I’m a big Tim Burton fan. I’ve seen all of his movies (Even the ones that DON’T feature his frequent collaborator, Johnny Depp), and I’d say that of the 20 feature-length films that he’s done, I like a good percentage of them.

However, there’s one film in particular of his that I genuinely cannot stand, and, yep, as you can tell from the title, it’s 2016’s Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. While I can usually find at least one thing to like in almost all of his movies (I’m the guy who’s willing to go to bat for his version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, after all), I genuinely can’t find a single thing to like about his adaptation of the popular YA novel.

This is a shame, too, because it really SHOULD be good, given the director. I’ll explain.

First Off, Tim Burton STILL Feels Like The Perfect Director For The Job…So Why Didn’t It Work?

As an avid reader and cinephile, I understand that movies don’t need to be like the books to be enjoyable. To wit, I actually prefer movies that are DIFFERENT from the books since I appreciate the same story, but with a different experience. This is why I like it when movies are arguably better than the books, but I much prefer it when the books and movies are both great, but for different reasons. A good example of this would be Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, which its author, Stephen King, seems to hate, but most people love. That said, the book is also excellent.

Well, I was hoping that the movie adaptation for Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children would have a similar trajectory, because I like the books. I was hoping to get a new, exciting take on the story from a director like Tim Burton, because the thing about the Peculiar Children series is that they're all really weird. It’s the story of a teenager named Jacob who gets swept up into a world of time loops, kids with powers, and mysterious men with white eyes. It seriously feels like the series that Tim Burton was BORN to direct.

So, why then did it feel so bland when the final product came out? For the most part, Burton followed the story closely enough from the first novel, but…it just didn’t feel weird enough. Which is so strange! This is the guy who gave us Edward Scissorhands and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, and BOTH of those films were way weirder than this movie was.

Some Of The Peculiar Children Switched Powers From The Book Because Why?

Look, I’m typically not a stickler for details. For example, I know Avatar fans hate M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, and a lot of the hate is justified. However, of all of that movie’s shortcomings, I don’t bring up stuff like, “They mispronounced Aang’s name.” Because while that’s pretty bad, I think there were a lot of other issues with the movie that could have prevented it from being one of the worst adaptations ever.

So, I say all that only to make a petty statement like, “Some of the peculiar children switched powers from the book because why?” Which, you know, shouldn’t really bother me. However, coupled with the movie being so boring, it actually does.

For example, in the book, Jacob's love interest is a character named Emma Bloom (and she has fire powers), but in the movie, Emma does not have fire powers. Instead, she needs to be tethered to a rope because she floats away if she isn't. However, in the book, there's a character named Olive - who is just a little girl, mind you - and she's the character who floats, whereas in the movie, they made Olive the character with the fire powers. Confused yet?

It goes deeper. There's another character in the book named Enoch, and he's a necromancer. Well, in the book, he's a creepy little kid, and nobody's love interest. But in the movie, he's played by Finlay MacMillan (who was 20-years-old at the time), and his love interest is Olive (who again, was just a child in the book). I'm not sure why these changes were made for the film, but it's super annoying, and just another reason why I don't like this movie in any way whatsoever. The changes make no sense!

Also, Some Of The Peculiar “Children” Felt Way Too Old In The Movie When Compared To The Book

The series is called Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar “Children,” so why then do some of the characters feel so old in this movie? Granted, the thing about the “children” in the story is that they’re not actually kids anymore. Due to a time loop, they remain “children” (and act like it sometimes), but they’re actually several decades older since they’re just reliving the same day over and over again.

That's a cool conceit. It's very effective in the books and reminds me of Kirsten Dunst's character in Interview with the Vampire, as she was bitten as a child and remains in a child's body, but is mentally a woman. That's what's kind of going on in the Peculiar Children novels. While SOME of the characters are actually children in the film, the main ones are teenagers, which just doesn't work.

For instance, Olive is definitely a little girl in the novels, and she has a childlike attitude. Not so in the movie, playing Jacob's love interest. Another character, Enoch, who is essentially a necromancer, is a creepy kid in the books. However, in the movie, he's played by Finlay MacMillan, who was 20-years-old when this movie came out, which is definitely NOT a kid. He also has a love interest in this movie, which just feels weird.

The whole movie is like this. Most of the time, I don't really care about changes from books to movies, as I get it. You have a lot less time to tell a story when making a film. However, changing the characters, aging them up, and adding romance where there wasn't any before really just irks me, and I hate it.

I Love Samuel L. Jackson, But He Just Doesn't Fit As The Villain This Time Around

I don't think anybody on the face of this planet would call Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children one of Samuel L. Jackson's best movies, but I actually think this is one of the few times where he was woefully miscast. Perhaps it’s just that Burton didn't know what to do with him.

In the books, Samuel L. Jackson's character, Barron, is sort of like an evil scientist/old-timey gangster. His name is Dr. Golan, and he's the leader of the Wights. He basically had Jacob's grandfather killed by a monster called a hollowgast, and that’s what sets Jacob on his journey.

However, I don't know what Burton had Samuel L. Jackson doing here. His character in the book is evil and almost like a Nazi, which makes sense, given that Jacob's grandfather was a Jew in World War II, but here he's super silly, grinning with sharp teeth and delivering ridiculous lines.

It totally disrupts the creepy vibe that was in the books, which may be the biggest offense of all. Add in a plot that feels like an absolute mess, and you have a movie that I just can't stand. I know this movie has its fans, but I'm certainly not one of them.

At this point, Wednesday’s first season may forever go down as the most watched English-language release on Netflix, with a combined viewing time that nearly doubles the number of minutes that Stranger Things’ final season was streamed (to date). But what if TV’s spookiest and kookiest horror-comedy added one of Hawkins’ elite to Season 3? Could Wednesday top its own numbers when the upcoming horror TV show returns?

It’s certainly possible, especially since this casting news sets up a huge Beetlejuice franchise reunion, as Winona Ryder is officially joining her previous on-screen daughter Jenna Ortega for the third season of Addams family hijinks. This obviously also marks a reunion between Ryder and show producer Tim Burton, as well as with showrunners Al Gough and Miles Millar, who penned the script for the second Beetlejuice film. (Ryder also worked with Burton on Edward Scissorhands.)

Though Gough and Millar didn’t offer up any hardcore details about who Ryder will be portraying in the new season, they did pay her quite the compliment when addressing the cast, per Variety. As they put it:

Nothing to argue against in that statement, as Ryder's entire run through the '80s and early '90s falls squarely into the Outcast category. I don't think the Wednesday creative team is aiming to turn that expectation upside -down, either, and I have the perfect idea for who she could play.

Winona Ryder Absolutely Needs To Play Agnes' Mom

Surely, Winona Ryder could be joining Wednesday Season 3 as a completely new character that we don't know anything about, but wouldn't it be cooler if she was playing someone with ties to a familiar? By and large, Evie Templeton's oft-invisible Agnes is my favorite character on the show, and her increasing storyline throughout Season 2 and her growing friendship with Wednesday has me hopeful we'll get even more of her in the third outing.

Which brings us to her parentals, whom we know little about. Her father's name is Seymour, and he split up with her mother at some point years ago. Agnes knows that she went off and married a normal dude and had at least one kid with the guy.

Tell me that Winona Ryder wouldn't be a fantastic choice for this set-up. You can't, because it's perfect. If and when it's revealed that the Heathers vet is playing someone else, I'll be sorely disappointed.

Netflix released a new video to go along with the casting news, revealing even more names in the mix, with a big clue for Winona Ryder's character. Check out the video below.

Ryder's placard notes that her name is Tabitha, and the card has a "B" at the top, though I can't figure out right offhand what it's meant to signify. (The Addams' have "A" on theirs, the Nevermore students and faculty have "N," while the "O" clearly stands for Outcast." So long as the B doesn't stand for "bullcrap on Nick's prediction," I'm still in this.

Others whose cards are noted with a B are:

• Cyrus - Noah Taylor
• Daisy - Kennedy Moyer
• Atticus - Oscar Morgan

They way I figure it, Ryder's Tabitha got together with Noah Taylor's Cyrus, who already had a child from a previous marriage, and they got together and had their own kid. (Not that I can easily buy into Noah Taylor playing a normal character on THIS show, but I guess it's possible.)

To be sure, had Eva Green not already been revealed as the actress playing Morticia's long-lost sister Ophelia, that would have been my go-to choice. But I actually prefer thinking about Ryder as Agnes' mummy dearest.

Thankfully, Wednesday Season 3 is now in production, so we may hopefully get more updates on casting identification in the nearish future. Unless they plan on keeping that role under wraps until the new epsiodes actually arrive.

While waiting for the third season to arrive at some point beyond all the 2026 Netflix releases, both previous seasons of Wednesday are available to stream via Netflix subscription.

Awards shows are often a glut of well-dressed people, and sometimes we’re so busy looking at some of the shiniest celebrities that some of the most interesting dresses might fly under the radar. This definitely happened to me this week. I oohed and aahed when JLo stepped out in vintage Jean-Louis Scherrer, harkening back to Florence Pugh kicking off the daring sheer trend a few years ago. I enjoyed Selena Gomez’s simple feathered take. I saw a lot of looks, but I somehow completely missed Jenna Ortega going full gothic fantasy.

It’s a shame, too, as Ortega’s dress was one of her most intriguing yet. Ortega likes to tie in with her Tim Burton aesthetic quite a bit on the red carpet, but this one goes above and beyond what I’ve come to expect from her. She honestly looks like she’s stepped directly out of some romantasy novel into the world of Hollywood.

The dress had two sewn panels on the front tied together with thin strings to keep it lying flat, otherwise it probably would have been a wardrobe malfunction in the making. While it leaves little to the imagination, its intensely detailed silhouette is stunning, from the slinky skirt to the beaded fringe at its sleeves, and just the right amount of side boob peeping through.

On Instagram, the actress got the seal of approval from longtime red carpet dweller Jenner Garner who sent along some sweet emojis: ♥️🌟♥️

A separate, tagged post from Jenna Ortega seems to indicate the dress came from Dilara Findikoglu, a Turkish designer whose known for – get this – “fantastical gothic romance” looks. She was right on the money, here.

It's not her first rodeo though. The up-and-coming name lives in London and has in the past dressed other a-listers, including Margot Robbie in Barbicore at one of her Barbie premieres. Zendaya wore one of her mohair bikinis for a magazine shoot. Other celebs like Cardi B and Kylie Jenner have also worn her stuff.

Now, she's seemingly upgraded to the awards circuit. Jenna Ortega was a major name on the carpet this year as a 2026 Golden Globes nominee in the Best Television - Musical or Comedy category. She ultimately lost to Jean Smart in Hacks, but she certainly won when it came to celebrity fashion. While I clearly didn’t pay enough attention before, I can’t stop staring at the look now.

Following Wednesday’s second season run on the 2025 TV schedule, we’ve gotten some very exciting news about the Addams Family spinoff’s third installment. After a season full of mystery and intrigue surrounding Ophelia Frump, Morticia’s sister has officially been cast. She’s being played by a Tim Burton regular, too, which is very exciting and debunks a theory I had about Wednesday’s aunt.

Eva Green Has Been Cast As Aunt Ophelia

It was revealed by Netflix that Aunt Ophelia will be played by Eva Green following Wednesday’s Season 2 cliffhanger ending, which revealed that Ophelia was alive and being kept in Grandmama’s basement. The actress has collaborated with Tim Burton on many occasions as she has had roles in movies like Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Dumbo and Dark Shadows. So, she’s a perfect fit for Wednesday’s “mysterious and spooky” ensemble.

So, it would seem that we’ll get to see Green with a platinum blonde look and in Grandmama’s basement when Wednesday returns to Netflix’s streaming schedule. Remember, the season ended with her whereabouts being revealed as she wrote “Wednesday must die” in red on her cell’s wall.

Personally, I can’t wait to see the Casino Royale star back in Tim Burton’s world and in costume as this long-talked-about Wednesday character. However, I can’t help but think about how it debunked my main theory about Ophelia, too.

This Confirmation Debunks A Theory I Had About Who Would Play Aunt Ophelia

Now, while this casting is thrilling, it also debunks a theory that I was hoping to be right about. As Season 2 came out last year, we theorized a few times that Lady Gaga could play Aunt Ophelia. While she appeared in the show as Rosaline Rotwood, it seemed possible that her character’s true identity could be the long-lost aunt of Wednesday Addams.

I mean, Rotwood was introduced to Wednesday by way of Grandmama, and considering the grandmother is also holding Ophelia, this seemed possible. Plus, the singer has the look to pull off the aunt, and considering her tiny role in Season 2, it seemed like something bigger could be set up.

It’s also worth noting that in the 1960s series, The Addams Family, Carolyn Jones played both Morticia and Ophelia. So, it also could have been fun (and within reason) to see Catherine Zeta-Jones trade her long black hair for a platinum blonde wig to play both Frump sisters in Season 3 of Wednesday. Clearly, that little theory has also been debunked.

However, those theories have officially been put to rest, because now we know that Eva Green will play Ophelia Frump when Wednesday returns for its third season.

So, get excited about her return to Tim Burton’s universe, and stream the first two seasons of Wednesday with a Netflix subscription. Meanwhile, we’ll keep you posted as we learn more about this highly anticipated return to the Addams Family “creepy” and “kooky” world.

Tim Burton had a hell of a run in the ‘80s and early ‘90s. He fired off hit after hit...until Mars Attacks!. The movie with an all-star cast and some really funny aliens bombed at the box office, but it didn’t deserve to. In fact, I would say it’s one of Burton’s best movies. It had a reported budget of around $80 million, not including marketing, and it made about $100 million in theaters. That's not the worst performance, but it almost certainly lost a lot of money, something a Burton film rarely does.

At The Time, It Was Crushed By Critics

In his 1996 review of the movie, Roger Ebert wrote: “Mars Attacks! plays like one of those ’50s movies that are *not* remembered as cult classics.” Rita Kempley at the Washington Post said it was “aimlessly plotted and blandly written.”

Review after review panned the tribute to ‘50s sci-fi movies. That was reflected, obviously, in the middling-to-poor box office receipts. Over the years, however, critics have come around. Burton, unsurprisingly, was ahead of his time. If the critics weren’t ready for it then, more modern critiques have been much kinder to the film, and it’s deserving of that. Very deserving.

Mars Attacks! Is A Great Movie

If you take yourself back to 1996, Burton was at the height of his powers in Hollywood. Starting with his first movie, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure in 1985, he made one great film after another. A list including Beetlejuice, Batman, and Edward Scissorhands, the latter of which kicked off a long working relationship with Johnny Depp. It really seemed like the quirky director with a look and style all his own couldn’t be stopped.

Then, in 1994, he hit his first bump in the road with Ed Wood. That film, a biopic of the legendary B-movie director, was a small-budget movie that generated modest box office receipts. Mars Attacks! followed in 1996 and was his first legitimate bomb.

It shouldn’t be remembered for that (and isn’t). Burton enlisted a truly talented roster of actors for the movie that included up-and-comers like Natalie Portman and Lukas Haas. This was alongside some of Hollywood’s most established talent, like Michael J. Fox, Glenn Close, Danny DeVito, Sarah Jessica Parker, Annette Bening, Martin Short, and James Bond himself, Pierce Brosnan. It also crucially features Jack Nicholson in one of his most underrated performances in not one, but two roles.

Mars Attacks! is also really funny and just plain fun. It’s completely absurd in all the best ways, and in ways that only a mind like Burton’s could imagine. I’m glad it is well thought of today, because otherwise, it would be another lost classic. Meanwhile, Tim Burton has been busy lately, with last year’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wednesday, both of which you can watch with a Netflix subscription.

Anybody who knows me knows that I'm a sucker for a good musical. That's why I absolutely adore 2007's Tim Burton/Johnny Depp collabo, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Because the truth is, Sweeney Todd doesn't feel like your typical musical. In fact, it's one of the most offbeat musicals I think I've ever seen in my entire life, which is very on brand for Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. And, while I know it's an adaptation of an actual musical from Hugh Wheeler with music from Stephen Sondheim, I feel like Burton and Depp added something special to this already bizarre story.

So, why is this film adaptation so good, and how did Burton/Depp knock it out of the park? Well, you're about to find out.

First Off, All Of The Main Actors Actually Sang Themselves...And It Sounded Great!

Have you ever watched the movie adaptation of Les Misérables? Well, while some feel the movie missed the mark completely, I’ve always thought that it was pretty good, even after a rewatch (Though some have been less forgiving). That said, while I still think the film succeeds in many regards, the singing could be a lot better.

Case in point, Russell Crowe. I remember watching this movie with my wife, and she would cringe every time he sang. When I asked her why, she said it was “appalling,” which I didn’t understand until I listened to Philip Quast sing “Stars,” and then I thought, Oh, my God. Why did they even hire Russell Crowe? He’s not even close! (Even though he did try, which counts for something).

