Organizers announced on July 2 that the sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 film “Beetlejuice,” featuring Michael Keaton reprising his role as the mischievous demon, will premiere at this year’s Venice Film Festival.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” will open the Venice Film Festival, which runs from August 28 to September 7.
This sequel arrives 36 years after the original, which established 72-year-old Tim Burton as a master of distinctive and quirky fantasy films known for their visual effects and gothic horror.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the long-awaited return of one of the most iconic characters in Tim Burton’s cinema,” said festival director Alberto Barbera.
Barbera described Burton as “one of the most fascinating auteurs of his time” and the sequel “a surprising swing of creative imagination and driving hallucinatory rhythm.”
Actor Michael Keaton reprises his original role, as do Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder. Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci and Willem Dafoe also star in the film.