Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Impressive Box Office Opening May Be One of a Kind for a Surprising Reason

Tim Burton’s long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel hit theaters this weekend and became an instant success. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice set the box office on fire with $111 million domestically — only the third movie this year to open higher than $100 million in North America. Combining the international haul, the new Beetlejuice made more than $147 million in its first weekend, which is even more impressive when you consider the performance of the original movie.

The 1988 Beetlejuice has become an absolutely iconic part of pop culture history, and time has been very kind to the film, but it was only a modest hit when it was initially released. The movie earned just below $74 million at the box office; good enough to earn money from theaters, but not a massive success.

When you look at those numbers side-by-side, it shows just how beloved . In just one weekend, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has already DOUBLED the entire theatrical gross of its predecessor. Just let that sink in for a minute. It took the Beetlejuice sequel just three days to make twice as much as the original made in total.

Yes, movies tend to make more money now than they did in the 1980s, but that kind of success in a sequel is unheard of, especially when it’s only the second installment in a series.

In addition to the quality of the film (which has been generally well-received by critics), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is helped by the return of the most popular stars from the original movie. Fans have been beyond excited to see Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara reprise their roles in the new sequel. They’re also joined by an all-star lineup of newcomers, including Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Danny DeVito.

You can check out the official synopsis for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice below.

“Beetlejuice is back! After an unexpected family tragedy, threegenerations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Stillhaunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when herrebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model ofthe town in the attic, and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentallyopened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of timeuntil someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievousdemon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.”