After a 25 year absence from the big screen, The Ghost With the Most himself looks to be getting the sequel he’s been waiting for.
It appears that the long gestating sequel to 1988’s Beetlejuice is getting far more traction than it has in the last quarter of a century. This mainly stems from the confirmation that the original film’s director, Tim Burton, is in talks with Warner Bros to direct the sequel. Burton, coming right off the heels of filming the biographical drama Big Eyes, hasn’t picked his next project yet, but it’s been confirmed that the sequel is on his plate.
If Burton decides to direct, he will be working from a script written by author/screenwriter Seth Grahame-Smith (who wrote the Burton-produced adaptation of his book Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Burton’s 2012 adaptation of Dark Shadows), who is producing the film with David Katzenberg as part of KatzSmith Productions. The Geffen Company (who produced the original film) will also be producing this new entry and rumors have persisted that Michael Keaton will reprise his role as the titular poltergeist.
This is such a conundrum for me. On the one hand, I’ve always been a big fan of the original Beetlejuice. It’s such a bizarre horror comedy with it’s practical effects, performances and use of Harry Belafonte that, in theory, really shouldn’t work. Yet, it all meshes together into this unique effort that has this infectious sense of macabre fun. That all being said, the Tim Burton who made that movie isn’t the same Tim Burton we have today. The man who made classics like Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Ed Wood and Edward Scissorhands has been replaced by this bored husk of his former self that’s been responsible for lifeless efforts like Alice in Wonderland, the remake of Planet of the Apes and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
My confidence is even more shaken by the decision to have Seth Grahame-Smith write the script, who was responsible for one of Burton’s worst efforts of the last decade or so Dark Shadows. Honestly, the only thing that can interest me is if they bring back Michael Keaton in the title role. His work in the original is some of the best he’s ever done and the man is due for a comeback at this point. Plus, unlike some of the other members of the cast, he can reprise the role of a ghoul without worry of how he’s aged because of the heavy make up the role requires. Unfortunately, we can’t say the same for Alec Baldwin or Geena Davis.
So, is Tim Burton the right man for the job or will Beetlejuice 2 end up jumping the shark rather than Jumping the Line under his direction? Post your comments below!
Via The Wrap
