Two months ago, Warner Brothers released the teaser trailer for “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the sequel to the 1980s classic comedy movie from director Tim Burton, which clocks in at just over 1:15. Even in such a short clip, we see the movie is set in the same Connecticut town as the 1988 film, and get hints that something is amiss in the model of the town in the attic, where Beetlejuice lives. We also get a glimpse of current-day Lydia Deetz … and a little girl who looks like her riding a bike across a very familiar covered bridge.
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In case you missed it, here it is:
Those readers who caught my “Higher Culture” VIP column about Michael Keaton heard and saw the interviews he did around Oscars time, with him sharing just how enthusiastic he was about helping bring the sequel to life.
Read More: Michael Keaton Talks ‘Batman’ Moment at Oscars, Directing His Brand-New Movie
Another thing worth noting, before we watch the trailer: Some of the key, original cast members are involved in it, including Keaton, and co-stars Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder. They’ll be joined in the new film by the awesome Willem Dafoe, whom you may have missed in the forboding and hilarious “The Lighthouse” (2019), along with Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and movie newcomer Arthur Conti.
Jenna Ortega, who appeared in the Addams Family-related streaming series, “Wednesday,” will play Lydia’s daughter, Astrid.
One of the most important people to return, though, is director Tim Burton, who, along with the amazing cast members returning, gives me high hopes that this will be worth watching. They add a level of credibility to the release that nothing else could.
The 2:17 trailer opens with an introduction by Winona Ryder, dressed as her character, Lydia Deetz, who intones ominously: “Here’s a preview. Be warned — it’s intense!”
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The clip adds context to the teaser, revealing that the funeral scenes in it are for Lydia’s dad (and of course, Astrid’s grandfather). We learn that the daughter is as much of a rebel as her mom was, and there’s a hint that it’s partly why Beetlejuice again is “loose” in the real world. We’re also treated to the sights of a spectral train, a spooky dance club, and the suggestion that more than one member of the Deetz family visits the death counselor waiting room/limbo we know so well from the original movie. I can’t wait to see it now.
The movie is set to be released in theaters on September 6th.
Watch: