Actor Michael Keaton has turned the character of Betelgeuse into a pop culture icon, but he has just confirmed a harsh reality aboutBeetlejuice’smovie future. The release of the long awaited sequelBeetlejuice Beetlejuicehas revived the franchise to the biggest point it has been at in years, with fans of Tim Burton’s comedy series crossing their fingers that moreBeetlejuiceprojects will come in the future. However,Michael Keaton’s recentBeetlejuicenewsmay have quelled some of these hopes, highlighting an important truth about the beloved 1980s franchise.
After years of waiting,a proper sequel toBeetlejuiceis finally here, withBeetlejuice Beetlejuicenow available on streaming. While a sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 classic has famously had a troubled development, with the film beingBeetlejuice Goes Hawaiianfor most of its life, 2024 finally saw the movie get finished.Beetlejuice Beetlejuicemanaged to bring the cast of the originalBeetlejuiceback and update their stories for the 2020s, and with the film being one of the highest-grossing movies of the year, many fans can’t wait for a thirdBeetlejuicemovie to be released.
Beetlejuice 2 Further Confirms That Michael Keaton Is The Only Person To Play Betelgeuse
Tim Burton Wouldn’t Do It Without Him
Beetlejuice Beetlejuiceis a fantastic continuation of the original film, and while all of the returningBeetlejuiceactors are great, the sequel confirms that Michael Keaton is the only person who can play Betelgeuse. In the behind-the-scenes featurettes that come with the sequel’s digital release, director Tim Burton confirms time and time again that the movie would not have happened if Keaton had not agreed to return as Betelgeuse. This means that aBeetlejuice 3would be unlikely without Keaton, showing that the future of the franchise truly hinges on the actor’s involvement.
Beetlejuice: What Else The Cast Is Known For
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice features a variety of living and dead characters, and they’re perfectly played in the movie by the all-star ensemble cast.
Burton’s dedication to Michael Keaton is understandable,as the actor was able to seamlessly step back into the role after over three decades. Michael Keaton brings the exact same energy and charm to Betelgeuse that was present in the first film, and the fact that he did it so flawlessly is impressive. Michael Keaton being the star of Tim Burton’sBeetlejuiceandBatmanfranchises proves how integral Keaton was to Tim Burton’s successes, so it is doubtful that anything could split the duo up in theBeetlejuicefranchise’s future.
How Michael Keaton Transformed Betelgeuse Into An Iconic Character
Michael Keaton’s performance was integral in turning Betelgeuse into an iconic character, as can be seen in the “The Ghost with the Most: Beetlejuice Returns!” extra that came withBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’s digital release. In the featurette,Keaton explains that he had “pure freedom” when developing the character of Betelgeuse in the first film. The movement, mannerisms, and behavior of Betelgeuse were heavily influenced by Michael Keaton, with him also constantly improvising lines and gags throughout the film’s development. Thus, much of who Betelgeuse is can be credited to Michael Keaton.
Keaton goes on to talk aboutreturning to the role inBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceand how it differed from the original film. Keaton describes having less creative freedom inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, with this being due to the fact that he had to stick to the character that he and Burton had established in the original film. While there was less improv, Michael Keaton was still integral to the character of Betelgeuse, highlighting how important he is to the franchise’s continued success.
Would The Beetlejuice Movies Ever Recast Betelgeuse?
It Is Unlikely As Long As Tim Burton Is Around
Due to how closely Michael Keaton and Betelgeuse are associated, many fans have wondered if the franchise would ever recast the character. The answer is probably no, at least if it wants to have Tim Burton involved. Tim Burton’s insistence on Michael Keaton returning proves how much he wants the actor to play Betelgeuse. Since he wouldn’t makeBeetlejuice Beetlejuicewithout Keaton, it is doubtful thatBurton would makeBeetlejuice 3without the actor.
10 Best Costumes From Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Movies, Ranked
The Beetlejuice franchise has some of the wackiest characters in Hollywood, but what makes them even better are their unique and stylish outfits.
However, it is always possible that the franchise could continue without Tim Burton or Michael Keaton, meaning that the character would be recast. While Tim Burton undoubtedly has a lot of control over the character of Betelgeuse, it is always possible that Warner Bros. could move away from Burton in order to continue the franchise. This would give the studio the freedom to recast the titular ghost in anotherBeetlejuicesequel, although most fans of the franchise would probably be wholly against this.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