However, I think the singing in Sweeney Todd works better with this particular cast. For example, the song where Sweeney Todd sings to his blades really works here. Now, the performers I’ve seen play Sweeney Todd have typically been beefier men than Johnny Depp, so their baritone voices work. That said, Depp is not beefy. He’s lithe and almost wiry, so I wouldn’t expect a baritone voice to come out of his mouth. I believe he's considered a baritenor, which works for this particular version of the story, given the actor.

Helena Bonham Carter is also wonderful with the accent she gives off here. Her voice even sometimes cracks, which sounds super authentic. What’s actually interesting is that Carter and Sasha Baron Cohen are in both Les Misérables and Sweeney Todd, but I think they’re both better in the latter, which I think proves my point. The singing here is more effective.

Johnny Depp Was Nominated For Best Actor For His Performance And Deserved The Nod

Now, I know I just mentioned that Depp does a great job singing in this film, but he also does a spectacular job acting in it as well. In fact, when I wrote an article a while back ranking every Tim Burton and Johnny Depp collaboration, I put Sweeney Todd at number two, which was above even Ed Wood, which is one of my favorite movies of all time. It’s just that Depp is so good as Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd that his performance really stands out in both of his and Burton's filmographies.

And, I think it’s because Johnny Depp has to go through so many emotions in this film’s 116-minute runtime. The story of Sweeney Todd is an interesting one. A crooked man of the law named Judge Turpin (Alan Rickman) falsely accuses our protagonist, Benjamin Barker, of crimes that he didn't commit and has him shipped to Australia. Turpin's intention is to steal Barker's wife, but she's driven to end her life after the deed. In turn, Turpin adopts their daughter, and in time, falls in love with her (gross!).

Barker returns to London as a changed man (with a new name), and is now out for vengeance. The thing is, even though he’s literally murdering people in his barber’s seat, we actually sympathize with him to a certain extent, and I think it’s mostly due to Depp’s charm. We admire his newfound enthusiasm for murder, and Depp makes it feel justified with his acting.

It’s not a weird performance, but it’s a weird scenario, and Depp eases into it perfectly. He’s really good, is what I’m trying to say.

Alan Rickman Is Always Great, But This Particular Performance Is A Stand Out

I’m going to say something that could probably be considered a “warm” take, but nobody played a villain better than Alan Rickman. Nobody. Absolutely crushing it in his first major movie role as Hans Gruber, Rickman ruled because he could play smarmy bad guys who always seemed to think they were better than everybody else. That is, of course, until they realized that they were completely out of their depth.

We saw it in Die Hard, we witnessed it in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and we saw it in the Harry Potter movies, in which we initially think he’s a villain, only to learn that he’s a hero. Well, in Sweeney Todd, there is not a heroic bone in Rickman's body. In fact, this may be his most dastardly performance of his career, just because he uses his power so unjustly, literally putting people in jail without any real reason besides the fact that he doesn’t like them.

For example, Judge Turpin gets Todd out of the picture, does horrible things to his wife (which drives her to suicide), and then, as if things weren't bad enough, later courts their daughter, whom he’s taken under his wing, and wants to marry her.

And, he’s just so oily and awful. There’s a certain charm to him, but it’s the charm of a scoundrel. Not only that, but he even has his own hype man in Timothy Spall’s Beadle Bamford, who actually has my favorite song in the whole movie. But, yeah. I love Alan Rickman, but I hate him in this film, which means he must have done a good job. I approve!

The Set Design Really Transports You To The Time And Place

Another aspect of Sweeney Todd that just works is the grungy London setting, as the Victorian-era costumes and designs just fit so well. This is likely why it won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction (but lost Best Costume Design to Elizabeth: The Golden Age, which I guess is fair. Those costumes were amazing).

Anyway, Burton, who is no stranger to setting stories in the past (see: the excellent Sleepy Hollow), did another great job hiring people who could make these characters feel like they're living and breathing in old-time London. The streets look dirty, the interiors are cramped, and the area feels authentic.

And, this is important because it shows the close attention to detail that went into the making of this movie. There are scenes where I genuinely forget that I'm watching a film, as my mind is just transported to London. But, not a nice London, mind you, but rather, the kind where I feel like I want to take a shower every time I see it.

The set design and costumes make this one of the best settings I've ever seen, and I understand why this film is often considered one of the better modern musical adaptations, which is really important because this movie honestly could have been a disaster, but it wasn't, which is a true testament to how much work was put into this film.

So, what do you think? Are you also a fan of 2007's Sweeney Todd? I'd love to hear your thoughts!

In 1989, director Tim Burton delivered Batman, which saw Michael Keaton’s title character clashing with Jack Nicholson’s Joker. While not the first superhero movie by any stretch or even the first theatrical Batman movie, the first of Burton’s two features about DC Comics’ Caped Crusader was more than just a critical and commercial success; it was a worldwide phenomenon. In fact, Batman: Revolution author John Jackson Miller proclaimed Batman to be “the most important comic book movie ever made” while speaking with CinemaBlend.

Revolution is the second in Miller’s duology of novels that takes place between Batman and Batman Returns, with the Resurrection sequel introducing a new Riddler and featuring two especially deep-cut villains. Knowing what a Batman superfan Miller is, I asked him during our recent interview why he thinks the DC movie has so much staying power after all this time. He began by saying:

John Jackson Miller recalled to me a TV Guide review for The Incredible Hulk TV series where the critic took issue with it being so serious and said it would have been better if the show had been “campy and goofy.” And yet, The Incredible Hulk was the most successful comic book TV show after the Adam West and Burt Ward-led Batman at the time, despite the fact that, as Miller noted, it’s “probably the least like the comic book of any of the comic book TV shows.” The author also mentioned that while the first two Christoper Reeves Superman movies did help pave the way for Batman, it was the comic book direct market that showed people in the ‘80s that “comic books could be about more things, and that comic book movies could be different than they were.”

To that end, John Jackson Miller praised producer Michael Ulan as the “hero of the story” because he obtained the Batman film rights and insisted that the character be handled “as seriously as possible.” So despite some initial backlash to Michael Keaton playing Batman and Tim Burton helming the movie, taking this approach paid off big time and influenced other comic book film productions. Miller specifically noted how Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wouldn’t have gotten a wide release, Dick Tracy wouldn’t have modeled its marketing after Batman’s, and projects like the short-lived The Flash TV series, The Rocketeer, The Crow and maybe even Batman: The Animated Series wouldn’t have happened. He continued:

Batman’s $411 million+ box office haul was more than enough to warrant Warner Bros. Pictures greenlighting Batman Returns. While that 1992 flick wasn’t as successful as its predecessor, which then led to the less well-received Joel Schumacher movies, it’s safe to say we wouldn’t still be getting live-action Batman movies decades later if that first entry hadn’t hit so hard. More importantly to John Jackson Miller, though, is that Batman is the reason why the comic book movie genre is still thriving to this day.

So now if you’re inclined, break out your HBO Max subscription to watch the late ‘80s superhero classic, and pick up Batman: Revolution wherever you purchase your books. Don’t forget there’s also the Batman ’89: Shadows and Batman ’89: Echoes comic book miniseries to read. They both take place after Batman Returns and, like Resurrection and Revolution, exist separately from Batman Forever and Batman & Robin.

I recently revisited Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, and came away completely understanding why it remains one of the best movies of the ‘90. The gothic fairy tale helped define the auteur director’s movie career while also further launching Johnny Depp into superstardom. In a recent interview, Oscar winner Gary Oldman addressed the fact that he was on Burton’s short list for the dialogue-lite role, but that he'd turned it down because he simply “didn’t get” the script.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Oldman admitted that he was given the script in the late ’80s, before Tim Burton was fully established as a tonal visionary. Even if Beetlejuice and Batman were both already out at the time, those distinct stories still wouldn't have provided Oldman a blueprint to understanding Edward Scissorhands on the page. As he tells it:

Honestly? Fair. It's hard to imagine something like Edward Scissorhands from just words on a page without hearing Vincent Price's voice or seeing Winona Ryder in snowglobe mode. There are so many ideas that go into making a movie as iconic as this flick, and not having Burton around to paint a mental picture would have made it challenging indeed.

Oldman explained that without Burton’s later filmography to help contextualize the project, the concept just struck him as confusing and even unappealing. The actor continued:

That decision meant Oldman never actually met with Burton to discuss the part, which propped the the door open more for Johnny Depp to take on what would become one of his best roles.

Despite his initial disinterest, Oldman wasn’t immune to the finished film’s magic eventually. He confessed:

It’s a classic “sliding doors” moment in Hollywood history where one actor passes on a role because it seems too odd or risky, only for another to step in and help turn it into a cultural phenomenon. It's wild to think about where both of their careers would have gone, and what Edward Scissorhands merch would look like with Oldman in the role.

Of course, Oldman’s career didn’t exactly suffer. While he missed out on playing Edward, he went on to build a decades-spanning résumé that includes a ton of great characters. He’s done everything from punk legend Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy to Sirius Black in Harry Potter, Commissioner Gordon in The Dark Knight trilogy (available to stream with an HBO Max subscription), and Winston Churchill in Darkest Hour — a role that finally earned him an Oscar.

Oldman frames the Scissorhands episode as one of many moments where instinct, timing, and perspective shaped his path. As THR’s profile highlights, his willingness to pivot away from typecasting and later embrace quieter, more internalized roles gave him staying power in a business that often chews up actors known for intensity alone.

Gary Oldman’s 2025 movie slate has been quiet, but his series Slow Horses returns for its fifth season on September 24, 2025. Available to anyone with an Apple TV+ subscription.

Jenna Ortega turned a lot of heads with her snakeskin look at the London Wednesday premiere on Wednesday, but I want to talk about one question she answered while on the purple carpet for the show’s second season. Following all the controversy over Ortega and her thoughts on the writer’s room, she was asked how she shaped Wednesday’s storyline as an executive producer this time around. And, her comments have me more excited for the episodes to come.

Jenna Ortega Shares Her Role As Executive Producer On Wednesday Season 2

MTV asked the actress about how her role as executive producer helped shape Wednesday Addams’ arc this season. Here’s how she responded:

Have you heard the background on what happened last season? After the record-breaking debut of Wednesday, Jenna Ortega talked about being “almost unprofessional” on the set of Season 1 by changing lines and refusing to read certain dialogue because she didn’t agree with some of the material.

These comments led to one TV producer calling her statements “beyond and entitled and toxic,” and backlash about it blew up so much further that she was quoted on the writer’s strike picket line signs. She has since said that she “probably could have used [her] words better” and got so “sick” of herself and how her words came back to bite her later.

However, there was change on Wednesday, and now Ortega is more involved and seemingly a lot happier with the collaborative process.

Her New Comments Make Me More Excited For What’s To Come On Wednesday

These new comments show a much more cohesive opinion of the writers from Jenna Ortega, and signal to me that she, Tim Burton and the creators of Wednesday are on the same page regarding the direction of Wednesday as a series and the direction of Wednesday Addams as a character.

Previously, the creators of Wednesday had said that Ortega is “very involved” in the making of Season 2. But rather than the actress coming out and talking about all the things about the series she put her name on specifically, I appreciate how she is calling the TV show for what it is, a collaborative process where the writers are doing a lot of legwork to provide the storyline of the series.

As a fan, I definitely understood both points of view in the controversy, because I could see how, as a young woman, Ortega might not feel like she resonated with all the writing. However, at the same time how the writers might have felt undermined by her alleged behavior and attitude about it. With her now as an executive producer, she has more behind-the-scenes agency, and I think it’s going to make Wednesday Season 2 better all around for it.

Part 1 of Wednesday Season 2 is set to premiere for those with a Netflix subscription on August 6.

We’re currently living through the era of sequels, reboots and revivals, and Johnny Depp hasn’t been immune from that. The past few years have seen Depp caught up in Pirates of the Caribbean 6 chatter and, as of right now, that project seems to be far from a sure thing. As commonplace as sequels are, though, I can’t say I was expecting to hear that one of Depp’s classic films is receiving one. Not only that, but this particular follow-up is also happening in a way that I wouldn’t have expected.

One Of Johnny Depp And Tim Burton’s Films Is Receiving A Sequel

Years ago, Johnny Depp teamed up with Tim Burton for 1999’s Sleepy Hollow, an adaptation of Washington Irving’s short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The movie may not be among Burton’s most acclaimed works or feature one of Depp’s greatest roles, but it has garnered a following. On that note, the film is now set to receive a sequel by way of a comic book published by IDW Publishing’s horror brand, IDW Dark. Per EW, Return to Sleepy Hollow is being penned by Casey Gilly, with Savanna Mayer contributing the artwork.

Sleepy Hollow centers on Ichabod Crane (Depp), a police constable who is summoned to the titular town to investigate a string of grisly decapitations. It’s there that Crane discovers the supernatural force that is the Headless Horseman and draws the romantic interest of Katrina Van Tassel (Christina Ricci). The comic-based sequel will see Ichabod return to the town 15 years later to investigate more murders, and he’ll also reunite with Katrina, from whom he’s estranged. Casey Gilly said this about landing the gig:

I’ve honestly never had Sleepy Hollow on my bingo card as a Tim Burton movie that was in dire need of a follow-up. And, of course, what’s even more surprising is that this new chapter in the horror series is coming by way of a comic book. However, there is precedence, as other movies have been expanded upon using that medium. Even the series Batman ‘89 builds on the continuity launched by Burton’s two superhero films. Neither Burton nor Johnny Depp seem to be involved with Return, though Depp has something else in store.

Johnny Depp Is Launching A Comic Book Property Of His Own

As the sequel to his late-’90s, dark fantasy flick remains in the works, Johnny Depp is working with filmmaker Ridley Scott to develop a new IP. The pair of creatives joined forces for Hyde, a graphic novel series that’s based on Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde and will be released this Halloween. The story follows Mr. Hyde, who’s fully suppressed Dr. Jekyll and is now living in the sewers while attempting to turn others into Hydes. The titular character bears Depp’s likeness, though he’s playing coy on a live-action adaptation.

That aforementioned graphic novel will be jointly owned by the Fantastic Beasts alum, Ridley Scott and the production company Johnny Cake. With this latest business move, the actor continues to forge a professional path amid this latest chapter of his career (which he wouldn’t call a “comeback”). Still, in the aftermath of his legal issues with ex-wife Amber Heard, the veteran actor is working his way back into the industry. He’s also making a major Hollywood return with Day Drinker, his first film from a U.S. studio in several years.

I can’t help but wonder whether the Sleepy Hollow comic could spawn a live-action adaptation should it gain buzz. Theoretically, that would be another feather in Johnny Depp’s professional cap. Realistically, the chances of that happening are probably slim but, then again, the notion of this particular Tim Burton film receiving a follow-up seemed unlikely, too. Return to Sleepy Hollow will be released on October 29, and fans looking to prepare for it can stream the OG film for free on Pluto TV now.

There are a lot of options on the way in the 2025 Netflix release dates that we’re looking forward to, but few titles have buzz that can compare to the excitement around finally seeing the second season of Wednesday. When the series debuted back in 2022, it was such a hit that it became (and remains) the most popular original TV show from the streaming service ever. So, how does Tim Burton raise the stakes this time around? For one, he’s reteaming with one cast member from Edward Scissorhands.

We’ve just learned that Anthony Michael Hall is part of the Wednesday Season 2 cast, and I'm just so excited for this reunion! The actor played the boyfriend to Winona Ryder’s Kim Boggs in the 1990 movie also starring Johnny Depp. The report comes from Variety, which marked his role as “undisclosed” in their exclusive.

So, we may not know who Anthony Michael Hall plays yet in Wednesday Season 2, but it’s a great get for the series nonetheless. The actor of course broke out in the ‘80s when he starred in John Hughes movies like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club. Sure, he’s reflected on being “typecast” early in his career, but that certainly doesn’t reflect the diverse work he’s delivered across the past forty-five years.

Anthony Michael Hall has had more than one hundred credits over the years, most recently including Season 3 of Amazon Prime’s Reacher and 2021’s Halloween Kills with Jamie Lee Curtis. When Hall worked with Tim Burton back in 1990 for Edward Scissorhands, he played the supercilious boyfriend of the movie’s heroine, who tries and fails to get in the way of the romance between Edward and Kim.

At first, he simply becomes jealous of his girlfriend’s attraction to the town black sheep, but ultimately gets dumped before becoming the main villain of the movie by actually attempting to kill Edward before he ultimately falls to his own death. It would be quite poetic if Anthony Michael Hall did play another villain in Wednesday considering his history with Tim Burton. Since his casting has been kept secret and role undisclosed until just a few months before the release, we could see this as a big possibility. Check out the Wednesday teaser that had us asking all the questions last week:

Yeah… no sign of Anthony Michael Hall here. It is possible he could voice one of those demonic things we watched in the preview, but that wouldn’t be as fun as seeing him in the flesh, would it? Aside from Hall, obviously Jenna Ortega is back in the titular role with Catherine Zeta Jones playing Morticia, Luis Guzmán as Gomez, Isaac as Pugsley, and Fred Armison as Uncle Fester.

