The long-in-the-works Beetlejuice sequel has found new life… and a new star.
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 has officially been given the green-light, with original cast members Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara all onboard to return. What’s more, Jenna Ortega has joined the cast as the daughter of Ryder’s character Lydia Deetz. Justin Theroux will also appear in the film in a yet-to-be-revealed role.
Beetlejuice 2 is slated to hit theaters on September 6th, 2024. Production is expected to commence in London on May 10th (via Variety).
Update: Willem Dafoe and Monica Bellucci have also joined the cast of Beetlejuice 2. Dafoe will reportedly play a law enforcement officer in the afterlife, while Bellucci has been cast to play Beetlejuice’s wife, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Rumors of a Bettlejuice sequel have persisted for years, with Burton, Keaton, and Ryder all expressing various degrees of interest in the project. In 2015 it appeared as if Burton had finally gotten the green-light from Warner Bros. to move ahead on a sequel, but just a year later he acknowledged it was no longer in active development. However, last year Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B boarded the project, with the goal of finally getting cameras rolling.
Of course, Ortega rose to A-list status with her role as Wednesday Addams in Burton’s Netflix series, Wednesday. Ortega’s casting makes perfect sense given her relationship to Burton and goth icon status.
Ortega is also confirmed to return for a second season of Wednesday, and was recently cast in a new movie opposite The Weeknd.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with the film’s release date and confirmation of Ortega’s and Theroux’s casting.
