Brad Pitt’s production company, Plan B has joined the production of the anticipated follow-up to the acclaimed fantasy comedy, Beetlejuice. The company’s attachment to the project comes after it has long been in development at Warner Bros., Deadline is reporting. The sequel is still in early development, however, as its script has not yet been written.
Beetlejuice is celebrated for following the spirits of a deceased couple who are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home. The couple decides to hire the titular malicious spirit, who was played by Michael Keaton, to drive the family out of the house. The movie’s supporting cast includes Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder.
Initial reports have stated that Keaton will reprise his eponymous role, and Ryder will also return to the series as her character of Lydia Deetz, in Beetlejuice 2. However the casting details are still unconfirmed by Warner Bros. and Plan B.
Tim Burton directed the classic original film, which won the Academy Award for Best Makeup in 1989. Beetlejuice was written by Warren Skaaren, who adapted the screenplay from a story by Michael McDowell and Larry Wilson. The comedy grossed nearly $75 million worldwide when it was released by Warner Bros. in 1988.
Following Beetlejuice‘s massive success, there have been several attempts to make a sequel. Jonathan Gems, who penned the script for another one of Burton’s cult classic movies, Mars Attacks!, wrote the first shelved follow-up, which was titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.
Burton wanted to combine the setting of a classic 1960s beach film with the gothic German Expressionist flair he’s known for, in Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. The movie would have followed the Deets as they move to Hawaii, where the patriarch planned to open a resort. The titular character would follow closely behind the family, and in the process, accidentally awaken an angry native spirit.
Warner Bros. reportedly passed on greenlighting Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, however, as it instead wanted Burton to make a Batman followup. The filmmaker ultimately made Batman Returns with Keaton instead.
Pitt founded Plan B with Brad Grey and Jennifer Aniston in 2001. The Oscar-winning actor-producer now runs the company as its CEO alongside co-presidents Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. Its recent releases include Jon Stewart’s Irresistible, Miranda July’s Kajillionaire, Lee Isaac Chung’s Academy Award-nominated Minari and Barry Jenkins’ television series The Underground Railroad for Amazon Prime Video.
Besides Beetlejuice 2, Plan B’s upcoming projects it has set for release include Andrew Dominik’s Netflix movie Blonde, in which Ana de Armas plays Marilyn Monroe; Maria Schrader’s She Said for Universal; Gaz Alazraki’s The Father of the Bride for HBO Max; and Sarah Polley’s Women Talking for United Artists Releasing. Plan B is also currently developing Parasite helmer Bong Joon Ho’s next film for Warner Bros.
