Beetlejuice 2

Roger Martin3 said:Personally, I found Gremlins and Dark Shadows to be alright—certainly nothing spectacular, I'll admit that—but overall, I actually enjoyed them.

I honestly fear that Rachel Ortiz33’s skepticism might actually be justified—it’s a tough pill to swallow, really. Beetlejuice feels like such a complete, perfectly rounded cinematic experience—it doesn't exactly leave much room for the story to grow naturally. My worry—and perhaps a bit of my own pessimism showing through—is that the whole thing might just end up being a repetitive loop of everything we've already seen. 🤷
Well, we shall just have to wait and see. 😁
Perhaps they should have considered making it animated—honestly, Corpse Bride would never have become the masterpiece it is today if it hadn't been an animated film.

I haven't seen Dark Shadows yet, but I assume it's decent goth dark fantasy.

I honestly doubt there's enough meat on the bone for a sequel. I don't know much about his "universe" or if one even exists, but looking at his animated stuff, you could probably dream something up.
Maybe we'll get some flashbacks as part of the movie—showing what Bubimir was like when he was alive and how he turned into that bio-exorcist type.

I haven't dug into his full character bio yet, but he seems like a super interesting character— Beetlejuice (Character)

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Honestly, just hope for the best, because the movie's gonna be trash and that's that.

I mean, I know they won't actually use that script—it's not the 90s anymore—but I have to mention it because Burton wrote the absolute worst possible screenplay for a sequel and the studio just totally swallowed it, haha.
Back then, they weren't even making a sequel, but now that there's a little extra cash lying around, suddenly they're all about making a number two...

Wait, what, are you saying you can tell just by reading tarot cards or looking into a crystal ball?

The fact that the same crew is working on this as the original gives it a solid foundation so it doesn't flop. That's a huge difference compared to if some random crew with zero connection to this "world" took over the project.

To be clear, Tim Burton is directing this sequel, not writing it. That job went to Seth Grahame-Smith. I haven't seen Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, but I hear it's alright.

Back in the 90s, Burton wasn't really feeling a Bubimir sequel, which kind of killed the idea early on, but things have changed now that projects are being taken more seriously. Just the fact that he brought Michael Keaton back is enough, and soon we'll have Winona Ryder too.

Based on his other films, it's pretty clear he isn't chasing those massive blockbuster profits, so I highly doubt he's doing this just because he's low on cash.

dustyranger64 said:I'm honestly worried that Burton might be just a little too creative to settle for digging through the old sequel bag just to make a quick buck.

There’s definitely some truth to that, though.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Planet of the Apes and Dark Shadows were honestly such terrible movies

Super creative, you say? And the last original script Burton actually wrote, hmm... I don't think so
Think about the characters in Corpse Bride, or the story for Edward Scissorhands...

I dig Burton, but he's been out of his game for a while and he's definitely starting to repeat himself

It doesn't necessarily mean a great script has to fly out of his head every single time.
Actually, Planet of the Apes was quite an atypical film for him—it showed he can direct things other than stories about outcasts, dead people, and so on.
Everyone slips up occasionally in a string of good works; it's unrealistic to expect every single piece to be a masterpiece. Besides, there have been much bigger failures than Burton's (for instance—I will never forgive Eastwood for that mess with Angelina Jolie).

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Planet of the Apes and Dark Shadows were honestly such terrible movies

Super creative, you say? And the last original script Burton actually wrote, hmm... I don't think so
Think about the characters in Corpse Bride, or the story for Edward Scissorhands...

I dig Burton, but he's been out of his game for a while and he's definitely starting to repeat himself

Yep.
It’s not even because I love his movies, it’s just because I actually got to see one of his original exhibitions (I think there were only about six in the whole world, including here in the USA).
And honestly, putting aside all the classic stuff from his films—like the Edward Scissorhands suit and the Batman gear (I actually touched it! 😳)—the other parts were way more interesting.
We're talking sketches, drawings, dioramas, songs, models, you name it.
Anyway, I’d say what he puts on screen is really just the most vanilla part of his brain.
The guy is insanely hyperproductive.
True, maybe he isn't on that level for a casual viewer (guilty as charged!), so even though I'm pretty sure he could churn out nine movies a year, the real question is whether he can find the backing and resources to make something as massive as Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Corpse Bride, or The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Then again, hardly anyone ever can.

