Are we closer to a Beetlejuice sequel than ever before? If the sizzle reel at CinemaCon was anything to go by, Warner Bros. is moving forward with the project very soon.
We previously reported in March that Beetlejuice 2 was actively in development, as The Ankler broke the story that Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder are reprising their roles as Betelgeuse and Lydia Deetz, respectively.
This news came after the long-awaited sequel to Beetlejuice was often cited as one of the most infamous “developmental hell” stories. There have been rumblings of a sequel to the 1988 film as far back as 1990 and even as recent as 2011, but now as the late 80s and early 90s nostalgia ramp up even more, Beetlejuice 2 seems to be a priority for Warner.
News of this planned Beetlejuice follow-up took shape in late March when Jenna Ortega became a person of interest for the project. According to insider Jeff Sneider via John Rocha’s The Hot Mic, Ortega was set to join the film in a still-undisclosed role. Casting rumors also saw Sneider reporting an “aging action star” was in talks to play one of the ghosts and is described as “someone who is a little bit past their prime.”
Now, with the Beetlejuice footage being included at a CinemaCon 2023 panel, fans believe that WBD is actively moving forward with this, and we shall see if the rumors prove true. Keaton already made a splash at CinemaCon with his return as Batman for The Flash, so a Beetlejuice confirmation would make this the year of the Keaton.
