The sequel to Tim Burton’s classic 80’s flick, Beetlejuice, is slowly nearing its release date, following years of anticipation. Despite the anticipation, the film’s star, Michael Keaton, wanted to ensure that if they did a sequel, they would do it right. 

Keaton, as well as being known for Beetlejuice, is also known for his work in 1989’s Batman, and the Oscar-winning Birdman from 2014, among many other roles. He also has an upcoming directorial feature, Knox Goes Away. 

In Burton’s original film, Keaton plays the titular character of Betelgeuse, a raunchy spirit hired by a recently deceased couple, who tries to use their plight for his own personal gain. Keaton is back as the infamous ghost for the sequel, along with Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, who also starred in the original. Now they are joined by newcomers Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, and Burn Gorman, among others.

The original film is held in high regard by Burton’s fans, and Keaton reflected to People magazine that the approach for a sequel was one that the duo put a lot of thought into, and wanted to make it as genuine as possible. 

He told the magazine that they had the thought process of if they can’t do it right, then they shouldn’t do it at all. Once they got to production, Keaton said that it wound up being an absolute blast. 

“It had to feel handmade,” Keaton told People. “What made it fun was watching somebody in the corner actually holding something up for you, to watch everybody in the shrunken head room and say, ‘Those are people under there, operating these things, trying to get it right.’”

“It’s the most exciting thing when you get to do that again after years of standing in front of a giant screen, pretending somebody’s across the way from you,” he went on to say, according to Hollywood Reporter. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premiers in theaters on September 6, 2024.