Everything to know about the sequel

Somebody said Willem Dafoe’s name three times.

In an interview, the “Shadow of the Vampire” actor revealed new details about his upcoming appearance in “Beetlejuice 2,” the long-awaited sequel to 1988’s “Beetlejuice.”

“I haven’t seen any footage yet, but it was fun to do,” Dafoe, 68, told Variety of the movie, which wrapped production in November. “I play a police officer in the afterlife, so I’m a dead person. And in life I was a B-movie action star, but I had an accident, and that’s what sent me to the other side.”

Here’s everything to know about “Beetlejuice 2” so far.

When will ‘Beetlejuice 2’ be released in theaters and on a streaming service?

“Beetlejuice 2” is slated to hit theaters on Sept. 6, 2024. However, according to Variety, Warner Bros. is considering delaying the sequel to 2025 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike upending the studio’s schedule.

Because it’s a Warner Bros. film, “Beetlejuice 2” will likely be available on the streaming service Max after its theatrical window.

Who else is starring in the movie?

Most importantly, original star Michael Keaton will be back in the graveyard in the title role (spelled Betelgeuse). Several other actors from the 1988 comedy are said to be returning, including Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz. They’ll be joined by several newcomers: Dafoe as a ghoulish cop, Jenna Ortega (who’s just departed the “Scream” franchise) as Lydia’s daughter, Monica Bellucci as Betelgeuse’s wife and Justin Theroux in an unknown part.

What’s the plot?

The storyline of the second film is currently under wraps — but it’s likely that Lydia’s daughter (Ortega) will take the rebel reins from mom. While a movie called “Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian” was nearly made in the 1990s, a tropical setting is not expected here — this new sequel was shot in the United Kingdom, Vermont and Massachusetts. 

In the first film, the metropolitan Deetz family (O’Hara, Ryder and Jeffrey Jones as Charles Deetz) moves from New York to an idyllic Connecticut town only to discover that their house is haunted by the ghosts of its recently deceased former inhabitants (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis). Desperate, the ghosts hire Betelgeuse (Keaton) to rid their home of humans. But things go very wrong.

Which members of the creative team are coming back?

While original director Tim Burton — who has directed Ortega in “Wednesday” on Netflix — did cast doubts on whether he’d helm a new “Beetlejuice,” he ultimately decided to direct the sequel. And composer Danny Elfman will once again score the film.