August 27, 1996... "In an interview with the New York Daily News about his film Multiplicity, Michael Keaton was asked if there were any characters he had ever played that he would be interested in reprising. Keaton replied that he had always wanted to do a Beetlejuice sequel and that he and director Tim Burton had met recently to discuss the project. He went on to say that he and Burton were awaiting a script that is currently being written.

"Now, whether or not this film actually gets made is up in the air, because as some people may remember, a Beetlejuice sequel entitled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian was in development at Warner Bros. in the late eighties. Unfortunatly, the project fell by the way-side when the sucess of Batman pushed Burton and Keaton into the stratosphere. No word on if the new script will have anything to do with the Hawaiian premise or if any of the original cast will return save Keaton. However, considering that Keaton, Geena Davis, and Alec Baldwin are all in the midst of major career slumps (Multiplicity, Speechless, Cutthroat Island and The Juror) anything is possible... [Project information and scoop details furnished by Diane.]

We remember that it was Michael McDowell who wrote the first treatment of the sequel to Beetlejuice, but that was the last we heard about it - and that was back in the late '80's.

November 2, 1996... We're told that the script for the Beetlejuice sequel has been written by Jonathan Gems (MARS ATTACKS!) and not Michael McDowell. Both Tim Burton and Gems claim that the sequel is a lot funnier than the original film. Still, the script it isn't even remotely close to production. [Scoop provided by Brent Lynch.]

November 21, 1996... Jonathan Gems said that he worked on the Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian script in the December '96 issue of Starlog He's quoted as saying that the choice came down to the Beetlejuice sequel or Batman Returns, and Batman Returns was obviously the one that was made. Gems doesn't say if the project is still alive or not... [Scoop furnished by 'Sgt. Spanky'; originally appeared in Starlog magazine.]

May 20, 1997... This fellow reports that he's read the new Gems script for the sequel. Supposedly Lydia and her new husband move back into the original house where Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis' spirits still inhabit. But there's trouble: Beetlejuice is holding the two ghosts hostage! It sounds ok, buuuut... the scooper misspelled character and actor names in his original email... [Scoop sent in by Carl.]

January 21, 2000... Bad news came through in the latest issue of the DarkEcho online newsletter: co-screenwriter of the original Beetlejuice, Michael McDowell, who also had among his credits work on Thinner and Nightmare Before Christmas, died last December of AIDS-related complications. He was 49. This particular project was listed among the projects he was working on, though it was not reported what state the screenplay was in at the time of his death. [Originally appeared in DarkEcho; reported by Widgett.]

January 25, 2000... You can file this one in the thick "awaiting proof" file we've got going here at CA, but what the heck: some scoops you want to believe even if there's zero evidence that it's happening.

"Michael Keaton has just signed to reprise his role as Beetlejuice. But Keaton said that he would not be involved if Tim Burton did not direct, but Burton has decided to direct the next film, which is suppossed to be about a joking Grim Reaper mistakingly trying to take the souls of an unassuming family. The only person...er.....spirit who can help is the Ghost With the Most, Beetlejuice. This may be much more different than the previous movie, but then again, it's Tim Burton!"

Michael Keaton Movie Reviews