And along with the Addams Family, Emma Myers is back as Enid as well as Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo’s Sheriff Deputy Ritchie Santiago, while Percy Hynes White’s Xavier and Naomi J Ogawa’s Yoko Tanaka do not seem to be returning. The new cast members who were previously announced as series regulars in Season 2 are Billie Piper, Steve Buscemi, Evie Templeton, Owen Painter, and Noah Taylor.

We also know the guest stars this season will include Joanna Lumley as Grandmama, Frances O’Connor, Haley Joel Osment, Heather Matarazzo, and Joonas Suotamo. Armisen will be back as Uncle Fester, and Uncle Fester from the movies – a.k.a. Christopher Lloyd – has also been announced to be a guest star, too! Wednesday Season 2 will debut for those with a Netflix subscription on August 6 before the second part of the season comes out on September 3.

Johnny Depp has been back at work in the film world ever since his high-profile defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard. His first post-trial movie was Jeanne du Barry, and Depp’s upcoming movies include directing Modì, as well as starring in Day Drinker and Carnival: At the End of Days. Despite all of the brand-new projects that talented actor has under his belt, he can’t forget about the years he spent working with frequent collaborator, Tim Burton, believing “Tim is the real thing.”

In the first episode of the four-part Tim Burton docuseries, actors from many of the director’s movies shared some sweet words about him. With Johnny Depp at the top of that list, you better believe the American actor had plenty to say about working with Burton, with a video preview revealed in his Instagram Stories:

There’s no denying that Tim Burton is “the real thing.” In every movie from the gothic horror filmmaker, he has an amazingly eerie, yet magical touch that easily resonates with audiences. Whether you get melancholy feels seeing a man with metal shears in Edward Scissorhands or supernatural dark humor in Dark Shadows, Burton has a style that can’t be matched by anyone else. Plus, the Academy Award nominee has either directly delivered or been involved in the making of stop-motion animated movies like Corpse Bride, Beetlejuice, and The Nightmare Before Christmas, which showcase what a visionary storyteller he is.

If you look at every Johnny Depp performance in a Tim Burton movie, these two are the perfect match. With Depp’s ability to blend in with any role thrown at him, no matter how whimsical, it’s clear that Burton played a big role in exposing the actor’s wide range to audiences. For instance, the Golden Globe winner brought out his oddball, yet lovable self in Edward Scissorhands and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. We also got to see his haunting musical skills in Sweeney Todd and his deadpan humor in Dark Shadows. Each role brings something new to the actor’s resume and highlights Depp’s gifts.

As it’s been 12 years since the last time Johnny Depp collaborated with Tim Burton when they did Dark Shadows, it makes me wonder if the two ever plan to work together again. Unfortunately, we have yet to get a clear answer on this. After the Depp vs. Heard trial ended, the Big Fish director shared his thoughts on working with Depp again, saying that it would depend on the project. But as Burton hinted at “bouncing ideas off the people around you,” maybe a future collaboration is in the works that we don’t know about yet. I, for one, can’t wait to find out eventually.

From Edward Scissorhands to Dark Shadows, Johnny Depp will never forget about the years he worked with "the real thing” like Tim Burton. The director’s unique vision brought out the best in the Pirates of the Caribbean actor and shaped some of Depp’s most memorable roles. Once a premiere date is announced for the Tim Burton docuseries, we'll add it to our 2025 TV schedule.

Jenna Ortega is set to have a major 2025, with the releases of Death of a Unicorn and Wednesday Season 2. As Ortega gears up for the busy year, she revealed who she looks up to within the Hollywood landscape. Unsurprisingly, the star of the hit Addams Family spinoff (which can be streamed with a Netflix subscription) named series director Tim Burton as one of those people. As for the other, I didn't see this name coming, but I totally understand Ortega's admiration.

While at the premiere of Death of a Unicorn at SXSW, the Scream actress teased her show ahead of its release on the 2025 Netflix schedule. During the conversation with IndieWire, she revealed that Tim Burton and Lady Gaga (who's part of Wednesday Season 2) have been great sources of inspiration. The actress couldn't say enough kind words about Gaga and explained just why she was such a pleasure to work with:

Considering that Jenna Ortega has collaborated with Tim Burton closely on multiple projects, it makes sense that he would be someone she admires. But Lady Gaga is a bit of surprise -- and a pleasant one at that. When it was announced that Gaga was joining the Wednesday cast for its sophomore season, the internet went wild. But there was still a question of how she'd work with Ortega. By the sounds of it, the two got along swimmingly, and I love that Ortega views her as a role model.

What makes me particularly envious is that the Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice actor has already had the privilege of working with so many major Hollywood stars. Among them are Winona Ryder, Neve Campbell, Michael Keaton and Martin Freeman. Not only that, but Steve Buscemi even joined the cast of the Addams offshoot this year. She's definitely been in the presence of talent.

As for plot details on Wednesday Season 2, they're scarce at the moment. I'm hoping Steve Buscemi and Lady Gaga both play substantial roles, though, and really shake things up at Nevermore Academy. Along with the top-tier cast additions, Jenna Ortega also promised some significant set expansions for the new seasons.

It's natural for people to have heroes, and I love that Jenna Ortega has been able to work with a few of hers. Here's hoping that gets the opportunity to collaborate with Tim Burton and/or Lady Gaga again sometime down the road.

It's not unusual for directors to star in their own movies. Alfred Hitchcock famously made cameos in almost all of his movies and Quentin Tarantino appears in all of his in one way or another. It's rarer for a director to appear in a fellow director's movie. It's hardly unheard of, as we found plenty of interesting examples. So without further ado, here is our list of directors who appeared on other directors' movies.

Steven Spielberg - The Blues Brothers

Before the tragic accident on the set of The Twilight Zone, John Landis and Steven Spielberg were good friends. So good, in fact, that Spielberg showed up in a cameo in the Landis classic The Blues Brothers. Spielberg plays the Cook Country Accessor at the end of the movie who takes payment from Jake and Elwood.

David Lynch - The Fablemans

In a very meta moment, David Lynch plays another great director, John Ford, in Steven Spielberg's The Fablemans. The late Lynch didn't show up in movies often, even his own, so it's a fun moment in a movie by a legend, starring a legend as a legend.

John Landis - Spider-man 2

John Landis has twice done cameos in Sam Rami movies, both times appearing as a doctor, the most famous of which was in Spider-Man 2 where he plays a doctor killed by Doctor Octopus after performing surgery on the villain. It's a super quick moment and one that is easy to miss.

David Fincher - Being John Malkovich

David Fincher has occasionally popped into his own movies, including playing the voice of John Doe on the telephone so as to not give away the surprise later. He also has shown up in other directors' movies, specifically as a puppet expert in Spike Jonze's Being John Malkovich.

Roger Corman - The Silence Of The Lambs

Legendary B-movie director Roger Corman has a habit of showing up in other directors' work. It makes sense as he's a huge hero to many filmmakers who grew up watching his movies. In Jonathan Demme's The Silence of the Lambs, Corman plays the FBI director in one scene.

George Lucas - Beverly Hills Cop III

Beverly Hills Cop 3 is a pretty terrible movie, though thankfully the franchise was redeemed decades later with Axel F. Still, there is a pretty funny cameo in the movie when none other than George Lucas pops into the movie as a disgruntled patron of the amusement park that is central to the story.

Tim Burton - Singles

Tim Burton is not a director that shows up on the other side of the camera very often. In fact he has fleetingly few acting roles, but he does appear in Cameron Crowe's Singles. Crowe also has a cameo himself in the film.

Sam Raimi - Miller's Crossing

Sam Raimi is a director with a lot of acting roles on his resume, in his own film and in the movies by friends of his. One such cameo is in Miller's Crossing, a movie by the Coen Brothers. Raimi also has a cameo in another Coen Brothers movie, The Hudsucker Proxy.

Gus Van Sant - The Canyons

Gus Van Sant has a bit more than just a cameo in The Canyons, a movie that flew way under the radar when it was released in 2013, starring Lindsey Lohan. Van Sant plays a psychologist in the movie and has more than a couple lines, unlike many on this list.

Quentin Tarantino - Sleep With Me

Quentin Tarantino is always happy to cast himself in his own movies, but even before he was one of the premiere directors in Hollywood, he was popping up in movies he didn't direct. In Sleep With Me, by director Rory Kelly, which came out a month before Pulp Fiction, Tarantino has a memorable moment as a chatty party guest who breaks down the movie Top Gun in a very unconventional way.

Martin Scorsese - Quiz Show

Martin Scorsese's most famous on screen moment is as a rider in Travis' (Robert De Niro) cab in his own movie, Taxi Driver. He also shows up in Qui Show, directed by Robert Redford.

Tobe Hooper - Sleepwalkers

Tobe Hooper is a horror movie legend for his work directing the slasher classic The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the 1970s. In 1992 he popped up in a cameo working alongside Stephen King in the adaptation of King's novel Sleepwalkers.

John Waters - Something Wild

Director John Waters has been in many of his own movies, but he occasionally shows up in other movies as well, like Something Wild by director Jonathan Demme in 1986. Waters plays a sketchy car dealer in the movie and is one of the most fun parts of the movie.

Amy Heckerling - Into The Night

1985's Into the Night was John Landis' return to directing after being cleared of manslaughter charges as a result of the on-set tragedy during the filming of The Twilight Zone movie. In the movie, another director, Amy Heckerling, shows up in a cameo as a waitress.

Jonathan Demme - That Thing You Do!

Appropriately Jonathan Demme, who had a number of directors appear in his films, plays a film director in That Thing You Do! It's a brief role, of course, and it is one of the only times the late Demme appeared in another director's film. Into the Night by John Landis being another.

Roger Corman - The Godfather Part II

Roger Corman, one of the most influential directors of all time had a few cameos over his career with one of the most memorable coming in The Godfather II, where he played one of the senators grilling Michael Corlene (Al Pacino) in the Francis Ford Coppola classic.

Spike Jonze - The Game

Before David Fincher returned the favor for Spike Jonze in Being John Malkovich, Jonze appeared in Fincher's The Game, one of the most underrated movies by a big-time director.

Wes Craven - Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back

The late Wes Craven appeared in movies or TV shows as an actor 24 times according to IMDB, though most of his movie appearances were in his own movies. One exception was when he appeared in Kevin Smith's Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back playing a version of himself directing a cartoonish version of Scream.

Frank Oz - Spies Like Us

Frank Oz has appeared as an actor in a bunch of movies, including The Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Knives Out, not to mention all his puppet and voice work over the years. One of his best cameos came in Spies Like Us where he played the proctor of a civil service exam. It's truly a classic and maybe the funniest moment in the movie.

Cameron Crowe - Minority Report

Cameron Crowe has a very brief cameo as a man on riding public transportation in Minority Report by director Steven Spielberg. If you blink - or aren't sure what he looks like - you're sure to miss the moment, but it's there. In fact, another Cameron, Cameron Diaz, is in the background of the same scene.

Robert Downey, Sr. - Boogie Nights

In his day, Robert Downey Sr. was pretty famous. Of course, that fame has been eclipsed by his son, but that doesn't mean he did carry a lot of respect within the industry even late in his life. Like when Paul Thomas Anderson worked him into a cameo in Boogie Nights.

Frank Darabont - King Kong

For many, The Shawshank Redemption is the best movie of the 1990s. It's director, Frank Darabont, doesn't make a cameo in Shawshank or any of his other movies, but he is very briefly in Peter Jackson's King Kong. It's another "blink-and-you-will-miss-it" kind of role.

Lawrence Kasdan - As Good As It Gets

Writer and director Lawrence Kasdan is most famous for writing both Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi. He's also directed movies like Grand Canyon, The Big Chill, and Silverado. On rare occasions, he's taken acting roles like he did in As Good As It Gets, by director James L. Brooks of Simpsons fame. Kasdan plays a psychologist in the movie.

James Cameron - The Muse

The Muse, directed by Albert Brooks, features a handful of cameos by famous directors including Martin Scorsese and Rob Reiner. In a rare appearance on the other side camera is also director James Cameron, who only has a few acting credits to his name.

Mel Brooks - The Muppet Movie

it's certainly not surprising to see Mel Brooks on the big screen, but it is rare to see in a movie that he didn't write and direct. That's part of what makes his cameo in The Muppet Movie so much fun. The legendary EGOT winner plays the evil Professor Krassman who is working to control the minds of frogs. It's worth noting that despite his delightful performance, it's not one that contributed to his EGOT.

Eli Roth - Inglourious Basterds

Eli Roth is as much an actor as he is a director, though in recent years he's concentrated on the latter. Sure he appears in his own films, but he's also been a collaborator with Quentin Tarantino a couple of times, first in Death Proof and then in a more prominent role in Inglourious Basterds.

Jim Jarmusch - Sling Blade

Director Jim Jarmusch has a unique style as a director and so it makes sense he would appear in a movie with its own unique angle, Sling Blade, by director and actor Billy Bob Thornton. Jarmusch plays the server at a food truck in the movie, serving up French fried potaters.

David Cronenberg - Jason X

David Cronenberg has a long history with the Friday The 13th franchise, having directed an episode of Friday the 13th: The Series in 1988. He shows up in a cameo in Jason X.

John Sayles - Malcolm X

John Sayles has directed some great movies over the years including Eight Men Out and Passion Fish. He's also occasionally done a bit of acting, mostly in cameos like as a memorable FBI agent in Spike Lee's classic Malcolm X.

Werner Herzog - Jack Reacher

German director is never shy about being in front of the camera as he often appears in his own films and occasionally acts in other stuff, like playing a wonderful role on The Mandalorian on Disney Plus. He also makes a great cameo in the Tom Cruise-led Jack Reacher from 2012.

Martin Brest - Fast Times At Ridgemont High

Before Martin Brest hit the big time as a director of such '80s classics as Beverly Hills Cop and the criminally underrated Midnight Run, he scored a small acting role as a coroner in Fast Times At Ridgemont High by director Amy Heckerling.

Orson Welles - The Muppet Movie

Mel Brooks has a fairly substantial role in The Muppet Movie, but he's not the only director to appear in the movie. Hollywood legend Orson Welles also appears in the movie. Welles was a huge fan of Jim Henson and the Muppets and worked with them on more than one occassion as well.

Within the pantheon of live-action Batman movies, Tim Burton’s Batman Returns stands as one of the most unique entries in the genre. One could argue that the sequel to Burton’s smash-hit 1989 blockbuster arguably doesn’t receive the love that its predecessor does. Yet it’s still a wonderfully entertaining film (that even partially inspired Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu). There is, however, one particular scene that’s just downright disturbing – even by Burton standards. And, after rewatching the flick, I just can’t get this moment out of my head.

What’s The Batman Returns Scene, And Why Is It Disturbing?

Let’s face it, Tim Burton’s highly quotable films are filled with surreal and unsettling scenes. His pair of Batman movies have a few moments that’ll throw you for a loop, too. (The Smylex commercial, which is a small part of Joker’s plan, from the 1989 film is legitimately creepy.) The main villain of Burton’s 1992 superhero film is Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. Penguin, who’s played by Danny DeVito. Burton’s version of Cobblepot isn't the refined gentleman gangster of the comics, though. Instead, he’s a deformed and crass man, who resembles a bird.

The drooling, raw-fishing eating antagonist truly made me gasp about halfway through the film. During the scene, sleazy businessman Max Shreck convinces Oswald to run for mayor and, early on, Shreck introduces the former sewer dweller to his two image consultants named Jen and Josh. While speaking with Cobblepot, Josh insults his looks when he muses that there aren’t a lot of reflective surfaces in the sewer. Penguin initially laughs and states that his nose could be gushing with blood, before he lunges and bites Josh’s.

It’s a shocking scene and one that’s quite gruesome. The sheer sight of the blood spewing from Josh’s nose is certainly enough to make a squeamish person uneasy. What’s even wilder is that Cobblepot doesn’t even think much of it and, within a span of just a few minutes, he makes an overt sexual pass at Jen as she tends to Josh. Danny DeVito and Steve Witting (who plays Josh) do play the scene to perfection, and the makeup team’s work is certainly on point. The craftsmanship aside, though, this scene just gives me chills.

There Are Other Crazy Moments In Batman Returns

Gotham City has historically been depicted as being incredibly crime-ridden compared to other cities in the DC Universe. I’d argue, though, that Tim Burton’s take on it can be downright twisted at times. That’s established early on in Batman Returns when the Red Triangle gang gleefully attacks citizens during a ceremony. Another particularly dark moment sees Penguin pushing the Ice Princess to her death (and viewers actually see her body land). And, of course, there’s also the moment that Catwoman (Michelle Pfeiffer) electrocutes Shreck to death and his scorched corpse is later shown.

