Beetlejuice is making a grand comeback! Batman director Tim Burton and beloved actor Michael Keaton are reuniting for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the highly anticipated sequel to Burton's award-winning Beetlejuice, Empireonline reports. The film promises to bring back the same spooky, chaotic fun that made the original a cult classic.

Empire Magazine has recently revealed two covers for the sequel. The first cover highlights the title character alongside stars Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, and Catherine O'Hara, while the second cover, illustrated by artist Chris Christodoulou, focuses solely on Beetlejuice.

The plot thickens with three generations of the Deetz family returning home to Winter River after an unexpected family tragedy. Lydia's life turns upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, stumbles upon the mysterious model of the town in the attic, accidentally opening the portal to the Afterlife. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time before someone utters Beetlejuice's name three times, unleashing the mischievous demon once more.

Keaton, who plays the iconic character, recently shared his excitement about the project. “I’ve seen it now. I’m going to see it again after a couple of little tweaks in the editing room, and I confidently say this thing is great,” Keaton remarked. “The original was so fun and exciting visually. The sequel is all that but really beautiful and interestingly emotional here and there. I wasn’t ready for that. It’s great.”

The Return of a Cinematic Icon

Michael Keaton's portrayal of Beetlejuice in the original film turned the character into a pop culture phenomenon. The titular ghoul, with his distinctive black-and-white get-up and green shock of hair, became a force of nature in Tim Burton’s spooky comedy. Known for his supernatural shenanigans and freewheeling ferocity, Beetlejuice left an indelible mark on audiences.

Returning to the role after more than three decades, Keaton described the experience as “surreal.” In an exclusive interview with Empire, he discussed the challenge of reconnecting with the character. “There’s been so much merchandising of it, I had to drop back to where it started,” Keaton explained. “I had to go, ‘What was my unusual imagination even thinking about when I was developing it in the first place?’ As opposed to seeing a coffee mug or a golf-club cover adorned with Betelgeuse’s face.”

The ubiquity of Beetlejuice as a cultural icon created unique challenges for Keaton. “That was weird,” he admitted. “To be honest with you – I’m being very frank – it was off-putting, to look and go, ‘I don’t want to look like all these little things, fuck that – what was the thing that started this?’”

Moving Forward

Keaton's dedication to channeling Beetlejuice's essence has paid off. “It was like he was possessed by a demon, because he just went right back into it,” said Burton. “It was insane,” raved Catherine O’Hara. Jenna Ortega, who teams up with Burton again after Wednesday, was equally impressed. “It was like an animal with a gun had just walked into the room,” she said. “To watch him physically change and appear and Michael Keaton to be gone, and for me to be dealing with this Betelgeuse guy… it blew my mind.”

With Beetlejuice Beetlejuice set to hit cinemas in a few months, Keaton remains confident in their work. “I love it,” he said. “I absolutely love this thing. And I don’t [usually] talk like that. I unabashedly love this. It was not easy to pull off, and I think we did it in spades.” It's showtime!