-exorcist is finally crawling back out of his grave as Beetlejuice 2 is finally happening, as production on the long-awaited horror comedy sequel is now underway. With director Tim Burton presumed to be back on board and his most recent muse Jenna Ortega playing a key role, it seems like we can say safely say the smash-hit success of Wednesday is responsible for dragging this project out of development hell.
If that is the case, let’s hope Burton uses this opportunity to deliver one of the few things Wednesday didn’t in its record-breaking first season. In the wake of the Addams Family reboot becoming one of Netflix’s biggest shows ever, fans had only one casting demand for season two: get Aubrey Plaza in it.
Ortega’s dead-eyed, deadpan performance reminded viewers so much of Plaza’s signature shtick, which she perfected with aplomb as April Ludgate in Parks & Recreation, that having them pair up on screen seemed like a no-brainer. We did eventually get them presenting an award together at the SAGs, but let’s hope that’s just a taster for more to come.
A role for Plaza in Wednesday season two would still be welcome, but honestly Beetlejuice 2 might be an even better place for spiritual sisters Plaza and Ortega to share the screen. For starters, Plaza has made no secret of her love for Burton’s filmography, even recently declaring that she wants to be the next Burton as she hopes to transition into directorial work.
Specifically, Plaza has previously noted Beetlejuice as one of her favorite films, with Keaton’s character (as well as Johnny Depp’s Edward Scissorhands) serving as a big influence on her Marvel supervillain role in Legion. She would clearly be a great fit for the sequel, then, but how exactly could Plaza be worked into the film? Here’s an idea you can have for free, Tim: cast her as a female equivalent to Beetlejuice.
Beetlejuice 2 will have to freshen up its world and its title character in a big way, so introducing another poltergeist who’s even crazier and more dangerous than BJ, causing him to have to team up with the Deetzes to stop her, would be a strong storytelling hook for the new film to take. And Plaza has proven many times over that she could nail such a role as this.
What do I have to do to make this happen? Chant Aubrey Plaza’s name three times?