There are just four spoken words in the new trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel to Tim Burton's cult comedy horror, but what four words they are: "The juice," Michael Keaton says to Winona Ryder, "is loose".
1988's Beetlejuice is one of the best-loved Tim Burton movies, and excitement for the sequel is already high. This teaser trailer (see below) is just going to amplify that, because it feels like the vibe is absolutely perfect. It's creepy and it's kooky, it's altogether spooky, it's... yes, that's the theme tune for a completely different Winona Ryder movie, because there's another link to our other favorite spooky mansion: Jenna Ortega, aka Wednesday Addams from the series Wednesday.
The music here will make you smile if you're a fan of the first movie because it's a knowing wink to the original. It's a slowed down version of Harry Belafonte's Day-O (Banana Boat Song), which is used brilliantly in the first film in one of its most memorable and hilarious scenes. If you haven't already seen that film, don't follow that YouTube link: here's where you can watch Beetlejuice online.
What do we know about Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
The sequel is one of our picks for the most exciting movies of 2024. It's coming to theaters in September and while the trailer doesn't reveal very much, Warners has set out the plot. After an unexpected tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River – and Lydia (Ryder)'s teenage daughter Astrid, played by Jenna Ortega, discovers the portal to the afterlife. It's just a matter of time before someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and mayhem ensues.
The cast is studded with stars: Catherine O'Hara is back, so that's reason enough to buy a ticket, and she's joined by The Last Jedi's Justin Theroux, House of the Dragon's Arthur Conti and two actors who need no introduction: Willem Dafoe and Monica Belluci. Behind the camera there's tons of talent too including Wednesday production designer Mark Scruton, Sleepy Hollow's costume designer Colleen Atwood, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's effects and makeup FX wizard Neal Scanlan and, of course, composer Danny Elfman.
I'm really looking forward to this one. Beetlejuice was one of Keaton's finest performances and the original was an absolute hoot. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters and IMAX on September 6, 2024 in the US, and internationally on the September 4.
