Jenna Ortega Lands Role in ‘Beetlejuice 2’: Cast and Release Date
Warner Bros. has announced that the long-awaited "Beetlejuice 2," featuring Jenna Ortega, is set to hit theaters next year.
According to Variety, Warner Bros. said the long-in-the-works "Beetlejuice" sequel is returning to movie theaters on September 6, 2024. "Beetlejuice 2" will see the return of Michael Keaton as the titular poltergeist, alongside Winona Ryder reprising her role as Lydia Deetz.
While the plot remains shrouded in mystery, it has been revealed that Justin Theroux and Jenna Ortega, known for her role as Wednesday Addams in the Netflix comedy horror series "Wednesday," will join the cast. Ortega will play the child of Ryder's character.
Production is set to commence on May 10 in London under Plan B Productions, led by none other than Brad Pitt. The script was penned by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who worked with Tim Burton on "Wednesday."
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Tim Burton Has Been Planning 'Beetlejuice 2' Since 1990
According to MovieWeb, efforts to bring a sequel to the beloved Tim Burton comedy "Beetlejuice" have been ongoing since the film's 1988 release.
One of Burton's earliest sequel ideas was for a movie called "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian" in 1990. The proposed sequel would have taken the titular character and his friends to the sunny shores of Hawaii, but the idea ultimately fell through.
Over the years, rumors and reports have surfaced about the status of "Beetlejuice 2," but it has yet to see the light of day. In 2011, screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith was hired to pen the script, bringing the sequel one step closer to reality.
However, that version of the screenplay never made it to production, and Grahame-Smith has since revealed that he was not able to write the exact script that Burton and the production team were looking for.
"The reason that it's so hard to get going is because so many people love it and because there are 10 million ways to get that sequel wrong and four ways to get it right," he noted.
Jenna Ortega in 'Beetlejuice 2'
Jenna Ortega has made a name for herself as a spooky starlet. Horror fans will surely recognize her from her performances in several horror films, such as "Scream 5" and "Scream 6," as well as her standout portrayal of Wednesday Addams, according to Us Weekly.
Ortega has gushed about her experience working with Tim Burton.
"It's been quite an insane experience," she recalled in a January 2022 interview. "I've been lucky enough to get the opportunity to work with an iconic director who just so happens to be one of the sweetest directors I've worked with, and also the most detail-oriented."
"Beetlejuice" is a timeless classic that tells the story of a recently deceased married couple, played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, who are frustrated by a new family moving into their home.
Catherine O'Hara and Jeffrey Jones play the parents of the family, with Winona Ryder playing their daughter. Seeking help to scare off the new occupants, the couple enlists the mischievous and cunning Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton, a character that has since become a cultural icon.
The film's success, grossing $74.7 million worldwide, led to a Broadway musical adaptation that garnered Tony Award nominations. After a successful four-year run, the show was halted by the pandemic, and it concluded its Broadway performances in January.
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Written by: Bert Hoover
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