Beetlejuice Beetlejuice a.k.a. Beetlejuice 2 slithers into theaters next week, but don’t expect director Tim Burton to return for Beetlejuice 3 if it ever happens.
The 66-year-old filmmaker spoke about a potential third film in his Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder-led horror-comedy series when speaking to The Hollywood Reporter. Time will tell if the sequel will manage to walk away a success, but Burton isn’t optimistic that he’d be involved if fans show interest in another movie. He notes that the original Beetlejuice premiered in 1988, with the sequel arriving a whopping 36 years later.
“Well, if [the same] time frame goes on, I’ll be about 100,” Burton said when asked about a potential return. “So maybe. I doubt it.”
Even if Beetlejuice 3 manages to materialize in the near future, Burton doesn’t sound like he’ll seek out a directing spot. When asked why he opted to return for Beetlejuice 2, the director mentioned that he liked the idea of further exploring Ryder’s Lydia Deetz character.
“Getting older is where you start thinking about what happens in life,” Burton continued. “[She] starts as a cool teenager. Relationships… Do you have kids? What are they like? What do you like? How do you change? These are all things that I know and experience. So it felt more right to make this now, rather than back in, like, 1989.”
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes to theaters September 6, bringing classic characters with it. Included in its reanimated cast are newcomers like Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci. We called the long-awaited sequel “charming (if weightless)” in our 7/10 review, adding, “Its story is intentionally robbed of dramatic weight, but this makes way for the goofy, imaginative practical effects of Burton's early days, resulting in a small-scale legacy sequel that doesn't take itself too seriously (because it doesn’t need to).”
Don’t get your hopes up that Burton will have a pivotal role in Beetlejuice 3 should it ever arrive, but we’ll know more about its chances after Beetlejuice Beetlejuice releases. For more on the series, you can read about Burton’s thoughts on Keaton’s performance in the film. You can also read up on the director’s thoughts on AI-generated artwork.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
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