It’s showtime! One of our favorite and most theatrical demons is back with an offering for the 2024 movie release calendar. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes 36 years after the Maitlands first asked Betelgeuse to help scare away the new family that had moved into the deceased couple’s home, and now critics have had the opportunity to screen the sequel, which will see Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz return to her haunted teenage home. The upcoming horror movie is a highly anticipated venture for lovers of the 1988 classic, and from the looks of the first reactions, we won’t be disappointed.
In addition to Winona Ryder, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also features Michael Keaton reprising the role of the titular troublemaker, as well as Catherine O’Hara as Lydia’s stepmother Delia. The former goth teen comes face-to-rotten face with the mischievous ghoul after her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) accidentally opens the portal to the afterlife. As for what people are saying, CinemaBlend’s own Mike Reyes thinks Beetlejuice 2 is just as bonkers and nostalgic as you’d hope, writing:
Erik Walkuski of JoBlo agrees, calling the OG trio “a sight for sore eyes,” and Catherine O’Hara steals the show in a successful zany offering from Tim Burton. He posts:
A couple of those who caught an early screening of the sequel mention too many subplots, and that critique is echoed by Eric Goldman. He also mentions how seamlessly its stars fall back into these classic characters and that Catherine O’Hara brings her A-game. In Goldman’s words:
Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue calls Tim Burton’s latest effort a “worthy sequel,” and even more than 30 years later, Michael Keaton is perfect as the title character. Leishman says:
She’s not the only one talking about the film’s use of “MacArthur Park,” as Scott Menzel of We Live Entertainment says Beetlejuice 2 found a worthy followup to “Banana Boat (Day-O).” Menzel predicts box office success, writing:
As a huge fan of the 1988 film, Perri Nemiroff calls the sequel a “joyous romp back into that world.” Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega are a great mother-daughter pair (as expected), with Willem Dafoe putting in a fun effort as well. In Nemiroff’s words:
Ema Sasic of Next Best Picture says the Tim Burton film offers a healthy dose of nostalgia mixed with its entertaining new plotlines. Sasic also praises the afterlife’s set pieces, writing:
These are very promising first reactions, and it sounds like fans of the original are going to find a lot to like here. Those who want a refresher on the 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice can screen it with a Max subscription, and then catch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice when it hits the big screen on Friday, September 6.