Wait, so the guy who wrote Abraham Lincoln Killer and Dark Shadows is doing a sequel? Now I'm officially worried this movie's gonna be a total flop 😁

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Planet of the Apes and Dark Shadows were honestly such terrible movies

Super creative, you say? And the last original script Burton actually wrote, hmm... I don't think so
Think about the characters in Corpse Bride, or the story for Edward Scissorhands...

I dig Burton, but he's been out of his game for a while and he's definitely starting to repeat himself

What exactly does he repeat?

It feels a bit dry to say everyone has different tastes, because as far as I know, plenty of people think Corpse Bride and Edward Scissorhands are great films. And then there's The Nightmare Before Christmas, which has that same vibe as Corpse Bride.
I don't usually lean too hard on IMDb ratings, but hey, all four of those movies have really solid scores.

As far as I know, Corpse Bride is a Henry Selick film☕

Drew Sanchez82 I'm ready! Just send over the text you want me to work on, and I'll get right to it. Remember, I'll be rewriting everything to sound like a natural, upbeat American voice while following all those specific naming rules you laid out. Standing by!
The Nightmare Before Christmas feels so much like Corpse Bride!

If anything, it’s the other way around; NBC showed up about 10 years before CB. 😁

Drew Sanchez82 I'm ready! Just send over the text you want me to work on. I'll make sure it sounds like a real American wrote it—fresh, snappy, and totally original. Standing by!
I don't usually lean too heavily on IMDb ratings, but wow—all four of those movies have seriously great scores!

They’ve got killer reviews—I mean, The Nightmare Before Christmas is sitting at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes! But honestly, even beyond the scores, these movies just stick with you. Edward Scissorhands and Jack Skellington? Total icons. Just legendary.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Wait, so the guy who wrote Abraham Lincoln Killer and Dark Shadows is doing a sequel? Now I'm officially worried this movie's gonna be a total flop 😁

Rachel Ortiz33 said:As far as I know, Corpse Bride is a Henry Selick film☕

You've got it wrong. The Nightmare Before Christmas belongs to Selick.

And more importantly, you're being inconsistent here, because he's the writer for both Burton projects. I guess it only matters when he's involved in the bad movies! 😁

My bad! I see now you were talking about Grahame-Smith—what's his name again? I totally misread that as Burton. 🙂

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Wait, so the guy who wrote Abraham Lincoln Killer and Dark Shadows is doing a sequel? Now I'm officially worried this movie's gonna be a total flop 😁

Are you just deciding that because you personally thought Vampire Hunter was a dud? Because from where I'm sitting, the ratings for those movies are actually pretty decent. Plus, Burton didn't even direct Vampire Hunter.
When you're working alongside Tim Burton on a sequel to a legendary horror comedy like this, there’s really no way to mess it up. It’s just built different.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:As far as I know, Corpse Bride is a Henry Selick film☕

Wrong. It's Burton's.

dustyranger64 said:

Drew Sanchez82 I'm ready! Just send over the text you want me to work on, and I'll get right to it. Remember, I'll be rewriting everything to sound like a natural, upbeat American voice while following all those specific naming rules you laid out. Standing by!
The Nightmare Before Christmas feels so much like Corpse Bride!

If anything, it’s the other way around; NBC showed up about 10 years before CB. 😁

Drew Sanchez82 I'm ready! Just send over the text you want me to work on. I'll make sure it sounds like a real American wrote it—fresh, snappy, and totally original. Standing by!
I don't usually lean too heavily on IMDb ratings, but wow—all four of those movies have seriously great scores!

They’ve got killer reviews—I mean, The Nightmare Before Christmas is sitting at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes! But honestly, even beyond the scores, these movies just stick with you. Edward Scissorhands and Jack Skellington? Total icons. Just legendary.

Alright, that's definitely one way to look at it. 😁

dustyranger64 said:

Drew Sanchez82 I'm ready! Just send over the text you want me to work on, and I'll get right to it. Remember, I'll be rewriting everything to sound like a natural, upbeat American voice while following all those specific naming rules you laid out. Standing by!
The Nightmare Before Christmas feels so much like Corpse Bride!

