Michael Keaton shares details about ‘Beetlejuice’ sequel

American actor Michael Keaton recently discussed the upcoming sequel to the iconic 1988 film, ‘Beetlejuice,’ in an interview with People magazine. Keaton, who plays the mischievous spirit, revealed that both he and director Tim Burton were initially hesitant and cautious about revisiting the classic but ended up enjoying the process.

“We thought, ‘You got to get this right. Otherwise, just don’t do it. Let’s just go on with our lives and do other things.’ So I was hesitant and cautious, and [Burton] was probably equally as hesitant and cautious over all these years,” Keaton told People. “Once we got there, I said, ‘OK, let’s just go for it. Let’s just see if we can do it if we can pull this off.'”

Keaton also shared that early in the production process, he and Burton agreed that they weren’t interested in creating something overly technological. “It had to feel handmade,” Keaton said. “What made it fun was watching somebody in the corner holding something up for you, to watch everybody in the shrunken headroom and say, ‘Those are people under there, operating these things, trying to get it right.'”

He continued, “It’s the most exciting thing when you get to do that again after years of standing in front of a giant screen, pretending somebody’s across the way from you.”

The sequel, officially titled ‘Beetlejuice 2’ but also known as ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,’ sees the return of Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, alongside newcomers Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, and Justin Theroux. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ortega plays Lydia’s daughter, Dafoe plays an afterlife law enforcement officer, and Bellucci plays Beetlejuice’s wife.

The film’s production wrapped up in Vermont in November, and it is set to hit theaters on September 6.