Tim Burton Talks ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ & Film Biz — Venice

Thirty-six years after Tim Burton and Michael Keaton collaborated on classic supernatural comedy Beetlejuice, the pair are unveiling the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice here at the Venice Film Festival. The follow-up will have its gala world premiere this evening after having screened for the press this morning.

Meeting with reporters this morning, Burton was joined by his lead cast, including Keaton, Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara.

Burton told the room that over the years the original Beetlejuice was the one film people had asked him about the most, which often confused him.

“As much as I love it, I never understood why it was a success,” Burton said of the original Beetlejuice. “I could never place the film as something other than personal to me. So after all these years being able to work with Michael, Winona, and Catherine again made it more personal and special along with Jenna, Monica, Justin, and Willem — new people who got into the spirit of it. So it was a very personal project for me.”

Burton added that he didn’t watch the original Beetlejuice during his prep for the sequel because he wasn’t setting the project as a “sequel for loads of money.”

“This is just a very personal film,” Burton said, adding that he simply channeled the “spirit” of the original film.

The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice story picks up as three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River following an unexpected tragedy. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia (Ryder) sees life turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid (Ortega), discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem. In Beetlejuice 2, Keaton is back as the “Ghost with the Most,” joined by stars of the original Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, as well as newcomers to the franchise Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe. 

“To say it’s unique is an understatement,” Keaton said of the film. “There are so few opportunities to be in something that is 100% original and unique. Even Fellini or Kurosawa were influenced by something or somewhere.”

Keaton added: “And this cast. It might be better than the former cast, which was impossible.”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the latest Burton remake following the filmmaker’s Wednesday series at Netflix, which stars Ortega. Burton told the crowd in Venice the Netflix series didn’t particularly influence his decision to revisit Beetlejuice. He said he had discussed a sequel with Keaton and Ryder over the years. He did, however, say he felt “energized” by the show’s success.

“Over the past few years, I got disillusioned with the movie business. So I knew if I was going to do something I wanted to do it from my heart,” he said. “I lost myself a bit, so this movie was re-energizing. Getting back to the things I love and working with the people I love. With this one, it didn’t matter how it turned out. I just enjoyed making it with these people.”

When quizzed on whether he’d be interested in making a third Beetlejuice, Burton’s answer was jovial but definitive: “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.”

The Warner Bros title is playing out of competition in Venice and will begin international rollout on September 4 with North America joining September 6.

Venice opens tonight and runs until September 7.