If anything, it’s the other way around; NBC showed up about 10 years before CB. 😁

Drew Sanchez82 I'm ready! Just send over the text you want me to work on. I'll make sure it sounds like a real American wrote it—fresh, snappy, and totally original. Standing by!
I don't usually lean too heavily on IMDb ratings, but wow—all four of those movies have seriously great scores!

They’ve got killer reviews—I mean, The Nightmare Before Christmas is sitting at 94% on Rotten Tomatoes! But honestly, even beyond the scores, these movies just stick with you. Edward Scissorhands and Jack Skellington? Total icons. Just legendary.

Yeah, honestly, Burton's movies always hit that sweet spot. They don't need to be a perfect 9/10 to be top-tier. The fact that he pulls in such massive crowds and has this dedicated cult following speaks volumes on its own. It’s just his vibe.
I grew up watching his movies—stuff like Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, and Planet of the Apes. But those newer ones? They’re a different story. Honestly, you just don't see directors today who can replicate what he does. They lack that specific vision and that raw passion for the genre. He mastered his craft a long time ago, and he’s a total pro at it.

With the names mentioned, you've got that iconic guy and Beetlejuice.
Not many people seem to remember that iconic walking dead guy anymore, you know? He was basically a one-man show all on his own. 😁 It's just a total riot with all those different powers.
I first fell for him back with the 1988 movie and that animated series too.

dustyranger64 said:You've got it wrong. The Nightmare Before Christmas belongs to Selick.

And more importantly, you're being inconsistent here, because he's the writer for both Burton projects. I guess it only matters when he's involved in the bad movies! 😁

My bad! I see now you were talking about Grahame-Smith—what's his name again? I totally misread that as Burton. 🙂

It honestly fascinates me sometimes how people can look at a director's massive body of great work, find one slightly mediocre project, and let that one grey little thing overshadow everything else until they decide the whole guy is just "average."😁

my bad, total brain fart—I meant Nightmare but typed Corpse Bride instead, which I honestly can't even remember that well right now

Honestly, it feels a little premature to write the whole movie off as a total flop when we don't even have a confirmed cast list or the slightest hint about where the plot is actually heading. Personally, I’d much rather hold out some hope for a decent flick than just sit here waiting for it to fail.☕

Rachel Ortiz33 said:my bad, total brain fart—I meant Nightmare but typed Corpse Bride instead, which I honestly can't even remember that well right now

Whatever, they're both Burton films. And look, they both have solid ratings, but hey, taste is subjective. Some people just don't vibe with his style or don't see him as their director, though I bet that's mostly just older folks who didn't grow up watching his stuff back in the 80s and 90s.

Nicholas Watson said:Honestly, it feels a little premature to write the whole movie off as a total flop when we don't even have a confirmed cast list or the slightest hint about where the plot is actually heading. Personally, I’d much rather hold out some hope for a decent flick than just sit here waiting for it to fail.☕

All we really know so far is that the original trio is back for the sequel, the writers seem like a safe bet, and the story likely takes place 27 years later—so it's a straight-up sequel.
I just really hope they don't flip the script during pre-production and turn it into a prequel. I'm not sure fans would go for it, even though seeing Bubimir's life before his undead persona could be cool... but honestly, that probably only works if they were making two movies.

Drew Sanchez82 said:Whatever, they're both Burton films. And look, they both have solid ratings, but hey, taste is subjective. Some people just don't vibe with his style or don't see him as their director, though I bet that's mostly just older folks who didn't grow up watching his stuff back in the 80s and 90s.

All we really know so far is that the original trio is back for the sequel, the writers seem like a safe bet, and the story likely takes place 27 years later—so it's a straight-up sequel.
I just really hope they don't flip the script during pre-production and turn it into a prequel. I'm not sure fans would go for it, even though seeing Bubimir's life before his undead persona could be cool... but honestly, that probably only works if they were making two movies.

If you write the script and I direct it, is it my movie or yours?

I mean, sure, it's way too early to tell, but I'm not getting my hopes up too high (even though the original is one of my absolute faves)

Of course it’s yours. A director picks the writers for their own project, right?
I mean, look at James Cameron—he hired five different writers just to handle Avatar, so having two writers paired up for the next Bubimir sequel isn't overkill at all.

I'm totally with you on the original; it's easily one of my all-time favorites. But honestly, any of Burton's stuff from the 80s or 90s that leans into that dark, goth fantasy vibe is my absolute favorite kind of movie.

