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Fans have been eagerly awaiting news on the planned sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 comedy/horror classic… but it has been worth the wait, with reports emerging that Johnny Depp is in talks to join the cast.
With the pandemic raging across the globe, 2020 was a challenging year for everyone but especially so for Depp after he stepped down from his role as Grindelwald and the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
But things are looking up in 2021, with rumours suggesting he is in line to land a role in
Beetlejuice 2.
It is unknown if Burton intends to replace Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice or use him in a new, as yet unrevealed part.
This could prove a pivotal moment for Depp to re-establish himself in Hollywood after his star waned somewhat over the last couple of years.
While the original Beetlejuice was released 32 years ago, it remains popular and a big part of modern-day popular culture. The sequel is destined to attract a large audience, young and old, original fans and new.
The cult classic has gone through various iterations over the years, including the Beetlejuice the musical Broadway production in 2019 that was also a smash hit.
There was also a stage production put on in South Korea and four video games created based on the original movie, as well as a recent Lego Dimensions: Beetlejuice Fun Pack released in 2017. There is even an official Beetlejuice Megaways slot on some of the best online casino sites such as LeoVegas.
This is not even the first time Burton has tried to create a sequel to Beetlejuice. In the 1990s, Burton teamed up with Jonathan Gems to write a sequel with the working title Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.
Keaton and Winona Ryder were both reportedly on board to do the film. Still, it was continually put off due to Burton and Keaton’s involvement with Batman Returns, before it was eventually shelved altogether in 1997.
This version of the sequel has had a pretty rocky road itself, first announced back in 2014. After the announcement, no further details were forthcoming until five years later when Burton broke radio silence on the project to tell USA Today that nothing was happening with the sequel at the time, much to the disappointment of millions of fans around the world.
But with a flurry of news hitting the headlines in recent weeks, beginning with rumours that Depp will be involved with the project, pre-production work is heating up.
Ryder has also confirmed she will reprise her role in the film, and there are further rumours that Keaton has too, although nothing is confirmed yet.
Burton is a big fan of Depp, even if the rumours of him being Beetlejuice 2 have yet to be confirmed, as it looks as if they will be teaming up on a second project in 2021 too.
In December, it was announced that Burton was the person chosen to create a modern television adaption of the Addams Family and yet more rumours suggest he has roped in Depp to play Gomez Addams.
No matter who ends up in the cast, it will be a huge relief to many people when this film is eventually released.
It is something Warner Bros, Burton, Keaton, and many others have wanted to do for some time, and it is something the fans have been hoping for, for even longer.