I suppose, if anything, what viewers should take away from these mind-boggling scenes is that the Beetlejuice helmer didn’t compromise his artistic integrity when crafting these blockbusters. He surely had to answer to execs, but what can be said about both of the director’s Bat flicks is that they completely sync up with his creative tendencies. That’s something he should be proud of.

Still, I’ll forever remain in disbelief that writer Daniel Waters actually inserted the nose-biting scene into the movie. That doesn’t lessen my overall love of the film, though, as I’m happy that Batman Returns is being reappraised in some circles years after Waters and others were “attacked” over it. Definitely stream it using a Max subscription and, if you need to, just cover your eyes when Penguin decides to chomp on the man’s sniffer.

As much as I enjoy reading news about upcoming DC movies, sometimes it’s nice to revisit the classics. That’s what I did recently when I showed someone Tim Burton’s first Batman movie who’d never seen it before. While there are certain moments I will occasionally watch on YouTube every now and then, this was the first time I’d watched the movie from start to finish in many years. (I was also motivated to do this after having read Batman: Resurrection, which takes place after this movie and features a unique version of Clayface.) While I still found 1989’s Batman to be an enjoyable viewing experience overall, there’s one aspect of The Joker’s plan that really got on my nerves this time around.

Joker’s Smylex Plan Starts Off Reasonably Strong

The combination of falling into the vat of chemicals and the back alley surgery that ended with his face twisted into a permanent smile eradicated whatever sanity Jack Napier has left, and he wasted no time leaning into his new Joker persona. Jack Nicholson’s character quickly got himself a purple-heavy wardrobe and assembled a collection of kooky weaponry, like an electric hand buzzer and acid-squirting flower. He even got a spring-loaded boxing glove to shoot at his TV. Why? It doesn’t matter, because that moment gifted us the line, “This town needs an enema!”

It’s only when the Clown Prince of Crime started dispersing Smylex that his ultimate goal started becoming clear. With the right combination of cosmetics, makeup, toiletries and more tainted with this poison. Victims would be sent into a laughing fit for a few moments, then die with a grin plastered on his face. This was demonstrated on live TV when news anchor Becky Nartia died just that kind of horrible death in the middle of a broadcast. Adding insult to injury, Joker hijacked the airwaves mere moments later to officially tout Smylex, the perfect counter to Brand X, in a twisted, yet absolutely hilarious “commercial.” So far, so good, this is just the kind of thing Joker would do in the comics.

Why Did Anybody Attend Joker’s Parade?

But then it falls apart for me once Joker’s parade comes into the picture. Donning the same makeup he used to look relatively normal, Joker once again went on TV to claim that while he might be a little “rough,” he wasn’t a killer. He then announced he would give away $2 million at his own parade to replace the official one that had been planned for Gotham City’s bicentennial. People turn out in droves, Joker and his goons toss money into the crowd as Prince music, and then Smylex gas is sprayed from the gallons and killing untold amounts of people until Batman swoops in on his Batwing to take the balloons away.

Here’s my question: why did anybody show up to the parade? Yes, I get free money is enticing, but the man offering it was someone who went on TV and freely confessed to killing people with his ghoulish poison. Did they really think they could just show up, grab as much money as they could and nothing bad would happen? Joker might as well have shouted from the rooftops, “Come to this and you’re going to die!”

Also, his second TV broadcast is baffling to me. I’ll say again, Joker literally advertised that he was poisoning products with Smylex, so for him to try to suddenly deny he’s a mass murder is a bizarre move, though not as bizarre as all the people who suddenly believed him or were willing to risk their lives for free money. Plus, even though Jack Napier kept a relatively low profile in his pre-Joker days, if his boss Carl Grissom was so well known around Gotham, I have to imagine that were a handful of people who’d at least heard of the man and would start warning others about him.

Feel free to break out your Max subscription to rewatch Batman and see if you agree with me or decide I’m making too much out of this. But I’ve said my piece, so now I need to carve out some time to rewatch Batman Returns and see if my feelings have changed about that movie.

There were a ton of fantastic scary flicks released in 2024, but for my money, one of the best horror movies of the year was Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu–a horror remake that doesn’t suck! It’s a hauntingly beautiful reimagining of F.W. Murnau’s 1922 classic. With Eggers at the helm, you get what you’d expect: impeccable attention to detail, an eerie atmosphere, and a creeping sense of dread that seeps into your bones. What I didn’t expect, however, was the shockingly perfect connection he just drew between Nosferatu and…Batman Returns. Yes, you read that right.

The Lighthouse movie maker dropped this hilarious tidbit while reflecting on the influences that shaped his snowy, Gothic masterpiece on the Happy Sad Confused Podcast. Apparently, it wasn’t until he was mid-flight that he realized the eerie similarities between his Nosferatu and Tim Burton’s Batman Returns. The Witch director shared:

Now that he’s pointed it out, it’s impossible to ignore the parallels. Think about it: Batman Returns (which I think is one of Burton's best movies) is drenched in Gothic moodiness, from its snow-draped sets to its shadowy, twisted architecture. It feels less like something you’d see in an upcoming superhero movie and more like a surreal opera staged in some Victorian fever dream.

Sound familiar? The historical horror movie maestro has mastered much of what modern horror filmmakers haven't, and his Nosferatu leans into the same brand of chilling ambiance, with crumbling castles and wintry landscapes that make you feel like you’re trapped in a perpetual midnight.

And the manor comparison? That’s dead on. While grand and imposing, Wayne Manor is as much a Gothic character in Batman Returns as any of the film’s villains. Its cold halls and towering spires carry the weight of tragedy and mystery. Meanwhile, Grűnewald Manor in Nosferatu exudes a similar sense of decayed grandeur with its crumbling facade and suffocating gloom. It’s almost as if the two manors are cousins, separated by time and decay.

What’s fascinating here is that the connection wasn’t intentional. Eggers has always drawn inspiration from history, folklore, and classic cinema (and yes, sometimes Sponge Bob), crafting worlds that feel authentic yet otherworldly. But his recognition of Burton’s influence, albeit subconscious, makes perfect sense. The 1992 Batman sequel isn’t just a superhero movie—it’s a Gothic fairy tale brimming with darkness and a surreal sense of beauty. Those qualities naturally resonate with the type of immersive horror The Northman filmmaker creates.

The more you dig into the comparison, the more connections emerge. Burton’s Penguin, grotesque yet tragic, shares thematic DNA with Eggers’ Count Orlok, who is both monstrous and pitiable. Both films explore loneliness, power, and the shadows that lurk within us all. It’s a creative bridge that makes you wonder: what other unlikely pairings might we find if we step back and let our imaginations roam?

Fans of Tim Burton’s take on The Dark Knight can revisit both of his films with a Max subscription. As for Nosferatu, it is still playing in theaters. Be sure to check out our 2025 movie schedule too, to see what upcoming horror movies are headed to a theater near you.

When people think of the best Tim Burton movies, the first thing that typically pops into their minds is the unique filmmaker’s wild visual style. However, we cannot deny that his films also boast some equally trippy and amusing dialogue. See for yourself by looking back on some of the most incredible lines from the incredible filmmaker’s greatest hits.

“It’s Showtime” - Beetlejuice

Out of all the best quotes from Beetlejuice – Tim Burton's ghostly sophomore effort from 1988 – there is only one line that best defines Michael Keaton's titular bio-exorcist (actually spelled "Betelgeuse"). The announcement of his return to the land of the living after Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) says his name thrice is on par with the memorably epic delivery of The Shining's "Here's Johnny!"

"I Want To Thank My Grandma For Always Being So Good To Me, And, And For Helping Save The World And Everything" - Mars Attacks!

Out of all the crazy things that have happened in alien invasion movies, Slim Whitman’s “Indian Love Call” being used as a weapon against the Martians in 1996's Mars Attacks! is one of the most unique. Because the song's weaponizing purpose was discovered accidentally by his grandmother, Florence (Sylvia Sidney), Richie Norris (Lukas Haas) attributes Earth's survival to her in a celebratory ceremony.

"You Ever Dance With The Devil In The Pale Moonlight?" - Batman

Any argument for why Jack Nicholson remains one of the greatest Joker actors in cinematic history can be narrowed down to just one quote from the first of Tim Burton's live-action Batman movies, 1989's Batman. While the Clown Prince of Crime likes to say it to all his prey just for the way it sounds to him, it holds a special significance to Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton), reigniting a lost memory of his parents' tragic murder.

"I Know You Are But What Am I?" - Pee-wee's Big Adventure

We can thank the late, great Paul Reubens and his signature iconic man-child for introducing the ultimate comeback to any insult. It never ceases to be funny no matter how many times he repeats it in a vicious back-and-forth with Francis Buxton (Mark Holton) early on Tim Burton's feature-length directorial debut, 1985's Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

"At Last! My Arm Is Complete Again!" - Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street

One of the best Tim Burton/Johnny Depp collaborations is the 2007 cinematic adaptation of the bleak stage musical, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The title character of the acclaimed revenge movie (Depp) finds purpose again after years behind bars when he is reunited with his razor, which he uses to punish those who wronged him.

"I've Spent So Long In The Darkness, I'd Almost Forgotten How Beautiful The Moonlight Is" - Corpse Bride

Surprisingly, Corpse Bride – a spooky stop-motion fantasy in which the meek Victor (Johnny Depp) accidentally finds himself married to the undead Emily (Helena Bonham Carter) – is considered one of Tim Burton's most criminally overlooked films. We are inclined to agree that moments like this, in which Emily is given the opportunity to see the moon for the first time since her death, deserve far more appreciation.

"They Say When You Meet The Love Of Your Life, Time Stops, And That's True. What They Don't Tell You Is That When It Starts Again, It Moves Extra Fast To Catch Up" - Big Fish

One of the most romantic movie quotes in recent memory comes from Tim Burton's 2007 adaptation of Daniel Wallace's novel, Big Fish, when Albert FInney's Ed Bloom recalls the moment his younger self (Ewan McGregor) first laid eyes on his wife. Anyone who has found love would agree that it certainly feels like the world stops when they find it and that life seems to go by all too quickly from that point on.

"It Is Truth, But Truth Is Not Always Appearance" - Sleepy Hollow

Take a tribute to old-fashioned period horror dramas like Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow from 1999 which offers such an insightful lesson in differentiating what is real from what is illusion. Johnny Depp's Ichabod Crane demonstrates how things are not always what they seem by taking out a yarn with a card in the center bearing a picture of a bird on one side and a cage on the other. When he spins the yarn, it looks as if the bird is in the cage.

"If He Weren't Up There Now, I Don't Think It Would Be Snowing. Sometimes, You Can Still Catch Me Dancing In It" - Edward Scissorhands

Easily one of the most unique Tim Burton movies in concept alone, 1990's Edward Scissorhands is also a wondrous experience in execution for the imagination expressed in a single line like its last. Elderly Kim (Winona Ryder) explains to her granddaughter that, in their neighborhood, the snowfall is actually shrapnel from the title character's ice sculptures, which he craves with his blades for fingers.

“Well, I Attended Juilliard…” - Beetlejuice

Searching for a way to rid their house of the Deetzes, the recently deceased Adam (Alec Baldwin) and Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis) ask Betelguese (Michael Keaton) about his “qualifications,” to which he replies this uproarious autobiography. The full Beetlejuice quote reads, "Ah. Well... I attended Juilliard... I'm a graduate of the Harvard business school. I travel quite extensively. I lived through the Black Plague and had a pretty good time during that. I've seen THE EXORCIST ABOUT A HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SEVEN TIMES, AND IT KEEPS GETTING FUNNIER EVERY SINGLE TIME I SEE IT! NOT TO MENTION THE FACT THAT YOU'RE TALKING TO A DEAD GUY! NOW WHAT DO YOU THINK? You think I'm qualified?"

"Play Dead... Oh, Sorry" - Corpse Bride

As a gift from Emily, Victor receives the enviable opportunity to be reunited with his long-deceased dog, Scraps, in Corpse Bride. The man becomes so caught up in this joyous event that he almost forgets his once-furry friend is a ghost when he calls out a common command.

"This Is The One. 'This' Is The One I'll Be Remembered For" - Ed Wood

One of Tim Burton's most widely acclaimed films is the Oscar-winning 1994 biopic Ed Wood, starring Johnny Depp as the director of such trashy B-movies as Plan 9 from Outer Space. The filmmaker is actually referring to the 1957 alien invasion movie in this quote and he would, indeed, turn out to be correct.

"This Is What Happens When You Die...” - Beetlejuice

The full quote by Beetlejuice cast member Patrice Martinez as Miss Argentina reads, "This is what happens when you die. That is what happens when he dies. And that is what happens when they die. It's all very personal. And I'll tell you something: if I knew then what I know now...I wouldn't have had my little accident." It is the waiting room receptionist's fascinating way of explaining to Adam and Barbara how everyone's experience of the Afterlife is different, depending on the cause of death.

"...But A Kiss Can Be Even Deadlier If You Mean It" - Batman Returns

In 1992's Batman Returns, the Dark Knight (Michael Keaton) mentions mistletoe can be "deadly if you eat it," prompting this cheeky reply from Michelle Pfeiffer's Catwoman. One of Michael Keaton's coolest Batman moments sees this quote make a reprise during a later scene at Max Schreck's ball, when Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle quote each other's alter egos, leading them to discover their true identities.

"I Read Through That Handbook For The Recently Deceased...” - Beetlejuice

When the Maitlands ask Lydia how she is able to see their ghosts, she says that the Handbook for the Recently Deceased explains that "live people ignore the strange and unusual," and adds, "I myself am strange and unusual." There is no greater quote to associate with Winona Ryder's teen goth hero from Beetlejuice than this.

"You Wanna Get Nuts? C'Mon, Let's Get Nuts!" - Batman

Michael Keaton's willingness to have Bruce Wayne let out his dark side even when he is not in the cape and cowl is one of the essential reasons why he is one of the best live-action Batman actors of all time. Exhibit A: when he threatens the Joker in Vicki Vale's (Kim Basinger) living room with a fire poker and this unhinged call to action.

"That's The Problem. He Was Dead To Begin With" - Sleepy Hollow

In Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, while it takes a while for Johnny Depp's Ichabod Crane to realize the deadly Headless Horseman exists, he catches on to the unusual weight of the situation relatively quickly. After Young Masbath (Marc Pickering) asks if the villain is dead, Ichabod claims that it might be impossible to kill him as he is already deceased.

"My Dreams Were Taken From Me. But Now - Now I've Stolen Them From Someone Else. I Love You, Victor, But You Are Not Mine" - Corpse Bride

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride is one of the most beautiful stories based on the philosophy that the best way to prove you love someone is by letting them go. Emily is genuinely smitten by the man who brought her soul back to life but, realizing that Victor is meant to be with Victoria (Emily Watson), she moves on.

"C'mon, Simone, Let's Talk About Your Big 'But'" - Pee-wee's Big Adventure

One of the most moving scenes from Pee-wee's Big Adventure also involves one of its funniest quotes. While watching the sunrise together, Simone (Diane Salinger) tells Pee-wee about her dream to live in Paris, which he urges her to follow despite what her jealous boyfriend, Andy, says. She replies, "I know you're right, Pee-wee, but..." at which point he cuts her off, encouraging her to discuss her "big but," which an eavesdropping Andy misinterprets as them getting intimate.

"If You Don't Let Me Gut Out This House And Make It My Own, I Will Go Insane AND I WILL TAKE YOU WITH ME!" - Beetlejuice

In a movie filled with grotesque ghouls and sandworms from Saturn, the most uproarious scenes in Beetlejuice are truly owned by Schitt’s Creek cast member Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz. The film introduces her unusual artistic taste and iron-fisted approach to preserving it early on when pleading with her husband, Charles (Jeffrey Jones), to let her change the Maitlands' home to her liking.

"Guess It Wasn't The Dove" - Mars Attacks!

In Mars Attacks!, the Martians kill all of Congress, prompting First Daughter Taffy Dale (Natalie Portman) to quip that the dove which seemingly set off the first angry attack on humanity was not the cause. They just don't like humans.

"Because He IS Batman, You Moron!" - Batman Returns

Some might say Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) from Batman Returns is one of the most overlooked Batman movie characters but he also has his moments of density. For instance, when he asks Bruce Wayne why he is dressed like the Dark Knight, Selina Kyle responds with what is easily one of the funniest Batman movie moments.

"You're Entirely Bonkers. But I'll Tell You A Secret. All The Best People Are" - Alice In Wonderland

We would attribute the success of Tim Burton's 2010 adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, not just for its wondrous visuals, but for the way it serves as a source of inspiration to anyone who ever felt a little "out there." We imagine many people found encouragement in these words from Alice (Mia Wasikowska) to Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter.

