Growing up, one of my earliest memories is roasting pumpkin seeds and watching Beetlejuice (1988) with my mother on Halloween. Since childhood, I have committed to watching Beetlejuice every single Halloween night and so far; it’s a tradition that’s been going strong for 25 years. Whether it’s the 1989 Beetlejuice: The Animated Series or the 1988 original film, Beetlejuice* is a household name for me during the spooky season. So when the sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), was announced, you better believe I bought those pre-release tickets.
I arrived at the theatre with an armful of extra buttered popcorn, my Beetlejuice T-shirt, themed makeup, and my best friend, squealing with excitement as the opening credits came on. Adding to such a cult classic always comes with risks and it was uncomfortable to re-enter the familiar world of Beetlejuice with new sets, plot lines, and an added sense of modernity. I adjusted as the film progressed and little nuggets of nostalgia presented themselves: the Delia Deetz sculpture, the original house, the opening music, random stop-motion animation (including a very graphic new sandworm), and tons of humorous asides. The Deetz’ faced new problems with a fractured family, triggering the reappearance of a still Lydia-obsessed demon Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton. Only this time around, we enter into his world. While much of the original film centres on Beetlejuice’s unwanted presence in the mortal world, Winona Ryder’s character Lydia and her daughter Astrid Deetz, played by Wednesday’s (2022) Jenna Ortega (a confusing cast if you ask me, could we stick to just one cult classic please?), enter into the afterlife when Astrid’s undead boyfriend chooses trick over treat on Halloween. I enjoyed this exploration in the live action film as the afterlife was a common set in the animated Beetlejuice series.
Almost the entire original cast was included in this remake. Left out was one problematic individual (whose name won’t be mentioned even once lest we risk his appearance) as well as Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin who played Barbara and Adam Maitland in the original film. Davis has been quoted speculating that the reason for their absence is that “ghosts don’t age.” Not mentioned is how Baldwin has spent the last couple of years fighting charges of involuntary manslaughter after accidentally shooting and killing a cast member with a prop gun on the set of a film called Rust (2024). Interestingly, a similar case happened on the set of the original film The Crow, (1994) when lead actor Brandon Lee was shot and killed with a prop gun. The Crow (2024) remake was released two weeks before Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
There were a few notable and natural additions to the film’s cast, including Danny DeVito, one of Tim Burtons’ favourite little monsters (see his equally grotesque role as the Penguin in Burton’s Batman Returns (1992)). Willem Dafoe was a satisfying, organic inclusion and it was truly seamless how he integrated into the palette of this film. His character of Wolf Jackson may have taken the cake for funniest character, equalling the original comedy we saw from Beetlejuice in the first film. Dafoe’s acting was a great compliment to Burton’s style and I truly hope the two collaborate more in the future.
The plot line was a little wonky at times, especially in regard to Beetlejuice’s random ex-wife, played by Monica Bellucci, who, while very Burton-esque, made very little sense to include. I was also underwhelmed at Winona Ryder’s performance as a now adult Lydia Deetz, and Michael Keaton’s acting certainly didn’t compare to the original Beetlejuice. Nevertheless, there was so much nostalgia repackaged into a fresh new film that I left the theatre satisfied that there was now another addition to the “Beetle-verse”. I can enjoy every Halloween for the next 25 years of my life.
Darien Johnsen is a UFV alumni who obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree with double extended minors in Global Development Studies and Sociology in 2020. She started writing for The Cascade in 2018, taking on the role of features editor shortly after. She’s passionate about justice, sustainable development, and education.
