It’s been 36 years, but the Juice is finally loose once more—and Tim Burton is fully back in his ghoulish bag.
Over three decades after Burton introduced the masses to his twisted, gothic world of Beetlejuice in 1988, the legendary director has found himself returning to the peculiar universe, once again collaborating with his all-star roster of Hollywood talent for the sequel, appropriately named Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
“I just jumped in and fully trusted Tim,” says Catherine O’Hara, who is reprising her role as Delia Deetz. “[Tim] seemed so sure about what it was going to be,” she adds.
The original movie in ‘88 left an indelible mark in the annals of movie history, transcending time and seeping into the cultural consciousness as a cornerstone of dark comedy. Rebooting the iconic IP would have to be handled carefully with grace, something that Jenna Ortega, who plays Astrid in the film and is now a frequent Burton collaborator, understood right away.
“I definitely realized the weight of it when I got the script because that was crazy,” Ortega tells Complex. “And then I had a panic attack like, ‘Man, how did I get here?’”
For Burton, revisiting this universe with his OG cast and new apprentice Ortega is nothing short of serendipitous. “He always speaks of his experience working on the original Beetlejuice so fondly,” Ortega claims. “Being able to see that passion and that kind of reignite something in him was really exciting and wonderful to see.”
This new chapter in the Beetlejuice saga is more than just a trip down memory lane; it’s a bold reimagining that seeks to expand the original’s universe while paying homage to what made it a classic to begin with. With Burton at the helm, a whimsical mix of old and new Hollywood stars, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is poised to captivate a new generation of fans.
We caught up with Jenna Ortega and Catherine O’Hara ahead of the film’s release to talk about their experience working on the Burton set, their favorite memories from filming, reigniting Tim Burton’s passion for filmmaking, and much more.
(This interview has been edited in length for clarity.)
Catherine, you share such a special relationship with this movie. It was one of the films that helped jumpstart your career, it’s the place where you met your husband, Bo Welch, who was the production coordinator on the original film. What was it like returning to Winter River and the sets nearly 40 years later?
Catherine O’Hara: I almost didn't believe we were doing it until we were there. Because I'd heard rumors forever and then Tim [Burton] actually called, but that was years ago. And, you know, the conversation started, but it would be months between any kind of contact about this. And then all of a sudden we were there.
So I just had too much time and no time to think about it. And I just jumped in and fully trusted Tim [Burton] because he seemed so sure about what it was going to be, but open to ideas at the same time. So it just immediately felt like it could be anything, but Tim knew exactly what it was going to be, and it was exciting.
Joining a movie as iconic as Beetlejuice must have been such a surreal experience. When did the magnitude of the moment materialize for you–was it when you got the script, when you got on set?
Jenna Ortega: Well, I definitely realized the weight of it when I got the script because that was crazy. Tim hadn't said anything about the movie. I knew that it was happening because it was the same writers as Wednesday, so they had told me about it and I thought, “Oh man, that's so exciting, have so much fun with that.”
And then he gave me the script and I was like, “Oh, whoa, okay, so now I have to think about this.” I'd already worked with Colleen [Atwood] and all that before, so I think when I actually got on set and I was walking by and I saw The Afterlife for the first time, that was kind of where it really set in. And then I had a panic attack like, “Man, how did I get here?”
CO: You hid it well. Very well.
As an audience member, it was hard for me to keep my composure watching the sets. I can’t even imagine being actually on location. Did you have any major “geek-out” moments from your time in production?
JO: It’s so hard. There’s so many.
CO: I just think you don't you don't think that way when you're doing it. I hate to say it, but part of the reality is it’s just a job and that you're there to do the best you could do, to listen and come up with ideas and just do your part to help tell the story.
And you don't think like, “Oh, the audience is gonna love this moment” or, “This is amazing what we're doing,” because so much of it is editing too, right? But it just felt great. And no matter what happens to it, whether people liked it or not, it was a wonderful experience. So it's just a bonus when people actually care to see it and then enjoy it. That's the greatest bonus.
JO: Yeah, I would say obviously it's a bit different not having seen these characters before. There was something exciting about that. But I think it is a job, ultimately, so that kind of wears off and then you’re just really focused on how you're going to make the scene the best it possibly could be.
But also every day you were walking onto a brilliant set and dealing with incredible practical effects that–not that you took it for granted–but you just understood that that was the environment and you didn't want to be, “Ahhhh,” all the time. You want to be like, “Well what do I have to do to make this gag work?”
Catherine, how did they convince you to return to the film? What were your requirements to make this project again?
CO: They didn’t have to convince me. No, you know, once Tim and I actually got into talking about where Delia might be right now in this world and what's going on in her life, where is her art, how far is it, has she achieved anything in the art world? And her relationship now with Lydia and then with Astrid. You talk to Tim about his enthusiasm and his amazing ideas, and that just builds all the confidence you need to just jump in.
Jenna, you’ve gotten to work with Tim on multiple projects now. What’s the biggest difference between TV Tim and Movie Tim? Is there a difference?
JO: I think slightly. You know, Tim did create the look and feel and the visuals for Wednesday. I think Beetlejuice, though, looks a little bit more like his actual sketches and things like that. I think there's more space to be a little crazier with it.
I know also with Wednesday, we wanted there to be some sort of grounded aspect to it. You're inside Wednesday's head, so there's some introspective moments and beats. We kind of had that with this one where there were emotional things, but for the most part, it was just chaos, it didn't matter. The world, you've never seen anything like it before.
And I just felt there was a little bit more of a childlike excitement in Tim. And I think there also was probably something really nice for him to work with people that he had worked with so many years ago. He always speaks of his experience working on the original Beetlejuice so fondly that I think being able to see that passion and that kind of reignite something in him was really exciting and wonderful to see.
It felt like The Avengers. I hate to bring Marvel into this, but it literally felt like watching The Avengers together on set.
JO: You know what’s so funny, Tim always says The Avengers. Whenever, like, if Michael walked into the room and then Winona walked in the room and then like Bob the Shrinker walked into the room, he'd be like, “Okay, Avengers. Assemble.” That’s a serious joke that he had.
CO: That's great, you got that.
There are so many hidden details, things that are so hard to notice because of how incredibly detailed the sets are. But what’s something fans might not notice upon first watch but was absolutely essential in helping elevate your performance?
JO: I would say probably the people with strings and wires right off camera, or controlling remote controls that you'll never see. But they were the reason why the fish were moving or why there was water dripping off the guy who drowned the entire time. You know, there was just so much time and effort put into that. And they were always right there. Sometimes they're in the shot, you know, behind a chair.
CO: That or they are under somebody's body. Some puppeteer is sitting under the body next to you.
JO: Or they're actually in the frame and they were just digitally cut out
CO: The live effects are just so great to work with.
Michael Keaton was very vocal about wanting this to not include too much technology. Why was it important for this film to have that DIY-handmade feel?
CO: Yeah, I can't imagine Tim was not also thinking that, because that's in the first movie, you know. He was using tricks that they developed in the thirties for how to make a ghost appear or disappear on camera, and all of that was definitely there. And then you think of Tim’s stop-motion work, he’s very hands on, very analog.
JO: Very hands-on and loves the imperfection.
CO: Yeah, if something’s too clean and perfectly done, in the digital world it’s often that way, ‘cause everything is just a tool, so there's great artists that will use that tool and others that'll just kind of make it flat. But when it's live and there are imperfections, it just draws you in, I think, and it's all the more exciting.