Tim Burton puts a dampener on 'Beetlejuice' sequel plans

Tim Burton doesn’t think a Beetlejuice sequel will come to fruition.

The Dumbo director, who was at the helm of the 1988 horror comedy, expressed these doubts when asked by USA Today about the status of the next movie.

When asked what was happening with the proposed Beetlejuice 2, Burton said, “nothing, nothing,” before doubling down and saying, “I don’t know, I doubt it,” will get made.

This is a far cry from what the director said about the sequel three years ago as he told Showbiz Spy: “The film is a go and has been approved by the Warner Bros. team, we have talked with the cast members we wanted for the film and they are all on board, this includes both Winona (Ryder) and Michael (Keaton).

Read more: Everything you don’t know about Beetlejuice

“We have the script in hand everything is in place all we need to do now is get ready to start filming.”

The original film was Burton’s second as a director and centred on the Maitlands a deceased couple – played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin – who hire a bio-exorcist called Betelgeuse/Beetlejuice (Keaton) to try and get rid of the new living occupants of their home.

Ryder played Lydia Deetz, the goth daughter of the house’s new owners played by Catherine O’Hara and Jeffrey Jones.

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The actress and Keaton have always expressed their interest in reprising their roles in a sequel however, original screenwriter Larry Wilson said that the issue might be that the new story might be as good.

“The bottom line is, Tim Burton and Michael Keaton are not going to think about a Beetlejuice sequel unless it somehow catches the energy of the first film. And that’s not easy,” Wilson told USA Today.

“Beetlejuice really was lightning in a bottle. But there have been discussions since it really shocked everyone in 1988. And in terms of Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, wiser heads prevailed. Thank God there’s a level of integrity here.”