Here’s a little idea for what a Bubimir sequel could look like, especially if they decide to go with a straight-up sequel to the original:

Quote: after reincarnation (he's just waiting in line at some undead corporate office), he finally lands his own spot in a different realm known as the Netherworld. Beetlejuice ends up running his own roadhouse, and his next-door neighbor is a skeleton named Jacques. There's also a furry Bigfoot from Texas called the monster across the street and a friendly tap-dancing spider named Ginger.

Beetlejuice and Lydia become total B.F.F.s and get into all sorts of wild adventures. He’s still the same old joker—a massive troublemaker and a pro at visual puns. He’s definitely still got that craving for bugs and that habit of chasing women. But... he’s turned into more of a hero. Even if his heart doesn't actually beat, it's pure gold.

Just to refresh everyone's memory, that bit about "waiting in line at an undead corporate office" is basically the very last scene from the original Beetlejuice back in 1988. That's how the movie wraps up.
Everything leading up to his reincarnation was shown in the film.

Man, that was honestly one of my favorite scenes ever.🤣

My own take on this would be pretty similar to the animated version, except Lydia wouldn't be a kid. Still, you've got people waiting a hundred years in that office, right? Everything else remains basically the same. Honestly, though, I really hope this isn't the actual script; I had a soft spot for the cartoon, but the movie is just so much better. Cinematic Bubimir is absolutely insane—he has one of those faces where, despite only being on screen for maybe 15 or 20 minutes, he completely dominates every single shot. He’s just a total wreck who couldn't care less about anything. In the cartoon, he's actually kind of sweet, a real good guy.

I suppose many people have legitimate reasons to feel nostalgic for those standout films from the 80s and 90s, or even earlier; when you take beloved stories and characters and try to repackage them as modern sequels, prequels, or revivals, they rarely manage to capture that same magic. Is it just me, or are the times simply different now? Sequels, by their very nature, often feel like a pale shadow of the original work. But hey, let’s see how it plays out—there is always plenty of creative potential on the table, and even if the result ends up being merely mediocre, it will likely be fine. Who knows, perhaps Burton might actually surprise us all.

Rachel Ortiz33 said:Bubimir's got nothing left to work with here. It's tough to top the first one, especially since Burton's been hitting some misses lately—I mean, *Dark Shadows* wasn't even close to being as good as *Planet of the Apes*, which says a lot...

Hopefully they aren't just recycling that *Beetlejuice goes to Hawaii* script that was supposed to happen back in the mid-90s...

Exactly!

But seriously, how is it even supposed to be considered an original work when it’s just a direct sequel to 🤔
? It feels like such a total oxymoron, ☕
.

Personally, I’m just crossing my fingers that they lean heavily into the practical stuff—more killer makeup and insane costumes rather than just drowning everything in cheap CGI.

Drew Sanchez82 said:I haven't seen Dark Shadows yet, but I assume it's decent goth dark fantasy.

I honestly doubt there's enough meat on the bone for a sequel. I don't know much about his "universe" or if one even exists, but looking at his animated stuff, you could probably dream something up.
Maybe we'll get some flashbacks as part of the movie—showing what Bubimir was like when he was alive and how he turned into that bio-exorcist type.

I haven't dug into his full character bio yet, but he seems like a super interesting character— Beetlejuice (Character)

Wait, what, are you saying you can tell just by reading tarot cards or looking into a crystal ball?

The fact that the same crew is working on this as the original gives it a solid foundation so it doesn't flop. That's a huge difference compared to if some random crew with zero connection to this "world" took over the project.

To be clear, Tim Burton is directing this sequel, not writing it. That job went to Seth Grahame-Smith. I haven't seen Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, but I hear it's alright.

Back in the 90s, Burton wasn't really feeling a Bubimir sequel, which kind of killed the idea early on, but things have changed now that projects are being taken more seriously. Just the fact that he brought Michael Keaton back is enough, and soon we'll have Winona Ryder too.

Based on his other films, it's pretty clear he isn't chasing those massive blockbuster profits, so I highly doubt he's doing this just because he's low on cash.

There’s definitely some truth to that, though.

The whole thing doesn't sound half bad to me; I suppose I'll remain cautiously optimistic—we shall see. 😁