Michael Keaton brought his iconic Beetlejuice character back to life at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, striking a sartorial contrast in a brown jacket and white pants among a group all dressed in black, fitting his character’s flair for standing out. Director Tim Burton unveiled a longer trailer for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the much-anticipated sequel to the 1988 dark comedy, set to hit theaters on September 6.
Returning cast members include Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, reprising their roles as Lydia and Delia Deetz. New faces Jeff Ortega, playing Astrid, Lydia’s teenage daughter, Willem Dafoe, and Monica Bellucci add to the shenanigans. Beetlejuice continues to wreak havoc in both the real world and Afterlife, and the narrative addresses how the living and the dead reconcile their coexistence.
Bellucci’s involvement fulfilled Burton’s lifelong dream to make an Italian horror film with her quote, “For a moment, it really felt like I was a soul-sucking evil.” Keaton praised newcomer Ortega’s work saying, “She just got it. She was just perfect.”
Original co-star O’Hara expressed relief about the sequel finally coming to fruition, saying “The characters have evolved – not Beetlejuice, but the rest of us.” Keaton echoed her sentiments and expressed nerves of living up to the first movie, but wrapped up by assuring in his Beetlejuice voice, “It’s really (expletive) good! In fact, it’s great.”
Vocabulary List:
- Iconic (adjective): Characteristic of an icon widely recognized and well-established.
- Sartorial (adjective): Related to tailoringclothesor style of dress.
- Flair (noun): Stylishness and elegance a talent or distinctive aptitude.
- Reprise (verb): To repeat or resume a performance or action.
- Shenanigans (noun): Silly or high-spirited behavior mischief.
- Expletive (noun): An oathcurseor vulgar remark used to express strong emotion or create emphasis.
