"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" – a cinematic odyssey spanning decades, with its origins rooted in a rare and triumphant '80s film that, remarkably, didn't instantly spawn a sequel. Though it did find a sort of continuation in the form of a cartoon series, the idea of a direct follow-up lingered. It's not as if Tim Burton shies away from sequels, evidenced by his two installments of the "Batman" franchise. Yet, it took a staggering 36 years before we were finally blessed with a new chapter in the "Beetlejuice" universe, a blend of familiar and fresh faces, brought together with remarkable persuasiveness.
Despite the sequel's seemingly inevitable path, the journey to its realization was fraught with effort and patience. It was the phenomenal success of "Wednesday" on Netflix that reignited Burton's passion for revisiting this beloved world. During a recent press gathering attended by /Film's Jacob Hall, Burton engaged with journalists, sharing insights into the decades-long wait and how it ultimately made the film deeply personal to him.
At its core, the story revolves around Lydia, and Burton's yearning to catch up with her three and a half decades later. "What became of this individual after all these years?" he pondered. "It's a leap from being a cool teenager to...what? A possibly jaded adult, with a web of relationships and life choices. Do they have children? How does that dynamic play out?" He confessed, "This wasn't something I could have tackled back then."
"It's something you can only embark on once you've walked those miles yourself," Burton admitted, his eyes glinting with a newfound intimacy. "For me, 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' transformed into a deeply personal film, a strange yet heartfelt family tale, about an eccentric clan or perhaps, a family movie so bizarre it defies categorization. It's up to you how you want to see it."
Truly, Burton's rationale for embarking on this film project is nothing short of exhilarating. Among the myriad missteps in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," and a common pitfall among legacy sequels, lies the stagnation of beloved characters. The sight of Han Solo, well into his septuagenarian years, still donning the same smuggler's attire (albeit with a marginally different jacket) is not merely tedious; it's a disservice to the character's original narrative arc.
Burton's vision, however, is refreshingly innovative. His desire to see Lydia mature and delve into the complexities of her adult self echoes the brilliance of "Only Yesterday," one of anime's finest works. It wasn't until Burton himself became an adult and a parent that he felt equipped to tackle such a nuanced tale. As he eloquently put it, "Only time, and our own life experiences, can reveal the truths we seek. Just as 'Big Fish' could only be crafted after my father's passing, when those profound emotions unexpectedly surfaced, so too is this story."
In a captivating interview with /Film and Hall, Winona Ryder imparted her insights into how Lydia's youthful self might react to her grown-up counterpart. "I never imagined Lydia having children or being in any sort of romantic entanglement," she confessed. "I always assumed she'd remain ensconced in her own world as she aged. So, the greatest challenge lay in deciphering, 'Who is she now?'" Ryder further mused, "We've all been there, questioning past decisions and relationships, wondering, 'What was I thinking?'"
Eager fans will finally witness the transformation of Lydia Deetz and the triumphant return of the most enigmatic ghost when "Beetlejuice Goes Grown-Up" graces theaters on September 6, 2024.
