Michael Keaton Struggled to Reprise Beetlejuice in the Sequel, Here's Why
Revisiting his iconic character was no walk in the park for the legendary actor.
Summary
- Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is one of the biggest premieres of the year.
- Beetlejuice is a mainstay of contemporary pop culture.
- Michael Keaton didn't appreciate certain aspects of the film's popularity.
2024 could be officially dubbed The Year of Franchises, as several popular movie series are set to get new installments. Dune, Godzilla, Ghostbusters, Mad Max – the list that have already been expanded this year is only going to get longer as more movie franchises are expected to release new films.
For example, Deadpool & Wolverine, the third installment in the Deadpool film series, is expected to be the biggest premiere of the summer, if not the year. Then, in September, Tim Burton's classic fantasy horror-comedy Beetlejuice gets its long-awaited sequel, with Michael Keaton reprising his iconic title role. But playing Beetlejuice nearly forty years after the first movie has proven to be quite a challenge for the actor – and time is not to blame.
A Pop Culture Staple
Starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara and Winona Ryder in addition to Keaton, Tim Burton's Beetlejuice premiered in 1988 and became a worldwide hit, earning five times its $15 million budget. The horror-comedy told the story of Adam and Barbara Maitland, a recently deceased couple stuck as ghosts in their family home for 125 years, who enlist the help of the eponymous exorcist to scare away the property's new owners.
Over the decades, Beetlejuice has become a staple of pop culture. Needless to say, the movie has inspired a lot of memorabilia such as figurines, toys, clothing, and even kitchenware. Beetlejuice has become an image, a symbol rather than a character. And that's what caused problems for Michael Keaton when he reprised the role.
The Dark Side of Popularity
'There's been so much merchandising of [Beetlejuice], I had to drop back to where it started,' the actor said in a recent interview. 'I had to go, "What was my unusual imagination even thinking about when I was developing it in the first place?" As opposed to seeing a coffee mug or a golf-club cover [with Betelgeuse's face].'
According to Michael Keaton, he didn't like this kind of popularity at all. In fact, the actor said he found it 'off-putting' – he really didn't want Beetlejuice to be just a face on a collection of various items.
Fortunately, Keaton was able to slip into his iconic character. And he seems to have nailed the role. At least, that's the impression he made on those who worked with him on the set.
'It was like he was possessed by a demon, because he just went right back into it,' director Tim Burton commented on the actor's performance in the sequel.
When Beetlejuice premieres on September 6, we'll see how well Michael Keaton portrays the title character.
Source: Empire.