Published By: Sayan Paul

Awaiting 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice': Did You Know The Tim Burton-Film Was In Development For Over 3 Decades?

Soon after the groundbreaking success of 'Beetlejuice' (1988), a sequel was announced by the makers. However, it took over 3 decades for the film to be made.

"I was not out to do a big sequel for money. I wanted to make this for very personal reasons." - Tim Burton

It's been long, 36 years precisely, since Tim Burton's 'Beetlejuice' happened. But even today, the film's legacy is unmatched and is considered the best work in Burton's career. Upon its release in 1988, the dark fantasy horror comedy film emerged as an instant success, both critically and commercially, bringing a whiff of fresh air to American cinema.

Well, the 'Beetlejuice' gang is coming back to the big screen with the sequel, 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', with its lead cast members (Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara) reprising their roles. Actors like Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe will be seen as new characters. After premiering at the 81st Venice International Film Festival last month, the film is scheduled to be theatrically released overseas on September 4, 2024, and in the United States two days later on September 6, 2024.

(Credit: Tim Burton Daily)

For cinephiles, it's an amazing feeling that 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' is finally seeing the light of the day after countless updates and rumors over the past three decades. And here comes an important question: why did it take so long? As we gear up to 'experience' the film, let's learn that in this article.

The Development Began Immediately After 'Beetlejuice'

The 1988 film, as already mentioned, was a mammoth success. Hence, the development of a sequel began almost immediately, with two scripts being commissioned.

Warren Skaaren wrote the first one, titled 'Beetlejuice in Love', while Jonathan Gems did the second with the title 'Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian'. Burton loved the second script and decided to develop it further during the early 1990s. It went through multiple rewrites with time, and meanwhile, actors like Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder came on board. 

(Credit: Film Updates)

During this time, Burton became occupied with 'Batman Returns', and hence the project was put aside.

The Long, Complicated Rewriting Process

In 1993, producer David Geffen hired screenwriter Pamela Norris to rewrite the script for 'Beetlejuice' sequel. A few years later, Jonathan Gems released a statement, saying, "The Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian script is still owned by The Geffen Company and it will likely never get made. You really couldn't do it now anyway. Winona is too old for the role, and the only way they could make it would be to totally recast it."

In Burton's words, "We talked about lots of different things. That was early on when we were going, Beetlejuice and the Haunted Mansion, Beetlejuice Goes West, whatever. Lots of things came up." However, all of them were eventually scrapped.

(Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

Seth Grahame-Smith, who had teamed up with Burton on 'Dark Shadows' and 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter', was hired in the early 2010s to write the sequel. The writer announced in 2015 that the script was finished, and they would begin filming it by the end of the year. However, it was postponed yet again. In 2019, it was reported that the sequel had been shelved.

And Then It Took Off Again

The sequel was announced again in 2022 (by Brad Pitt's studio Plan B Entertainment, alongside Warner Bros). Burton came up with the story, while Alfred Gough and Miles Millar wrote the script. All the cast and crew members came on board with time, and filming was scheduled to begin in mid-2022.

After multiple delays, filming finally began in mid-2023 and wrapped later that year. The post-production work was completed by March 2024. Finally, it's all set to arrive at theatres in a couple of days.

(Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures)

'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' received mostly positive reviews from critics after its World Premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival. Now, let's gear up to see what it has to offer!