“You Don't Wanna Get Mixed Up With A Guy Like Me. I'm A Loner, Dottie. A Rebel" - Pee-wee's Big Adventure

While its seems like an unlikely description for a goofy man in a red bowtie, anyone who truly understands Paul Reubens' Pee-wee knows that he is quite rebellious. Later in Pee-wee's Big Adventure, he experiences "déjà vu" when escaped convict Mickey (Judd Omen) repeats what he told Dottie (E.G. Daily) almost word for word.

"Who's The Man Behind The Bat? Maybe You Can Help Me Find The Woman Behind The Cat?" - Batman Returns

One of the things that makes Michelle Pfeiffer's performance in Batman Returns one of the all-time best Catwoman portrayals is how she makes the feline-esque thief's romance with the vigilante feel so authentic. Despite existing on opposite sides of the law, the Bat and the Cat truly complete each other.

"Visions Are Worth Fighting For. Why Spend Your Life Making Someone Else's Dreams?" - Ed Wood

At least from a creative perspective, there may not be a more inspirational quote from a Tim Burton movie than these words of wisdom from Ed Wood. Perfectly cast by Vincent D'Onofrio, Orson Welles encourages the B-movie filmmaker to hold on to his artistic integrity, no matter what the cost.

"Science Is Not Good Or Bad, Victor. But It Can Be Used Both Ways. That Is Why You Must Always Be Careful" - Frankenweenie

Based on the 1984 short film that launched Tim Burton's career, the 2012 stop-motion favorite Frankeweenie follows an ambitious young boy who attempts to resurrect his beloved dog from the dead. The complications that come from this feat are prophesied by these otherwise encouraging words from his mentor, Mr. Rzykruski (Martin Landau).

"Candy Doesn't Have To Have A Point. That's Why It's Candy" - Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

If there is any reason to like Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, it is Freddie Highmore's performance in the title role. The poor boy understands the purpose of sweet treats better than any of the five children chosen to tour the famed factory.

"You Know What, I Mistook Me For Somebody Else" - Batman Returns

During Bruce Wayne's funny meet cute with Selina Kyle in Batman Returns, he tries to tell Max Schreck's assistant that he meant to say he mistook her for somebody else to cover for the fact that he previously ran into her as Batman. That being said, to say that he mistook himself for somebody else is more accurate.

"A Man Tells His Stories So Many Times That He Becomes The Stories. They Live On After Him, And In That Way He Becomes Immortal" - Big Fish

Big Fish is a really a series of stories that Albert Finney's Ed Bloom recalls to his son, Will (Billy Crudup), who believes his tales are nothing more than fantasy. However, at the end of his father's life, he comes to realize that his stories, no matter how unbelievable, have contributed to his enduring legacy.

“If You Insist On Frightening People, Do It With Your Sculptures" - Beetlejuice

Talk show host Dick Cavett has an all-too-brief appearance in Beetlejuice as Delia's art agent that is made iconic by just one line following the memorable musical moment in the horror movie involving Harry Belafonte's "The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)." Convinced their spontaneous possession was actually a prank, he chooses to end his professional relationship with the eccentric sculptor with this cruel burn.

"Everything In This Room Is Eatable, Even I'm Eatable! But That Is Called 'Cannibalism,' My Dear Children, And Is In Fact Frowned Upon In Most Societies" - Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

Some people criticize Charlie and the Chocolate Factory for Johnny Depp's incomprehensibly strange performance as Willy Wonka. However, we have to admit, we get a chuckle out of this version of the eccentric chocolatier, especially in how his explanation of the edible qualities of his indoor meadow goes pretty dark.

The long-awaited sequel of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a hit at the box office and those who saw it. With critics calling the legacy sequel “whimsically macabre,” this poses the question of whether the gothic-style filmmaker has any other legacy sequels in store for us. While Burton reveals an Edward Scissorhands sequel is out, he said it doesn’t mean his days of “bouncing ideas” with frequent collaborator Johnny Depp are over.

Tim Burton has created successful sequels like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Batman Returns. However, there are certain sequel ideas that he’s put his foot down on like turning down fans who want a Nightmare Before Christmas 2. Another sequel idea that the Academy Award winner has refused to do is Edward Scissorhands and he told Indiewire why that's so:

I can’t say that I blame the Big Fish director for not wanting an Edward Scissorhands return. As much as I loved the Tim Burton movie, it seemed like the gothic romance-fantasy film already closed up really well. The ending of the film had Winona Ryder’s Kim as an elderly woman telling her granddaughter the story of the ageless humanoid. As the movie also ends with Edward spending eternity making ice sculptures, I don’t see that as much to go on for a next movie. The sad tale of the young man with razorblades for hands showed us that forming a relationship would be difficult for him and that expressing love through art would be all he could do. While the ending was tragic, the story was beautiful the way it was in that the heartfelt memories you make can give you strength.

Tim Burton tends to bring familiar faces into his dark yet kooky movies like then-wife Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee, Michael Keaton, and more. But, Burton’s frequent collaborator who’s been in eight of his movies has been Johnny Depp. Even if an Edward Scissorhands sequel is out, Burton said “I’m sure there will be” another team-up with Depp and I'm so looking forward to it:

It’s understandable that Tim Burton wants to choose actors based on the projects he comes up with. When you think about every Johnny Depp performance in Burton’s movies, he knows how to absorb himself so well into the Golden Globe winner’s world. Maybe the Alice in Wonderland filmmaker doesn’t purposefully write his characters with Depp in mind, but he certainly knows how to shape them around the Sweeney Todd actor’s transformative qualities. If anything, I thank Burton for allowing Depp to show us his versatile acting chops in giving us emotional yet eccentric performances through each of Burton’s characters.

An Edward Scissorhands sequel is out of the question, but Tim Burton is still going with his idea of remaking the sci-fi classic Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. With Burton’s artistry of mixing practical and CGI effects to be a success, I have no doubts that he’ll bring a uniquely fascinating twist to the modern remake. Plus with there being no casting news announced yet and Johnny Depp slowly making a Hollywood comeback, hopefully this will be the movie that brings the frequent collaborators to team up for their ninth movie.

You can watch the Tim Burton classic Edward Scissorhands available on your Hulu subscription, Peacock subscription, and Paramount+ subscription.

I consider myself a pretty big fan of Tim Burton’s work. I have seen almost all his films and television projects, especially his best movies. He’s a director who impacted me in a big way during key TV and movie fan development. Therefore, some of his films are my favorites, but others I delayed viewing. Corpse Bride is the main one that I procrastinated watching.

It just never felt like the right time for it, and I often forget that there are still Tim Burton movies I have never seen. However, with the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I have been revisiting and watching some Tim Burton movies I love, and others I have not seen yet. Therefore, I finally watched Corpse Bride, and it did not disappoint.

It also seemed like a perfect movie to watch on Max for Halloween. It got me in the spirit of the spooky season and gave me some surprising insight into this fantasy classic. Watching Corpse Bride, I realized I made incorrect assumptions about the plot, concept and art decisions.

Warning: Corpse Bride SPOILERS are ahead. Proceed with caution.

Corpse Bride Has A More Complicated Love Story Than Expected

Corpse Bride follows Victor (Johnny Depp) as he sets out to marry Victoria (Emily Watson), his future bride from an arranged marriage. However, Victor accidentally proposes to Emily, the Corpse Bride (Helena Bonham Carter). Victor and Victoria only meet once before their upcoming wedding, but they have instant chemistry. The future newlyweds go from fearing their impending nuptials to excitement about them. The instant love story between Victoria and Victor, and Emily’s desire for Victor, make this romance complicated for all parties involved.

Emily falls for Victor, but he never forgets about Victoria. He wants to marry her. She also still wants to marry him. Emily complicates things but doesn’t do so in a malicious way. Victor also plans to marry Emily because of a sense of obligation. He cares about the Corpse Bride, he just doesn’t love her.

Originally, because of the promotional material, I thought the Corpse Bride was a story about a man falling for well, a corpse bride. I had no clue it was a love triangle. It’s also not really a love triangle because Victor and Victoria clearly belong together. They basically have the same name after all. Corpse Bride is a love story but also a tale of finding inner peace. Emily needs that to move on from the world of the living. It is a movie with some meaningful messages about grief, in this case, the grief of losing what could have been for one’s life.

Despite being a corpse bride, Emily is not the villain. She doesn’t force Victor to marry her and releases him from a sense of duty. I very much enjoyed the not simple love story or triangle. It had more depth than expected.

I Didn’t Know It Is A Musical

I had no clue there was a musical component to Corpse Bride. The first singing scene took me by surprise, but I enjoyed it. None of the Corpse Bride songs really made an impression, but I appreciate the musical aspects. Additionally, Burton’s longtime collaborator Danny Elfman made the score for Corpse Bride. This instantly made the film even better.

Burton is no stranger to musicals. His adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is one of my favorite films of his, and one of Johnny Depp’s best performances in his movies, so I was delighted by the singing in Corpse Bride because it reminded me of that movie. I wanted more songs and musical performances.

The ones in Corpse Bride feel like a tease of what could have been an even better movie with a few more original songs and performances. The few we got were visually and musically pleasing.

Corpse Bride Shows An Evolution Of Tim Burton’s Stop Motion Style

Burton didn’t direct The Nightmare Before Christmas, with that privilege belonging to Henry Selick, but he did help develop the concept art and characters for the movie. The world of The Nightmare Before Christmas is one example of Burton’s stop-motion aesthetic, but we have also seen several projects that include it, like Beetlejuice, and full stop-motion movies, such as Frankenweenie.

Corpse Bride has some signature Burton stop-motion aesthetics, but also shows a more evolved version of some of his previous work. It’s easy to tell this is a Tim Burton creation, but it looks different enough to feel refreshing and unique. The world of Corpse Bride feels like part of the Burton universe, but not a complete copy of all his other work.

I enjoyed that it seemed Burton-inspired, but was not exactly like every other of his stop-motion projects. It also made me want to see more stop-motion movies and television programs from him to continue to see how his style grows and changes.

The Murder Plot Reminds Me Of Coco

A major twist in Corpse Bride is that Barkis Bittern (Richard E. Grant) is Emily’s con artist ex-fiancé and murderer. Immediately, it became obvious that he planned to try to run the same con and crime on Victoria. This immediately made me think of Pixar’s Coco. The movies aren’t alike, but the seemingly trustworthy character being the villain in disguise reminded me of Ernesto de la Cruz (Benjamin Bratt), one of Pixar’s best villains.

Additionally, when the dead start interacting with their loved ones, I also couldn’t help but think of its similarities to Coco. The similarities are unintentional, but fun to compare. I love Coco, so I really enjoyed the aspect of a devious man who would get his comeuppance in the end. Plus, I really like Corpse Bride’s scenes with the dead (briefly) returning to their loved ones.

It made the ending for Barkis so much sweeter when he joined the dead, only to be destroyed by them.

It Is A Lot More Sentimental Than Expected

Corpse Bride has a lot of heart, especially with the idea of lost love. You couldn’t help but feel bad for Emily. She was just a woman who fell for a scammer. Many of us have been there. Then Victor and Victoria were also very likable and cute together. You couldn’t fault Victor for loving who he loved.

It’s a really good romance movie. Additionally, as said, the dead reuniting with loved ones feels very sentimental as well. It makes you think about the deceased and the idea of losing love. Corpse Bride also ends a little somber, which adds to the film’s emotional impact.

Corpse Bride may not join the list of my favorite Tim Burton movies, but I appreciated how different it was from my expectations. I will gladly rewatch it.

Looking back on both the 2024 movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, as well as its 1988 predecessor, a specific pattern has started to emerge. It took me a little while to realize it, but both pictures use the opening logos to specifically call out the major musical cue that’ll drop later in the film. As Beetlejuice references “Banana Boat (Day-O),” its legacy-quel used the Donna Summer cover of “MacArthur Park” as a hint for its madness.

But before I understood that pattern at work, even before I wrote my Beetlejuice Beetlejuice review, I felt that there was something deeper in director Tim Burton dropping the needle on that song in particular. When I asked him about that further meaning, the Edward Scissorhands mastermind gave an answer that made absolute sense, while also meaning a lot to me as a fan of pop culture.

Why Tim Burton Chose MacArthur Park For Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Musical Climax

As CinemaBlend was invited to take part in the zaniness that was the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice junket, a piece of the experience was a roundtable sit-down with Burton himself. As part of a handful of other journalists on hand for the day, I was able to help collectively pick the man’s brain about a wide range of topics that spanned his career.

Previously, I reported on a good number of those insights through our Tim Burton roundtable interview, but there was an oddball topic that didn’t fit into that group - which is terribly fitting when you get to the subject at hand. For now, I’ll just say that “MacArthur Park” is a rather infamous song in the history of pop culture, since its reputation precedes it as being a “bad song.”

As luck would have it, I kind of have a taste for this much maligned melody, especially since it lent its tune to Weird Al Yankovic’s classic parody single “Jurassic Park.” Knowing all of this, I felt inspired to inquire with Tim Burton about why he’d use this song at all! As he spoke to me on behalf of CinemaBlend, he shared the following anecdote:

Reading this answer back yet again, I can’t help but think that Warner Bros’ marketing department needs to put together an official “Tim Burton’s Bizarre Playlist” to share with Beetlejuice fans. Especially when the reputation of the song led to me discover stories over the years about how original artist/Harry Potter actor Richard Harris would supposedly threaten to punish his children merely by singing it.

I invite you to judge the song for yourself though, especially as it’ll be important to this discussion. So please enjoy (or at least observe) Richard Harris’ “MacArthur Park”:

After first listening to that song as a young man, I stumbled upon that treasured feeling of defending a widely panned piece of media as being “good actually.” I honestly couldn’t pan it the way others had, which helped me learn the lesson of appreciating the under-appreciated, which is something that I’ve carried with me into my professional career. You can see that attitude at work quite often in my various writings, like that time I defended Quantum of Solace as Daniel Craig’s defining 007 adventure.

Learning that Tim Burton, the king of appreciating kitsch and novelty as art, also had a love for this song was refreshing. As he continued to explain his side of why this was the song used for Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) and his climactic second attempt to marry Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), that feeling only grew. Here’s the rest of Mr. Burton’s side of the story, as told to CinemaBlend:

As stories about Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice budget sacrifice have surfaced in light of the project’s healthy afterlife at the movies, the word “liberating” has become a recurring theme. Putting this new story into proper context, the Dumbo director actually thought about quitting the business after that previous film’s unpleasant production.

Digging further into the movie’s process, the stories of collaboration between the famed helmer and all hands on deck continues to highlight what a labor of love this picture truly was. Which leads us to another piece of the puzzle, as the film’s writers have also chimed in on why "MacArthur Park's" day had finally come.

The Further Steps That Solidified Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s Huge Musical Number

Speaking with THR in a post-release interview, Beetlejuice 2’s writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar gave some more background into why this piece of music was so important in the first place. As explained below by Gough, the temptation to chase after one of Beetlejuice’s most iconic moments was too good to pass up:

Seven and a half minutes, in any media context, can be enough to make or break a movie. Pair that with the fact that an improperly deployed musical number can scupper your enjoyment of a film, and you have a potential recipe for disaster. As someone who still debates with people over the correct usage of Barbie’s “I’m Just Ken,” I can speak rather personally on this matter.

Shifting back to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, co-writer Miles Millar was just as locked in as Tim Burton and Alfred Gough in giving “MacArthur Park” a moment in the spotlight. In fact, he claimed it as an advantageous moment for the movie, in the following respects:

If this were any other legacy-quel, Catherine O’Hara’s hint at the importance of “Banana Boat (Day-O)” would have meant that the song would be used again, but with a bigger, more elaborate execution. That’s not what happened at all, as Tim Burton, Miles Millar and Alfred Gough liberated the audience from that expectation with a scene that is the ultimate litmus test for whether or not you’re into Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

I think the final say I would have on why the inclusion of "MacArthur Park" means so much to me is the fact that it was Burton & company taking a risk. It was bucking expectations that were wrongly set merely by this movie’s existence, and the promise of returning to a story that seemed opened and shut. Even in this singular soundtrack decision alone, the intent to keep the audience guessing favored new spins on the classics, while adding another entry into the “bizarre playlists” of our hearts.

It’s that ethos that saw us waiting almost four decades passed between Beetlejuice’s explosive success and this new lease on death. Several aborted attempts had made it sound like all involved would never have that recipe again, but here we are. There's a recharged Tim Burton delivering us to evil once more, treating mortality as yet another heavy subject that can benefit from his vaudevillian sideshow tastes.

After the rewarding experience of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, I’m not too bothered if there is no threequel in the tank. But if the same care and love is put into that hypothetical coffin of comedy, I will be one of the first to line up and learn the choreography for whatever offbeat melody is played in the next life. Which, obviously, means I’m definitely going to revisit the original Beetlejuice with even greater fondness, as it’s currently streaming through the use of a Max subscription.

