Tim Burton Says BEETLEJUICE II is a “Go” … But Wait! [UPDATED]

UPDATE:

The Independent (UK) is now reporting that they’ve received this note from someone claiming to represent Burton:

I rep Tim Burton and wanted to let you know that Tim did not provide a statement to confirm Beetlejuice 2 as the movie is not in development. Tim’s focus is entirely on ‘Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children’ and developing ‘Dumbo’.

Now, the article does not identify said rep, nor do they say how they received this missive. We’ve reached out to a representative of Tim Burton, but have yet to receive clarification.

Developing…

ORIGINAL STORY:

The web site Showbiz Spy is reporting that director Tim Burton confirmed to them that the long-awaited Beetlejuice II is set to move forward at Warner Bros.

According to Burton, “The film is a go and has been approved by the Warner Bros. team, we have talked with the cast members we wanted for the film and they are all on board, this includes both Winona and Michael. We have the script in hand everything is in place all we need to do now is get ready to start filming.”

The project has been gestating for many years, and chatter began heating up after Winona Ryder appeared on Late Night with Seth Meyers. When asked about a sequel, she said, “I think I can confirm it. It was very hush-hush top secret … but then (Tim Burton) was doing some press for Big Eyes and and he did an on-camera interview and he said, ‘Oh yeah, we’re doing it, and Winona’s going to be in it.’ … If he said it, I can say it.”

According to the report, Keaton has not confirmed his involvement, although as far back as the press junkets for Robocop, he was ready to re-visit the character, telling MTV, “I’ve emailed Tim a couple of times, talked to the writer a couple of times, but all really, really preliminary stuff until relatively recently … I always said that [Beetlejuice] is the one thing I’d like to do again, if I ever did anything again. But it kind of required Tim to be involved some way or another. Now it looks like he is involved. And without giving too much away, we’ve talked to each other, and emailed each other, and if he’s in, it’s going to be hard not to be in.”

Geena Davis, who just joined the cast of the Exorcist TV series,  has also expressed interest in coming back. “I did hear that it’s really happening,” the 59-year-old actress tells ETOnline. “No one’s talked to me about it. I would love to! That was one of my favorite movies, too.”

Now, the challenge will be making the schedules work. Burton is attached to the Dumbo remake, and Keaton just joined the cast of American Assassin. So don’t look for the sequel to materialize in the immediate future.

In the meantime, you can keep saying it: “Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.”

 

[via Showbiz Spy, Rolling Stone, ETOnline]