A generation of fans learned to love Tim Burton for his stylistic production design, macabre humor, and imaginative characters, with classics like Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and 1989’s Batman imprinting themselves on children and adults of the 1980s and 1990s. For individuals growing up in the 2000s onward, however, Burton’s name probably didn’t have the same effect.
Burton’s later films like Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland, Dark Shadows, and Dumbo weren’t even close to meeting the high bar that the director’s earlier films had set, tainting his legacy in recent decades. While he did have a few hits, like Corpse Bride and Frankenweenie, Burton’s name didn’t have the same impact. This is why many audience members were shocked that, when Burton made a sequel to one of his 1980s classics, it was actually great.
1988’s Beetlejuice is arguably Tim Burton’s most iconic film, with it having a grip on pop culture decades after it was originally released. A sequel has been in development for decades, starting soon after the original film first dropped. In 1990, two Beetlejuice scripts were commissioned, the first being titled Beetlejuice in Love and the second Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. The latter is the one that moved forward, with it being rewritten well into the late 1990s. However, things then got quiet.
Throughout the 2010s, updates on Beetlejuice 2 were relegated to the rumor mill and obviously fake Facebook clickbait. Meanwhile, the quality of Burton’s work spiraled downward, meaning that even if a sequel were to happen, fans of the director weren’t super optimistic about it being good. The original film’s actors occasionally mentioned that they hoped Beetlejuice 2 would happen, but nothing materialized. By the end of the 2010s, Michael Keaton had aged, Winona Ryder was busy with Stranger Things, and virtually nobody believed that Tim Burton could make a good Beetlejuice 2.
Then, Beetlejuice 2 was officially re-announced by Warner Bros. in February 2022. Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Tim Burton were all back, meaning that the film could be a proper Beetlejuice reunion. Hopes were low, but throughout the development of the sequel, all the right pieces fell into place. So, when Beetlejuice Beetlejuice finally hit theaters on September 6, 2024, Burton was ready to prove to the world that he still had it.
The film was incredible, and unlike many modern legacy sequels, it was able to properly recapture the magic of the 1988 classic. It featured dark humor, twisted production design, and tons of practical effects. For a modern movie, the lack of CGI is notable, with it instead relying on puppets and makeup in many instances that a lesser movie wouldn’t have. Keaton managed to replicate the lightning-fast energy that he had in the original film, which is impressive considering that he was 36 years younger back then. Plus, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice actually evolved the characters, doing something thematically new with the Deetz family, while also introducing interesting original main human characters.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the best film that Burton has made in years, and it has once again made fans optimistic about the director’s future. It proved that when Burton is making something he’s passionate about, he still makes incredible art. With Beetlejuice 3 now in the works, Burton has a chance to reclaim his legacy, and it all depends on what he makes next.
Although it hasn’t been officially announced, it has been reported that Tim Burton’s next project will be an Attack of the 50-Foot Woman remake, potentially starring Margot Robbie. There’s a lot riding on this Beetlejuice Beetlejuice follow-up, as it could either prove that Burton’s still has it, or that Beetlejuice 2 was just a diamond in the rough. Tons of bad directors occasionally make good films, but for Burton to prove that he is still as great as he was in the ’80s and ’90s, he needs to make back-to-back spectacular films.
It’s a coin flip as to whether Burton’s Attack of the 50-Foot Woman is the one to do it. On the one hand, it’s a remake, something that Burton has repeatedly failed at doing (for example, Planet of the Apes, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland). On the other hand, Attack of the 50-Foot Woman isn’t a beloved IP, with Burton most likely being drawn to it due to his love of 1950s B-movie sci-fi. Ed Wood is a fantastic example of how Burton’s love for this topic can translate into great films, with movies like Frankenweenie and Mars Attacks! being further evidence.
There is always the possibility that plans change and Burton’s next film is something entirely different. Whatever it is, though, Burton needs it to be great.