We're less than a week-and-a-half removed from the theatrical release of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, but the film is already a major box office hit. The blockbuster sequel had the third best debut of the year when it first arrived on the big screen at the start September, and the movie sat in the #1 spot in the Top 10 yet again this past weekend. It will go down as one of the most substantial big screen hits of 2024... which is why it's pretty crazy to think that the studio demanded nearly $50 million to be cut from its budget in order to secure a theatrical release.

The New York Times has published an article about the quick box office success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and it includes a revelation that the movie didn't have the easiest path through pre-production – primarily due to conflicts regarding costs and distribution. Per the article, there was an expected budget of roughly $147 million estimated, but Warner Bros. said that number had to come down to $100 million if it wanted to get theatrical distribution.

Tim Burton has some experience with streaming under his belt, as he is an executive producer on the hit Netflix series Wednesday, but in the discussion of making Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the idea of making it as a Max original was apparently a non-starter. In the words of producer Pamela Abdy,

So how did Tim Burton and his fellow producers go about reducing the sizable budget for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? Rather than compromising the creative vision for the movie, Burton's agent, Mike Simpson, went about trying to renegotiate actor contracts. Instead of getting paid up front, the stars would instead have deals that would see them earn a percentage of the film's post-release income. It took months for agreements to be made, but the project survived.

Now, all involved look like geniuses. The Beetlejuice sequel took many, many years to finally move through all of the stages of development, but now the film has made over $260 million around the globe (and, again, it's really only just started its theatrical run). It currently ranks as the ninth biggest domestic release of the year, having already earned more than big titles like Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire.

Will all of this success eventually lead to the making of a Beetlejuice 3 a.k.a. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? There hasn't been any official word, but it's hard to imagine that folks at Warner Bros. would be thrilled at the prospect, and one can imagine that the company would be just fine with a $147 million budget.

One of Johnny Depp’s best performances was in Edward Scissorhands playing the title role of a humanoid whose inventor passed away before giving him hands instead of scissor blades. If you can believe it, Mission: Impossible’s Tom Cruise was one of the many actors in Hollywood lining up to be in the Tim Burton movie. Reports have come out that got the internet talking about Cruise dropping out of Edward Scissorhands over bathroom concerns, but there’s actually more to it than that.

Edward Scissorhands was a big deal for both Johnny Depp and Tim Burton. Before the gothic fantasy movie, Burton only had Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Beetlejuice and Batman under his belt. Depp also had the reputation of being a teen star due to his starring role in the 21 Jump Street series and the rom-com film Cry-Baby. But after Edward Scissorhands grossed four times over its budget at the box office, it was clear this would be one of many of Depp’s performances in a Tim Burton movie.

After reports say Tom Cruise walked away from the role due to bathroom concerns, what’s the full story? Check out why exactly the role of the unfinished humanoid wasn’t meant for the A-lister:

Why Tom Cruise Reportedly Dropped Out of Edward Scissorhands

It’s hard to believe that Tom Cruise almost starred in Edward Scissorhands. That would have been quite a unique role for the action star. Leave it to Johnny Depp, who ultimately ended up with the lead role, to confirm in the upcoming Tim Burton docuseries (via Indiewire) that Cruise really was in the running for the 1990 flick:

With Tom Cruise being so close to donning the scissor-blade hands, you can’t help but wonder what happened. In a post thread about actors who’ve been turned down, dropped out of or were replaced in movies, Film Updates recently answered why Cruise allegedly dropped out of Edward Scissorhands on X. Based on the post, the Top Gun actor reportedly kept asking a lot of questions to Tim Burton that he couldn’t answer, like how the title character used the restroom.

I have to admit that now I’m starting to wonder how Edward Scissorhands could use the bathroom. That toilet paper wouldn’t stand a chance! But it proves that while it may be funny to think about the answers to those questions, it’s not necessary to get answers if there’s no bathroom scene in the movie.

The Full Story of Why Tom Cruise Turned Down Edward Scissorhands

While it’s true that Tom Cruise asked questions about how Edward Scissorhands was able to use the bathroom, that was only part of it. Caroline Thomas, who wrote the film’s screenplay, spoke to Far Out Magazine about what else the Risky Business star was asking about the lead role during his meeting with Tim Burton:

Clearly Tom Cruise was having trouble understanding Tim Burton’s vision. Gary Oldman also didn’t understand Edward Scissorhands when he read the script as well. Another bone Cruise picked about Edward Scissorhands was the film’s sad ending. If you remember, the humanoid and his love interest Kim didn’t end up together since Edward went into hiding after killing Jim in self-defense. We see that Edward spends his days carving ice sculptures of the time he spent with his lost love. As melancholy as that ending may be, it fits in well with Tim Burton’s deep theme of being an outsider in a picturesque suburb that struggles to accept what's considered weird.

Even though Edward Scissorhands and Tom Cruise weren’t a cinematic match, Johnny Depp did a spectacular job conveying a childlike innocence to make the role sympathetic and relatable to audiences. Through collaborating with Tim Burton, the two were able to create a unique character that audiences would remember for decades. Plus, it looks like Depp didn’t care how his character used the bathroom. You can relive Burton's masterpiece with your Disney+ subscription.

At just twenty-one years old, Jenna Ortega has joined an esteemed group of actors who have worked with writer/director Tim Burton on multiple occasions. It seems like she’s on her way to becoming an actress synonymous with the director’s work, but don’t let their partnership fool you. Ortega still has to audition for roles in his movies and has even gotten turned down for some in the past.

In an interview with GQ, Ortega told her co-star and fellow frequent Burton collaborator, Michael Keaton, that before she became Wednesday Adams, she had auditioned for Burton’s live-action adaptation of Dumbo.

At that point, it had been three years since Burton had directed a feature film — the last being Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, which was met with mixed reviews upon its release. Ortega, on the other hand, had been working steadily in Hollywood for four years in smaller roles but had yet to land a true break-out role.

Like all actors, Ortega understood it was impossible to land every role she auditioned for. Rejection is part of the business, and she told Keaton that she had several people around her to remind her of that fact. However, not getting a role in Dumbo really affected her.

The Wednesday actress didn’t specify which role she auditioned for, but given her age, one can assume it was for the role of Milly Farrier. The role ultimately went to Nico Parker, now best known for playing Sarah Miller in the first season of The Last of Us, who did a phenomenal job.

Part of Ortega’s emotional reaction to not landing the role stemmed from fears that she had missed her only chance to work with Burton. In hindsight, it was just an emotional and irrational reaction, given the trajectory of her career. A fact she joked about in the interview, saying:

Six years after the release of Dumbo, Ortega made her debut in Burton’s first television series, Wednesday. Critics hailed her performance, and her impromptu dance in one of the episodes went viral, helping to get more attention for the already successful series. Not only did she impress the world, but she impressed him enough to not only get an audition but also a role in the highly anticipated sequel Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.

Reuniting the original cast and adding new faces like Ortega’s seems to have paid off, considering the sequel posted a near-record-breaking premiere weekend at the box office. Not only is it turning a profit, but Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is also receiving praise from critics who have referred to the film as “whimsically macabre.”

You can catch Oretga, Keaton, and the rest of the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast by heading to your local movie theater. And don’t forget to keep an eye on everything new and coming soon to Netflix so you don’t miss the premiere date of Season 2 of Wednesday.

Michael Keaton may not have been the first actor to play Batman in live action, but he did kick off the DC Comics superhero’s run as a blockbuster film character. Three and a half decades after his debut as the Caped Crusader, he still ranks as one of the best Batman actors, if not in the #1 spot, depending on who you ask. But why did director Tim Burton want Keaton to be the man to don the cape and cowl for 1989’s Batman? He recently revealed the main reason, and it’s honestly not what I expected.

Burton and Keaton have been making the press rounds in the last several weeks for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, their fifth collaboration together which is now playing on the 2024 movies schedule. While Burton was speaking with The New York Times about this sequel to the 1988 original, he briefly addressed why it was important that Keaton be the one to play Batman all those years ago, saying:

You have to remember Michael Keaton being cast to play Batman came at a time when he was chiefly known for his comedy work. Sure, he and Tim Burton had already had a rapport going from their time together on Beetlejuice, but there he was playing a wisecracking “bio-exorcist,” and the public also knew him from 1983’s Mr. Mom. Selecting him to bring Bruce Wayne to life was an unconventional choice, and a lot of comic book fans were displeased with that decision, even going so far as to send protest letters to Warner Bros. Pictures.

But from Tim Burton’s perspective, that look in Keaton’s eyes was more than enough to warrant him following Adam West’s live-action Batman footsteps, and having learned this, I can understand his train of thought. Naturally 1989’s Batman was a darker adaptation of this corner of DC Comics lore compared to the camp TV show and its 1966 tie-in movie, and Burton felt that there something about Keaton’s eyes that subtly reflected how this wealthy playboy secretly operates as a masked vigilante in Gotham City. Which, like the filmmaker indicated, isn’t exactly a sane thing to do, although at least Bruce Wayne’s disturbed mental state is being used in a productive way, as opposed to someone like Jack Nicholson’s Jack Napier, who became The Joker in Burton’s first Batman movie.

Batman and Batman Returns, as well as Michael Keaton’s return to the role in last year’s The Flash, can all be streamed with a Max subscription. The actor also reprised Gotham City’s Dark Knight in Batgirl, but since its release got scrapped from the upcoming DC movies schedule, we’ll never get to see how he did in that fourth DC outing. Still, given how many fans this version of Batman has attracted over the decades, they can be thankful that Tim Burton had an “eye” for what Keaton could pull off… I’ll show myself out now.

Any time a movie like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is announced, fans of the original are usually the first to ask a question familiar to anyone who’s worked on a legacyquel: “Why?” With several decades passing since director Tim Burton’s horror-comedy blockbuster struck it big, the many false starts of this return trip to the afterlife have only upped the ante of anticipation. Now that the hour is finally upon us, I can gladly say that those of you who never said die on a Beetlejuice sequel will not be disappointed, as Burton and company’s love and respect for the 1988 original is shown off in every fiber of this tale. It’s a great example of understanding why that movie worked and how to bring it back for a new generation to behold.

There’s a refreshing lack of overthinking when it comes to how Beetlejuice Beetlejuice picks up the torch. Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is hosting her own TV show focused on (what else) ghost hunting. An enterprising boyfriend/producer (Justin Theroux) encourages her, and she has a daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega) who thinks she’s a fraud... and it ends up being the worst time in the world for a death in the family to send our strange and unusual protagonist back home.

Using the death of Charles Deetz (played by Jeffrey Jones in the original) as the catalyst for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s new tangle with the undead, the film delivers double doses of mother/daughter dysfunction that work rather well together. Just as Lydia and Astrid are engaged in a debate over whether the former's gift of seeing the dead is an actual thing, Lydia and step-mother Delia (Catherine O’Hara) clash in their grief. And before things get too comfortable, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) rears his head, as the return of his almost bride has stirred up some commotion in the hereafter.

Tim Burton has basically made another Beetlejuice movie, and that’s a high compliment.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice isn’t a legacyquel that’s overburdened with new backstory or lore in an attempt to “outdo” the original movie. Instead, Tim Burton’s new adventure in death is another point in time in this universe that delivers the sort of mayhem you’d expect. That’s not a complaint either, as trying to match the anarchic energy of the first Beetlejuice was risky. Seeing Michael Keaton’s happiness in turning loose the juice once again is perhaps the greatest sign that this entire enterprise was a good idea done right.

There are no grand reinventions used as a loophole for continuation. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice operates on similar principles to those that were laid out before, just with a couple new wrinkles to the guidelines of living vs. dead relations that fit the narrative. Burton’s return to his landmark horror-comedy alongside Wednesday collaborators/writers Alfred Gough & Miles Millar is a welcomed revisitation of familiar characters and situations, while giving us some freshness to enjoy in the process.

Doubling down on the carnival-like atmosphere of the afterlife and the musical-adjacent laughs of the first movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a long awaited follow up that smartly avoids feeling like a rerun while also playing some of the hits. Yes, “Day-O” gets a shout out as a clever easter egg, but it’s also an effective laugh in how its used. When it comes to the new musical moments that transpire, the numbers are executed at full throttle, with new deep cuts that may unexpectedly land square in the audience's heart.

Even with the entire cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice being in tip top shape, one performer almost steals the entire movie.

With a killer ensemble that sees Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder returning to match wits with worthy newcomers Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, and Justin Theroux, there’s no shortage of fun in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. And a good piece of the magic comes from Ryder and Ortega’s chemistry as a mother/daughter duo. Though the reunion of the Wednesday lead and Tim Burton may have sounded like a no-brainer, Ortega is thankfully given a break from the “spooky” energy her loyalists recognize her for.

Astrid Deetz is a good example of the double edged sword that is presented through the new additions roped into Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s cast. Giving Lydia a daughter works as a chance to push the story along, while also organically recalling where Winona Ryder’s character was in life at a similar age. It’s a complication that makes sense, because Astrid’s skeptical nature is inherently challenged by her mother’s history, intriguing us to think about how she’d handle the existence of Beetlejuice once he pops up.

Sadly, not all of the new characters present are given enough room to really add to the big picture. This is by no means the fault of the actors, as the busy plot of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice adds one too many would-be adversaries and oddballs. Both Justin Theroux’s Rory and Monica Bellucci’s Delores represent the same sort of obstacle to the plans of Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton). The advantage that Rory is given is that even when he’s not present in the main thrust of the unfolding chaos, he’s still able to add comedic touches here and there.

The same sadly cannot be said for Delores, although her inclusion as a looming threat isn’t a total waste. Rather, there’s not enough of Monica Bellucci’s presence to live up to her role as a well-renowned femme fatale in the world of the afterlife. The inclusion of Beetlejuice’s old flame is a novel idea, but its execution falls short when compared to her living counterpart in Rory.

At the same time, the stacked deck of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s cast seems to have changed the game for two performers in particular. Michael Keaton gleefully faces off against humans fresh and familiar with his trademark zest, and his request to keep his amount of screen time relatively close to his run in the first picture was a wise move.

However, it’s actually Catherine O’Hara’s Delia Deetz that damn near steals the movie from everyone else. Already an icon of the avant-garde artists of the world, O’Hara’s series fixture just might build an even greater fanbase, thanks to her unique grieving process and how it affects her family.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice knows the magic words to say when crafting a horror-comedy that’s done with heart.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice works as a next chapter in the mythos as it isn’t trying to “make a universe,” but instead acts as a worthy successor. That much can be said even with the inclusion of a couple stray characters that don’t totally pay off, because the original Beetlejuice did that same thing and people still loved what it was trying to do. If you think this long awaited sequel is going to help this world make more sense on a story level, you’re going to be disappointed.

I encourage audiences to venture into Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as viewers experienced its 1988 predecessor. Back when the brand name meant nothing, and people didn’t know what to expect, this supernatural sideshow earned love as a living manifestation of chaos barely held together by plot. For Tim Burton and company to have achieved that feat again, after almost four decades of waiting, feels like enough of a victory for those who have been looking forward to more of the same.

Sidestepping the trend of merely resurrecting a storied IP without a good enough reason to continue, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice exists purely out of love. Seeing Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara taking such pleasure in reprising their characters should stand as all the proof one could need that things were in good hands. But experiencing a rejuvenated Burton engaging in live-action, stop motion, and practical effects storytelling all over again is where the true payoff lies.

People wanted “another Beetlejuice,” and that’s exactly what’s arrived. You could very easily watch these movies back to back, and leave the room with a smile on your face. No matter when you start celebrating Halloween on the calendar, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice feels like a well-deserved cinematic kickoff to the season proper. And as always, anyone with a passing fascination for the strange and unusual is welcome to the show.

It’s still feels a bit surreal to look at the 2024 movie schedule and actually see Beetlejuice Beetlejuice listed as an actual release. Growing up with a love of director Tim Burton’s 1988 original, it always felt like the talk surrounding an actual sequel would ebb and flow, but leave us all with the same non-existent result. To this day, I still wonder if Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian is one of the greatest missed opportunities in the history of development hell.

But here we are, with the first reactions to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in the bank and preview screenings already kicking things off. Almost 40 years after Beetlejuice landed as surprise box office hit for Warner Bros., the juice is loose again, and the road to this point wasn’t an easy one. Even with Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder both hyped up to get back to work, some things had to happen before Tim Burton was ready to return to the director’s chair.

Beetlejuice 2’s development required life experiences, a brush with Burton almost quitting Hollywood, and assembling the right cast to finally get off the ground. Thanks to a recent press day where Tim Burton held court as only he could, the story behind what could be considered a miracle legacy-quel has finally been told.

