BEETLEJUICE 2: "It's Possible That Ship Has Sailed," Says Michael Keaton

Did your heart sink a little bit? Mine too.

Sources reported that Tim Burton was returning to direct Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton in Beetlejuice 2 a couple of years ago, with Burton saying in an interview that a script was in the works, and it was "closer than ever" around a year ago. The talk about the movie has gone back and forth since then, and while being interviewed about his upcoming film American Assassin, Keaton was asked if he knew anything about the rumored Beetlejuice sequel.

“No. Zero. You always hear things, that this is happening, and people seem to know more about it than I do.”

He goes on to say that he loves the character, but:

“It’s possible that ship has sailed. The only way to do it is to do it right, so much of it was improvised and so much was beautifully handmade by the artist that is Tim Burton. If you can’t get close to that, you leave it alone.”

It makes sense that they don't want to tarnish the original if the sequel isn't up to par, and in some ways that's refreshing. Keaton finished by speaking about remakes and sequels of other classic films, saying:

“There are certain movies that are like Indian burial grounds. You never ride over them. Bad s— happens if you cross that. You don’t touch certain things. They are sacred.”

You could argue that with Burton, Keaton, and Ryder in place for a sequel, we could be in for something special like the original, but if it's not as magical and memorable as the first, is it truly worth it? It's certainly discouraging that we may not re-visit Burton's wonderful world and characters, but hopefully, he can figure something out in that beautiful, dark, and crazy mind of his. Hope is not yet lost!

Source: Variety