It’s been over 33 years since Tim Burton’s beloved classic Beetlejuice hit theaters, and there have been many rumors over the years that a sequel starring Michael Keaton was in the works. At the 2019 premiere of Keaton and Burton’s last collaboration, Dumbo, USA Today asked the filmmaker what was happening with the reported sequel and he replied, “Nothing, nothing.” When asked if anything would ever happen with the long-awaited follow-up, Burton added, “I don’t know. I doubt it.” One of the many people who was set to be involved with the project was Seth Grahame-Smith, a writer and producer known for projects such as The Lego Batman Movie and Dark Shadows. Recently, Grahame-Smith had a chat with Collider about his new Disney series, Just Beyond, and was asked about the Beetlejuice sequel.
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“It’s funny, when I had met with Tim about it last, and we’re talking about five years ago at this point, the reason that it’s so hard to get going is because so many people love it and because there are 10 million ways to get that sequel wrong and four ways to get it right. It’s such a very fine needle to thread that I certainly like didn’t get it there, on the script side. I didn’t thread the needle. There are things that were cool and some interesting ideas. I’ve certainly emotionally moved on from it and just said, “If it happens someday, it happens,” Grahame-Smith shared. He added, “Michael Keaton is just as relevant as ever and, and Tim Burton is just as relevant as ever, but you have to have both of those people excited about something to do it. I couldn’t get it there personally, as a writer, but maybe somebody else can.”
As for Just Beyond, the new kid-themed horror series is based on the comic from R.L. Stine, and it dropped on Disney+ earlier this month. Each episode introduces viewers to a new cast of characters who must go on a surprising journey of self-discovery in a supernatural world of witches, aliens, ghosts, and parallel universes. ComicBook.com recently caught up with Stine and Grahame-Smith to talk about the new series, the excitement of these stories, and what the future could hold for the concept. You can watch the full interview at the top of the page.
Are you bummed that the Beetlejuice sequel probably won’t happen? Tell us in the comments!
Just Beyond is now streaming on Disney+.