Why Tim Burton Almost Quit Hollywood

During the New York City stop for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s press tour, I was invited to take part in a roundtable interview with a handful of other journalists, representing CinemaBlend in the first of a handful of such chats scheduled for that day. Our mission: to get Mr. Burton to spill his guts on everything he was comfortable with sharing about his long-awaited return to the Afterlife.

I’d say that we were successful, as there’s a lot of details that didn’t even make the cut for this rundown. That includes the fate of some rather risqué concept drawings Tim Burton had done, but will not share, in case he uses them for something else. But one of the most important tidbits we learned was that the career of this practitioner of the strange and unusual almost ended with the studio that gave him his start.

That’s thanks to Burton’s stories about Dumbo’s painful production, an experience that the Batman director basically confirmed as the straw that almost broke the sandworm’s back. A greater reflection on his career as a cinematic helmer came as a result of questions that asked if there were any other iconic creations that Tim Burton would want to return to, as well as his approach to CGI versus practical effects.

With CinemaBlend on hand to hear this knowledge first hand, Tim Burton addressed those concerns with the following combined remarks:

As an executive producer and director of half of Wednesday Season 1's episodes, the experience seems to have been the antidote to the woes that Burton felt as a director. Though that’s not the turning point that saw Beetlejuice Beetlejuice being brought back to life.

In fact, much like Michael Keaton’s comedic supernatural menace, the idea had a pretty rich life in the margins between the living and the dead. I’m not going to go into the complete history of Beetlejuice 2’s development, as there are a lot of names and several drafts that pave the road to its production.

What’s important is how Tim Burton finally cracked the idea for what this now legacy-quel was going to tackle. You know how people like to say that life sometimes gets in the way of such plans? Well, in the case of Beetlejuice's grand return, it actually helped things along.

Explaining this concept throughout our conversation, the following comments highlight the emotional hook that generated Burton’s excitement about the project:

If there’s anyone that can attest to the trials required in reopening those doors to the Afterlife, it’s one of the writers still credited on this picture’s story team. Seth Graeme-Smith’s reported Beetlejuice Beetlejuice difficulties honed firmly in on the story being key to making everything work.

In the end, his contributions are credited along with two other major influences: screenwriters and Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, and a healthy attitude towards improv on the Beetlejuice 2 set. But without that basic kernel, nothing else would have mattered. Which leads to the next part of our story, in which Tim Burton shares some key decisions that hammered this entire enterprise into being.

The Decisions That Shaped Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Ideas are not only formed by thematic inspiration, but also through influences dictating how to execute them. Those twin factors become even more important after decades of fans hoping for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s arrival, and Tim Burton considered them rather carefully. Much as Winona Ryder believes Jenna Ortega importance to this sequel, Tim Burton saw her character Astrid as the doorway to what we see before us.

As myself and the other journalists in the room pondered if there was a special process that was intended to update Beetlejuice for Gen-Z, Burton easily dissuaded that notion. Rather than worry about updating a character that both Burton and Michael Keaton felt has always been politically incorrect, the Frankenweenie mastermind shared these details about how the movie was aimed squarely at today’s youth:

Basically, in order to help younger viewers identify with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it was important to have someone like Astrid Deetz who could call bullshit on whatever they felt to be untrue. Which happens a lot, as Jenna Ortega’s newcomer is constantly questioning whether her mother Lydia (Winona Ryder) actually can see ghosts.

For as important as it was to have a story that worked, Beetlejuice 2 kind of runs on the same sort of engine that its predecessor did. Meaning that plot only gets you so far before inspired madness kicks in and a lot of fun additions come out of the improv process.

That approach reigned once again, and Tim Burton chalks up the beauty of why it still works to the fact that there was still a lot of practical effects used in the picture’s production. Here’s more of what Tim Burton shared in our roundtable in terms of how his old school techniques really helped in terms of that sort of creative license:

While Tim Burton did acknowledge that this sort of freewheeling energy was a bit more difficult with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s living, breathing effects, he also tipped his hat to the effects team that made it all work in the end. Listening to him talk about the energy he seemed to rediscover making this picture was infectious, and I think it shows in the final product.

Seeing the madcap lunacy of this Beetlejuice sequel really did feel like returning to the fun and vigor of that original movie. Mixing everything from stop-motion animation and puppets, along with some more modern methods where needed, you could sense that Tim Burton stepped back in time to recapture his process, while also holding onto the experiences of the past when absolutely necessary.

It’s enough to make fans think about the future, as the crazy ending to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will probably have people asking for more. That applies both in terms of answers and action involving the netherworld’s leading bio-exorcist.

Tim Burton’s Future, Post-Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Surely even people who haven’t even seen the latest Beetlejuice adventure are wondering if we could potentially see Tim Burton make another. The nature of this new chapter’s title alone kind of dictates it, as it flirts with the ever dangerous rule of three that’s needed to invoke the ghost with the most.

However, after actually watching Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the whole room of journalists present to question Mr. Burton wanted to know if he had any intentions of doing so. I’m not going to spoil the ending here, as I wouldn’t want to repeat Michael Keaton’s Batman gaffe from his 1989 appearance on David Letterman's show.

That being said, I can share what Tim Burton said about a potential Beetlejuice 3:

I apologize if I’ve helped simultaneously excite and disappoint Beetlejuice fans worldwide with those statements above. However, Mr. Burton did jokingly throw out the title, Beetlejuice: The Sands of Time as we started to wind everything up. Though, again without any spoilers, one of the threads that could be followed in Beetlejuice 3’s hypothetical story would be the subject of Lydia’s biological mother.

She’s mentioned briefly in passing in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and when asked if that was something we learn more about in the future, Tim Burton left us with a cryptic “we’ll see.” At the same time, we shouldn’t push for another Beetlejuice too hard because Tim Burton’s life experiences are a huge part of what drove him to make it in the first place.

Also, it's not every day that a Jenna Ortega-level performer is seemingly born to make it happen. With Astrid Deetz's role playing such an integral part of following the right story beats into the future, that's not something that's easy to replicate. At least, not if done right.

Just as Winona Ryder’s lament over a potential Heathers legacy-quel, it’s important to know when the ship has sailed. It’s also crucial to have the ideas and influences that help shape and energize such an undertaking. Which brings me to one final quote to share from this Burton roundtable, perfectly summing up the reason Beetlejuice Beetlejuice had to exist in the here and now:

With that said, let’s hope that Tim Burton continues to move forward into that future with all of the inspiration and energy he needs to follow what he sees as a worthy project. Of course, now’s the time to turn on the juice once again, as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is about to head to theaters in early showings; and yes, that includes the 4DX format!

Though you don’t need a history lesson before heading into this undead caper, you can of course catch the original Beetlejuice through streaming it with a Max subscription. And for a little extra credit, check out Beetlejuice: The Animated Series on Tubi. If I grew up thinking it was weird Beetlejuice and Lydia somehow became friends, you need to experience it too.

More than 35 years have passed since Michael Keaton first suited up as Beetlejuice, but I guess for those stuck in the afterlife waiting room, that’s not all that long. For us, though, who walk amongst the living, the lengthy wait to see the eccentric ghoul on the 2024 movie calendar is finally over, as he reunites with Winona Ryder’s Lydia and Catherine O’Hara’s Delia in the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. As Tim Burton’s new project hits theaters September 6, critics are weighing in, and if the first reactions to the Michael Keaton legacy sequel are any indication, fans are in for some fun.

As we return to the haunted house in Winter River, Jenna Ortega has joined the Beetle-verse as Astrid, Lydia’s daughter. The tension between the women is all too real as they return to Connecticut after Lydia’s father’s death, putting them on a collision course for a reunion with the undead figure from Lydia’s past.

Siddhant Adlakha of IGN rates it a “Good” 7 out of 10, saying the movie is a charming, if unnecessary, legacy-quel that should please fans of the original. The critic writes:

Fred Topel of UPI says Tim Burton remembers what made the original movie so special, and while he can’t reinvent the afterlife, he’s sure to include plenty of the fun and surrealism that drew fans in the first time around. Topel continues:

Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gives Beetlejuice 2 3 out of 5 skulls, saying this legacy sequel is packed with fan service and callbacks, making for an overstuffed narrative. However, Michael Keaton hasn’t missed a beat, and Catherine O’Hara steals every scene, as this strange and whimsical return to the afterlife is plenty delightful, Navarro says, writing:

Matt Singer of ScreenCrush gives it 6 out of 10, saying that while the sequel is overloaded with characters and unnecessary subplots, Michael Keaton is still the ghost with the most. He says:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a score of 78% ahead of its official opening. From the critics’ assessments, it sounds like the story may not be as smooth as we’d like it to be but seeing these characters back in this world might be worth the price of admission. Find out for yourself, as the upcoming horror movie hits theaters on September 6.

Today, anybody who is paying attention would have to credit Michael Keaton with one of the best live-action Batman performances to date. However, you would never have guessed that would be the case considering the uproar when he was cast in the '80s. Tim Burton has talked about the backlash to the decision to cast Keaton in the role and, shortly after, Keaton recalled his own feelings on the matter.

In the late 1980s, Michael Keaton was known primarily as a comedic actor and he was just coming off one of his biggest roles ever, Beetlejuice. It was shortly after that that movie’s director, Tim Burton, was tapped to make a Batman movie. Speaking at Burton’s Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, Keaton talked about his director’s decision to cast him, and the way the idea was received in the press:

It’s certainly true that a lot of people were not excited by the idea of Michael Keaton as Batman. It’s been reported that more than 50,000 angry letters were sent to Warner Bros. in the wake of the announcement. It wouldn’t have been surprising if some at the studio were equally apprehensive after a reaction like that. A lot was riding on the new Batman movie, after all.

Despite the pressure, Tim Burton did indeed stand by his leading man, and the rest is history. Not only did the Mr. Mom star make two excellent Batman movies, but the actor says their impact goes far behind his own career. Keaton explained, sharing the following sentiments:

Michael Keaton would become so popular that when he reprised the role in The Flash, it arguably became the most-talked-about part of the whole movie. Also, one of the reasons fans were disappointed the Batgirl movie was shelved is the fact that it included another performance from the actor as the Dark Knight. Keaton is less disappointed the movie didn't happen. He still got paid.

There’s certainly no argument that Tim Burton started it all and, perhaps, if he had gone with a more conventional choice, Batman would not have been the success that it was. Michael Keaton knows what it meant to his career, and many of us know as well. You can stream that 1989 flick as well as its sequel, Batman Returns, using a Max subscription now.

Tim Burton movies always have a style of their own, and have remained a vital part of pop culture in the decades after classics like Edward Scissorhands hit theaters. Another beloved hit is 1988's Beetlejuice (streaming now with a Max subscription), which is finally getting a sequel in September. Fans are wondering why Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin aren't in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and now Tim Burton has explained his reasoning. 

What we know about Beetlejuice 2 is limited, but the wait is nearly over for its arrival in theaters. While the footage hinted at how Jeffrey Jones' character was being written out, fans have been wondering why Baldwin and Davis didn't get in on the fun. While speaking with People about the upcoming horror movie/comedy, he shared why that pair of actors weren't brought back. In his words: 

Points were made. Despite being a sequel, it sounds like Burton didn't want Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to simply be a rehash of the original. Instead he wanted to tell a new story, one that simply didn't need the characters Barbara and Adam Maitland. We'll just have to wait and see if/how they're referenced in the new movie. 

Tim Burton felt disillusioned by Hollywood prior to filming the Beetlejuice sequel, and his comments about Davis and Baldwin might tie to this. Most long-awaited sequels make it a point to bring back as many legacy characters as possible, in hopes of bringing fans to the theater. But despite how generations of fans may have liked to see the Maitlands back, he was interested in pandering to audiences in that way. As a reminder, you can check out the Beetlejuice 2 trailer below, which has plenty of easter eggs included.

While the full ensemble from the original Beetlejuice won't be in the sequel, we've got plenty of returning faces to mix with newcomers like Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux. Obviously Michael Keaton is back as the title character, and he's joined by Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz and Catherone O'Hara's Delia Deetz. Fans are definitely hyped about seeing the latter actress, following her acclaimed run on Schitt's Creek. 

Another big question surrounding Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is whether or not the movie might set be setting the groundwork for a threequel. The movie's title is a big reason why fans are theorizing, as characters famously have to say the character's name three times to make him appear. We'll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will hit theaters on September 6th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

It’s showtime! One of our favorite and most theatrical demons is back with an offering for the 2024 movie release calendar. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comes 36 years after the Maitlands first asked Betelgeuse to help scare away the new family that had moved into the deceased couple’s home, and now critics have had the opportunity to screen the sequel, which will see Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz return to her haunted teenage home. The upcoming horror movie is a highly anticipated venture for lovers of the 1988 classic, and from the looks of the first reactions, we won’t be disappointed.

In addition to Winona Ryder, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also features Michael Keaton reprising the role of the titular troublemaker, as well as Catherine O’Hara as Lydia’s stepmother Delia. The former goth teen comes face-to-rotten face with the mischievous ghoul after her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) accidentally opens the portal to the afterlife. As for what people are saying, CinemaBlend’s own Mike Reyes thinks Beetlejuice 2 is just as bonkers and nostalgic as you’d hope, writing:

Erik Walkuski of JoBlo agrees, calling the OG trio “a sight for sore eyes,” and Catherine O’Hara steals the show in a successful zany offering from Tim Burton. He posts:

A couple of those who caught an early screening of the sequel mention too many subplots, and that critique is echoed by Eric Goldman. He also mentions how seamlessly its stars fall back into these classic characters and that Catherine O’Hara brings her A-game. In Goldman’s words:

Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue calls Tim Burton’s latest effort a “worthy sequel,” and even more than 30 years later, Michael Keaton is perfect as the title character. Leishman says:

She’s not the only one talking about the film’s use of “MacArthur Park,” as Scott Menzel of We Live Entertainment says Beetlejuice 2 found a worthy followup to “Banana Boat (Day-O).” Menzel predicts box office success, writing:

As a huge fan of the 1988 film, Perri Nemiroff calls the sequel a “joyous romp back into that world.” Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega are a great mother-daughter pair (as expected), with Willem Dafoe putting in a fun effort as well. In Nemiroff’s words:

Ema Sasic of Next Best Picture says the Tim Burton film offers a healthy dose of nostalgia mixed with its entertaining new plotlines. Sasic also praises the afterlife’s set pieces, writing:

These are very promising first reactions, and it sounds like fans of the original are going to find a lot to like here. Those who want a refresher on the 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice can screen it with a Max subscription, and then catch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice when it hits the big screen on Friday, September 6.

Michael Keaton is an Academy Award-nominated actor who has been in numerous high-profile films that have both wowed critics and been massive box office hits. He’s been both Batman and Birdman. He’s been number one at the box office and in movies that were named Best Picture. To say Keaton is a great actor is an understatement, but there’s at least one time when the actor himself believes he sucked.

Michael Keaton and Tim Burton have worked together several times. After they stole the show together in the original Beetlejuice, he starred in both of Burton's Batman movies. Now, on the eve of the pair returning for the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, Keaton says there was one time he let his director and friend down. Keaton thinks he “sucked in Dumbo.” He told the New York Times…

The last time Michael Keaton and Tim Burton worked together was on Burton’s last film. Keaton played the role of V.A. Vandevere in Disney’s remake of Dumbo. He is the film's antagonist, who obtains Dumbo as an attraction for his entertainment venue but then mistreats the elephant under his care. Burton had helped launch the massive franchise of Disney live-action remakes with Alice in Wonderland, but Dumbo failed to find the same sort of box office success.

It’s unclear exactly what Keaton thinks he didn’t do right in Dumbo. His being “clueless” could be a reference to him not understanding something about the character he was playing or some other element of the production like the visual effects.

One would think that if this were the case, the director would step in and help him out if there was something the actor didn’t get. It sounds like that didn’t happen because the director was perfectly happy with Keaton's performance. Tim Burton is in the interview alongside the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice star, and bluntly responds to the assertion that Keaton sucked with…

For what it’s worth I’m absolutely with Tim Burton on this one. While the Dumbo movie isn't the best Disney live-action remake or the best Tim Burton movie, Michael Keaton is far and away the highlight of the remake and a big part of the reason the film is as good as it is. He has the most exciting and interesting role in the entire film. He basically plays the evil Walt Disney, which is a bold move that few actors could really pull off. Michael Keaton is one of them.

If Keaton‘s performance in Dumbo is one where the actor is terrible, then it only goes to show just how good an actor Keaton is. Even when he sucks, he’s still pretty great.

Ever since Tim Burton’s feature film debut as a director with 1985’s Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, he’s been one of Hollywood’s top filmmakers. The best Tim Burton movies, from either a critical or commercial standpoint, include two Batman movies that arguably paved the way for modern superhero franchises, and his live-action remake of Alice in Wonderland, which spawned a franchise of Disney remakes that are still going on today.

