Michael Keaton returns as Beetlejuice with a focus on keeping the character true to its original essence

Michael Keaton is stepping back into his iconic role as Beetlejuice in the highly anticipated sequel, 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,' directed by Tim Burton. The film is set to open the Venice Film Festival this month before hitting theaters in September. Despite the character's growing popularity since the 1988 original, Keaton made it clear that he didn’t want the sequel to give Beetlejuice more screen time than necessary.In fact, one of his conditions for returning to the role was to keep the character’s presence in the sequel similar to the first film, where Beetlejuice was on screen for just 17 minutes.
Keaton explained in an interview with GQ that he believed giving Beetlejuice too much screen time would ruin the character’s impact. He emphasized that Beetlejuice isn’t meant to be the driving force of the story, but rather a part of it. In the sequel, Beetlejuice remains an integral part of the plot, but he doesn’t dominate the storyline as much as he did in the original film. According to Keaton, this balance is crucial to maintaining the character’s appeal.
The sequel brings together Keaton with Burton and original cast members Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, along with new faces like Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe. The story revolves around the complicated relationship between Ryder’s character, Lydia Deetz, and her daughter, Astrid, played by Ortega. Keaton shared that this new emotional depth adds a surprising and interesting layer to the film, which wasn’t present in the original.
Keaton was also adamant that Beetlejuice should not be altered to fit modern sensibilities. As GQ reported, Keaton insisted that Beetlejuice remain the same "debauched sicko" that audiences loved in 1988, without any attempts to make the character politically correct. Keaton described Beetlejuice as more of a "thing" or "force" rather than a specific gender, embodying a type of exaggerated male energy that he felt was essential to the character’s charm. He emphasized that this essence should not be changed just because times have evolved.
In an earlier interview with People magazine, Keaton expressed how much fun he had working on the sequel, describing it as the most enjoyable experience he’s had on set in a long time. He mentioned that both he and Burton wanted to keep the production true to its roots, avoiding the overuse of modern technology. Instead, they focused on making the film feel "handmade," which Keaton found refreshing after years of working with digital effects.
'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' will be released in theaters on September 6, promising fans a mix of nostalgic fun and new emotional depth, while staying true to the original spirit of the beloved character.