There’ve been plenty of older movies audiences have held out hope would get a sequel at some point, and Beetlejuice is pretty high up on that list. Tim Burton and Michael Keaton would vaguely show interest off and on since the 2010s (if not sooner) about getting it off the ground, but for the most part, it seemed like a nice wish. But after hitting it big with Wednesday, Burton’s managed to release Beetlejuice Beetlejuice out into the world.
Longtime fans have been buzzing with excitement since that first trailer, and interest has grown with each new look at the film. It seemed like a return to form for the director, and bringing in current hot ticket actors like Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe alongside returning stars Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder seemed like the right move. Legacy sequels can be hit-and-miss these days, but fret not: it sounds like this was quite a fun time overall.
Pre-release impressions were fairly glowing on Beetlejuice x2 after its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, with many noting how it managed to avoid the nostalgia sequel problem of going up its own ass. With full reviews now out, that praise hasn’t really dimmed all that much: instead of being some kind of celebration on the original film and its enduring legacy, this just happens to be a Beetlejuice sequel with returning and brand new actors, which seemed like the best anyone could hope for. (And it sounds like Keaton’s great in it, but how could he not be?)
Now that it’s out, we want to know your thoughts on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Worth the wait, not all it’s cracked up to be, hoping for a third? Let us know in the comments below.
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.