Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (marketed early in development as “Beetlejuice 2”) is the 2024 sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 classic Beetlejuice. Directed by Tim Burton and released on September 6, 2024, the film brought Michael Keaton back as the mischievous “bio-exorcist” 36 years after the original, alongside Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reprising their roles. Now that the film has been out for over a year, here’s a complete, fact-checked look at its cast, composer, and soundtrack.
Quick Facts
| Title | Beetlejuice Beetlejuice |
| Director | Tim Burton |
| Writers | Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (story also credited to Seth Grahame-Smith) |
| Composer | Danny Elfman |
| Genre | Comedy, Fantasy, Horror |
| Release Date | September 6, 2024 |
| Production | Plan B Entertainment & Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Distributor | Warner Bros. Pictures |
| Box Office | $452 million worldwide |
| Where to Watch | Max (streaming), digital rental/purchase |
About Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Set 36 years after the original film, three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River after the death of Charles Deetz. Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) now hosts a ghost-hunting talk show called “Ghost House” with her producer — and fiancé — Rory (Justin Theroux). Lydia’s estranged, skeptical teenage daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) discovers the model of the town in the attic and accidentally reopens the portal to the Afterlife. Astrid is then tricked by a boy named Jeremy, who plots to trade her life for his own in the Afterlife Bureaucracy. With Rory secretly planning to marry Lydia for her money, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) hijacks the wedding — set to Richard Harris’s “MacArthur Park” — to expose Rory and help rescue Astrid.
The screenplay was written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar (the writing team behind Netflix’s Wednesday, also directed by Burton), who developed the project after meeting with Burton on the set of that show. The film was produced by Tim Burton alongside Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Note: Barbara and Adam Maitland, the ghost couple played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin in the 1988 original, do not appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice — the sequel is built entirely around the Deetz family and Beetlejuice himself.
Composer of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Danny Elfman, who scored the original 1988 Beetlejuice and has been Tim Burton’s regular composer since, returned to score the sequel. The Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Score from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) album contains 29 tracks of Elfman’s score.
Soundtrack Songs (Needle Drops)
- “Tragedy” – Bee Gees: Plays during the scene where Delores (Monica Bellucci) reassembles her body and kills the church janitor. Co-writer Alfred Gough has confirmed the song was written into the script itself.
- “MacArthur Park” – Richard Harris: The film’s climactic wedding sequence is built around all seven-plus minutes of Richard Harris’s 1968 recording, with the Deetz family turned to stone as Beetlejuice and Lydia dance.
Cast
- Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice
- Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz
- Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz
- Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz
- Justin Theroux as Rory
- Willem Dafoe as Wolf Jackson
- Monica Bellucci as Delores
- Arthur Conti as Jeremy
Where to Stream
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s score and soundtrack are available on Spotify and Apple Music. The film itself became available for digital purchase/rental on October 8, 2024, arrived on 4K UHD/Blu-ray on November 19, 2024, and began streaming on Max on December 6, 2024.
Box Office & Reception
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice grossed roughly $294.1 million domestically and $157.9 million internationally, for a worldwide total of about $452 million against an estimated $100 million budget — making it a major box-office hit. It holds a 77% “Certified Fresh” score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics praising it as a fun legacy sequel anchored by strong performances from the returning cast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “Beetlejuice 2” the same movie as “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”?
Yes. “Beetlejuice 2” was an early working title/nickname; the film was officially released as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice on September 6, 2024.
Who directed Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
Tim Burton directed the film, returning to the franchise he created with the original 1988 Beetlejuice.
Who composed the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice score?
Danny Elfman, who scored the original 1988 film, returned to compose the sequel’s score.
Do Barbara and Adam Maitland appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
No. Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin’s ghost characters from the 1988 film do not appear in the 2024 sequel, which focuses on the Deetz family and Beetlejuice.
Where can I watch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
The film is available to rent or buy digitally and streams on Max, following its theatrical run and physical media release.
Related reading: Movie Soundtracks | Streaming Soundtracks