For years, the idea of Beetlejuice getting a sequel has been a pipe dream. A sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 film has been sparking up since 2011, though nothing ever really got off the ground in the last decade. But with casting announcements over the last week, the long discussed sequel is beginning to come together, and now another big name actor is joining the ensemble.
Per the Hollywood Reporter, Willem Dafoe’s been cast in the upcoming sequel, which began production earlier in the week. It’s said by the outlet that the Northman and Nightmare Alley actor will be playing a cop in the afterlife, though no other details were provided beyond that. (Not his first time portraying a cop in recent years, since he played one for the 2021 game 12 Minutes.) For Dafoe, this continues his busy streak during the 2020s: in 2023 alone, he’s appearing in films such as Asteroid City, Poor Things, and And. He’s also set to appear in Robert Eggers’ upcoming remake of Nosferatu, which recently wrapped filming and is awaiting a release date.
Warner Bros. is currently keeping details on Beetlejuice 2’s plot under wraps. All that’s known is that Michael Keaton is back as the titular bio-exorcist, with Scream 6’s Jenna Ortega serving as the film’s co-lead, and the daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz from the first movie. Alongside Ryder, Catherine O’Hara returns to reprise her role as Lydia’s mother Delia.
Beetlejuice 2 is presently set for a theatrical release on September 5, 2024.