However, over the past few years, Tim Burton says he has become disillusioned with Hollywood and making movies. It sounds like perhaps his last few projects haven’t been movies that he enjoyed making, but that changed when he decided to make the upcoming sequel to Beetlejuice. Speaking at the Venice Film Festival (via THR) Burton said…

While Burton doesn’t go into detail, it’s not necessarily surprising to hear him say that the movie industry has left him disillusioned. If Burton draws a connection between his own enjoyment of the process and ultimate success for the picture, we can work backward and assume the lack of success means he wasn’t having much fun.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is Burton’s first theatrical release in five years. The last movie he directed was Disney’s live-action Dumbo remake which, despite taking some big swings, was not one of the blockbuster successes that Disney has seen from those films. Burton’s movies before that included the drama Big Eyes and the family fantasy Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. Both films were largely overlooked by audiences.

But things have seemingly changed with the new Beetlejuice movie. Burton says a Beetlejuice sequel took so long in part because he didn’t really understand why the original film was as big a hit as it was. However, it sounds like he ultimately decided he didn’t care. Burton says the movie was put together quickly and the ending was never actually written down, leading to a film that he enjoyed making a great deal more. He explained…

Burton says making Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was “never about” making a big sequel to make money, but that doesn’t mean the sequel isn’t going to be a massive hit. Even if it isn’t, it seems Burton is happy with it, and when the movie comes out next week we’ll find out if critics and audiences feel the same way.

Fans who keep up-to-date with all upcoming superhero movies have long debated who deserves credit for inspiring the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some fans say it all began with Fox's X-Men movies, while others swear that Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy (or even 1998’s Blade) set the multiversal stage. But to Michael Keaton, none of this might've happened without his Batman director Tim Burton's unique vision. While a bold claim, I can sincerely see what the Night Shift alum means.

In a recent chat with GQ, Keaton shared some unexpected thoughts on Tim Burton helping influence the entire superhero genre. Reflecting on his iconic role in 1989's Batman and the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, Keaton talked about how Burton's choice to cast him — an unconventional pick at the time — helped redefine the comic book adaptation landscape. The Beetlejuice star believes Burton set the stage for everything that followed not just for DC, but also for Marvel's Cinematic Universe. As he put it:

The Founder star's comments highlight Burton’s groundbreaking approach and out-of-the-box thinking, which helped launch his career with such comedy cult hits as Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure. And we're not just talking about how the director's traditionally dark and macabre approach stood in contrast to Adam West's Batman and the Superman films.

It was nothing short of a shocker when Burton chose the Mr. Mom star to don the cape and cowl. In a time long before Twitter and Facebook, no less than 50,000 passionate comic book fans sent letters to Warner Bros. to express their outrage. Keaton, who wasn’t really into comics, didn’t fully grasp the uproar at the time. But now, with years to reflect, he sees Burton's decision in a whole new light. He continued:

Casting Keaton, whose work in Clean and Sober was a distinct change from his more comedic roles, was a bold choice that ended up adding depth and complexity to Batman, as well as a layer of wry humor.

This risky move helped set a new standard in superhero casting, proving that actors known for lighter fare could successfully tackle iconic roles. While it might be a stretch to say that the Wednesday series creator is responsible for the existence and success of the entire MCU, one could argue that Burton's decisions for his two films helped shape how superhero roles are cast today.

So, it's better to say that without Burton adding Taxi vet as his sequel's Penguin, we might not have had the likes of Chris Pratt in the Guardians of the Galaxy series, or Paul Rudd as Ant-Man.

Michael Keaton holds Tim Burton in high regard, which is evident from their numerous collaborations over the years. Most recently, the two teamed up again for the highly anticipated Beetlejuice 2, where the former comedian reprises his role as the mischievous “Ghost with the Most.” This long-awaited sequel, nearly 40 years in the making, is set to hit the 2024 movie schedule on September 6.

Fans can catch up on Keaton’s iconic roles in Burton’s films, both as Batman's caped crusader and as Beetlejuice's freak show, with a Max subscription.

When a popular character from another medium makes the jump to the big screen, the first question every fan has is the casting. Just who will be playing the iconic character? It’s far from uncommon for fans to be less than thrilled by the choice made to play heroes and villains, and that’s been the case for decades, even back when Michael Keaton was first chosen to play Batman.

When it was announced that Michael Keaton would play the lead in Tim Burton’s Batman, a lot of fans were confused. Keaton was mostly known for smaller comedies at the time, he had previously played the title role in Burton’s Beetlejuice. Today, Keaton is arguably the best live-action Batman ever, but Tim Burton tells GQ why he cast the actor back in the ‘80s. He explained…

Intelligent, scary, and crazy, certainly fit the bill for the type of Batman that Michael Keaton plays, and fans responded. The movie would go on to become the highest-grossing film of 1989. It would spawn a franchise and arguably launch the comic book-focused cinema world we live in today. It’s hard to believe there was a time when people didn’t want Keaton in the role.

But that was very true. It's been reported that Warner Bros. received more than 50,000 letters from fans protesting Keaton's casting. The internet wasn’t a thing then but one can imagine the message boards and social media posts that would have been out there claiming what a bad decision this was. If 50,000 people cared enough to write a letter in the ‘80s there were likely many more people with similar feelings who didn’t publicly voice their displeasure. It's no wonder even Keaton wasn't so sure about playing Batman.

Keaton was far from the last person to take on a comic book movie role that people needed to be more sure about. Both Heath Ledger and Jared Leto were the focus of an outcry when they signed on to play The Joker in two different DC movies. The decision to cast Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man in the first film of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was something that director Jon Favreau had to fight for.

Not every controversial casting decision becomes as iconic as Michael Keaton’s Batman, but Tim Burton clearly knew exactly what he was doing. When Keaton returned to the role in The Flash, his role was the most popular, and the most praised, part of that movie. After returning to the role of Batman, Keaton, and Burton are now returning to their original collaboration. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set for release next month.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Jenna Ortega’s uber-viral Wednesday dance was not only one of the great TV music moments of 2022, but one of the best viral moments in recent memory. Now, the actress is in the middle of filming Wednesday Season 2, and many are wondering if we’ll get another big dance. Well, she answered that question in a funny way recently, and it gives me a lot of hope.

At the moment, Ortega is promoting her film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ahead of its premiere on the 2024 movie schedule, and considering it’s her second collaboration with Tim Burton, she’s getting asked about Wednesday. Currently, they’re in the middle of filming the Addams Family spinoff’s sophomore season, and when asked by Extra if it will feature another viral dance, the actress said:

Now, on the surface this might not seem like much, however, everything is in Ortega’s reaction, which you can see in the TikTok below:

First of all, her deadpan “oh my god,” is hilarious and SO Wednesday. Then, the fact that she didn’t really say no makes me fully believe something is about to happen.

Plus, Winona Ryder quipped in the middle of all this that those would be her Beetlejuice Beetlejuice co-star’s “famous last words.” So, I suspect we’ll be getting something very fun in Season 2.

However, it’s worth noting that it’s hard to predict what will go viral. As the Scream actress mentioned, she isn’t aware of any intentional viral dances or moments in Season 2. While they might have had an inkling that the “Goo Goo Muck” dance, which she choreographed herself, would be popular, I highly doubt they suspected it to go as viral as it did…I mean even Lady Gaga recreated Wednesday’s moves.

So, whether she knows there’s a fun moment or not, it’s also important to recognize that it’s hard to predict what might blow up. Maybe they intentionally wrote in a TikTok moment, and it’s possible that it could go viral or flop. Or, they might have scenes they won’t think twice about that will cause a craze online like that dance did last season. Either way, we won’t really know (and neither will Orgeta) until Season 2 comes out.

Although, I have to admit her answer gives me hope that there are going to be some fun moments in Season 2 that will be worthy of TikTok virality like the “Goo Goo Muck” dance was.

Even though she didn’t spill any details, the last part of her answer where she said “I fear maybe I’ll see something,” tells me we could get a new dance or viral moment. I know I’ll be on the lookout for that, and as the Wednesday cast continues filming Season 2, it sounds like Jenna Ortega will too.

As we wait to find out if we get another incredible dance or not, you can go back and watch Ortega’s OG moves on Wednesday with a Netflix subscription. Plus, make sure to check out Netflix’s 2024 release schedule so you know what to watch while we wait for Season 2 of the Jenna Ortega-led show.

Obviously, Jenna Ortega going viral with her fellow Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast member Justin Theroux for doing the "very demure" trend is iconic. However, do you know what else is equally iconic? Ortega’s look in that video. So, while people get a good laugh out of this viral clip, I can't stop thinking about how her striped blazer and some of her other looks from the press tour for this 2024 movie schedule entry give off major Addams Family vibes too.

Jenna Ortega And Justin Theroux Hopped On the ‘Demure’ Trend

At the moment everything, it seems, is being described as “very demure, very mindful,” and that includes the cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Taking to Warner Bros. Instagram and TikTok accounts, a hilarious and cutesy clip of Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux and a shrunken head guy lip-synching to the viral sound was posted, and it’s incredible, take a look:

At the moment, the TikTok above that was posted by Warner Bros’ Australia and New Zealand account has about half a million views. Meanwhile, the video that was a joint Instagram post from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Warner Bros. has over 1.4 million views. In the comments on that post, people couldn’t get enough of the two actors hopping on the trend, here are some of the highlights:

• BRILLIANT 👏 -courtney__worth
• Showing up to the premier very mindful, very demure 💅🏽💚💜 -the_huntysaurus
• Period -patrickadougall
• JENNA MY QUEEN -michelle_benhur
• AHHHHHHH HAHAHAHAH 💚 VERY DEMUREEEEEE! -cryssvamp

Also, while the majority of the comments were about the silly video, there was a lot of love for that iconic jacket Ortega is wearing. And while the blazer is 1,000% giving Beetlejuice, it’s also giving The Addams Family, which is something a lot of her looks on this press tour have given, and I can’t stop thinking about it.

Jenna Ortega's Looks From Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's Press Tour Are Giving Addams Family

Now, clearly, Jenna Ortega’s outfits for this movie's press tour have big Beetlejuice energy. The incredible horror-comedy from Tim Burton has the classic gothic vibe the director is known for, a vibe that’s also present in Wednesday. Plus, I’d be remiss to pretend like Lydia Deetz and Wednesday Addams didn’t share an aesthetic.

However, with all that said, that blazer in the TikTok above is undoubtedly giving Addams Family, and Pugsley Addams' classic black and white striped shirt specifically.

Along with that black and white striped blazer, the Scream actress also rocked a form-fitting suit that would make Morticia and Gomez Addams proud. Over on makeup artist Mélanie Inglessis’ Instagram, she posted a story of Ortega and her outfit as she was applying lip liner during a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice press day in New York City:

The black suit with thin white pinstripes is very Gomez Addams-coded. However, the form-fitting cut and black heels mixed with the fun black sunglasses and the straightened black hairdo (which you can see more of in her hairstylist Bobby Eliot’s IG post below) is giving Morticia, big time. So, even though Ortega isn’t playing the Addams Family's daughter at the moment, there’s no denying that her two looks as of late totally fit the vibe of her megahit Netflix show that she works on with Burton.

These two ensembles are added to the growing catalog of wonderfully unique gothic looks Ortega has worn on this press tour. She kicked things off with a romantic yet gothic dress in Mexico, and now she’s really killing it in these business meets Addams Family fits.

Of course, we’re used to seeing Jenna Ortega turn look after look, and frequently they fit within the vibe of Wednesday’s style. So, while I can’t get over these stunning outfits, I also fully expect that she’ll keep bringing this level of excellence as we get closer to the release of her upcoming horror movie.

So, with all that in mind, let’s take a minute to laugh about how “demure” and “mindful” both her looks and TikTok are, and then let’s all get ready to see her, Justin Theroux, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and more in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice when it hits theaters on September 6.

Just months after Jenna Ortega became a huge star once Wednesday gave Netflix the best debut ever for an original series, the actress’ reputation was kicked down a couple notches when she made some controversial comments about the show’s writers room. Ortega went viral for her words and was even roasted a few times on the writers strike picket line for what she said, including a sign that read “Without writers, Jenna Ortega will have nothing to punch up!” Now, the 21-year-old has reflected on what happened.

In March 2023, when Ortega guested on the Armchair Podcast, she spoke about putting her “foot down” on set when she felt Wednesday Addams was not being well represented in the scripts. The Wednesday star admitted to becoming “almost unprofessional” by changing lines and refusing to read what was originally written. It famously led a Daredevil writer to go on a lengthy tirade calling Ortega “beyond entitled and toxic”. Here’s how Jenna Ortega thinks of what she said about the series now:

In a new interview with Variety, Jenna Ortega was honest about perhaps not going about the topic on the podcast in the best way. On the positive end of things, the Scream star feels she learned a valuable lesson, thanks to all the buzz surrounding her. As she continued:

When it comes to the upcoming Season 2 of Wednesday, executive producer and director Tim Burton has said that the actress is “very direct” and “no-nonsense,” which he finds “very refreshing and beautiful and artistic.” Burton also shared that Ortega was “very aware” from the start of shooting and he believes she could direct the series if she wanted to. As a producer herself in Season 2, she’s encouraged to give notes on the plotline and the character’s lines.

Since Ortega went viral for her thoughts on the Season 1 Wednesday writer’s room, it was also rumored for a time that she was a “diva” on the set of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which is where audiences will see the actress next. Ortega plays the daughter of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz in the long-awaited sequel next to Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci. The Beetlejuice sequel hits theaters September 6 and Wednesday Season 2 is expected to arrive on Netflix sometime in 2025.

When it comes to the movies of Tim Burton, fans typically commend the Academy Award-nominated director for his gothic fantasy style. That aesthetic has remained intact In fact throughout the majority of his career and fans will get to see it again on the big screen later this year. The unique flourishes will be seen in the long-awaited sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. As much praise as Burton gets for his creative touches, his frequent collaborator, Michael Keaton, feels that there's one skill his buddy possesses that he deserves more credit for.

The aforementioned sequel is adding some fresh faces to Tim Burton's beloved franchise, including Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci. However, some familiar faces were shown in the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer like Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. While the trailer showed Burton’s trademark elements of gothic-style paranormal creatures and its dark humor, Keaton revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that fans should make note of the stars who chooses:

Tim Burton really does have a gift for assembling great casts for his movies. Looking back at the actors who’ve appeared in the most of Burton movies, there’s a huge range of talent that has helped make the Frankenweenie director’s films so memorable.

For example, Johnny Depp, who's done many Burton films, has eight under his belt like Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Sweeney Todd to name a few. And you can’t forget Michael Keaton not only played the titular role in Beetlejuice but was also in the Batman movies and Dumbo. Burton also cast his former longtime partner, the talented Helena Bonham Carter, in many of his films, including Planet of the Apes, Big Fish, Alice in Wonderland and more.

And, of course, the Corpse Bride helmer also has a collaborator in the talented Winona Ryder, who made her film debut in 1986's Lucas before her breakthrough role as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice. Tim Burton explained to Harper’s Bazaar just what it was about Ryder that made him feel she was a perfect fit for his horror-comedy flick:

Winona Ryder truly does have a remarkable gift for being able to convey such feeling with her eyes. Her emotions speak volumes through every look, whether we feel her character’s sorrow of her life being “one big dark room” or the amazement of wanting to dance in mid-air.

For those who’ve never seen Lucas, Winona Ryder played Rina, who harbored a secret crush on her friend even though he had eyes for the new girl in school. Sporting jet-black short hair and wearing punk-type fashion ensembles, the character was an outcast, who stayed true to herself and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. It makes sense as to why Burton knew he picked the right person to portray the "strange and unusual" Lydia. Plus, Ryder clearly left a mark on the talented director since he brought her back into his world alongside Johnny Depp for Edward Scissorhands.

If you ask me, Tim Burton does indeed deserve his flowers for having the foresight to cast Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder and other great stars. And, if his track record is any indication, he'll likely continue to tap top-tier talent for his productions.

You can see familiar and new talent come into the world of Tim Burton in the 2024 movie release Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which hits theaters on September 6th.

It’s hard to believe that after three decades, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is finally being released this year. However, talks about a Beetlejuice sequel didn’t start recently. Apparently, its star Winona Ryder and director Tim Burton have had secret meetings for years about bringing this sequel back from the dead without understanding “why it was popular.”

Other than Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder has met up with Tim Burton throughout the years to work on many of his best movies like Edward Scissorhands and Frankenweenie. However, the Stranger Things star revealed to Harper’s Bazaar that she’s had secret meetings with Burton to discuss bringing a Beetlejuice sequel to life for years:

Very sneaky of her! Beetlejuice was a true breakthrough role for Winona Ryder. With only the coming-of-age ‘80s movie Lucas under her belt, the former teen star played the "strange and unusual" Lydia Deetz with a supernatural ability to see ghosts. Based on the trailer of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it looks like Lydia’s gift and gothic style haven’t left her as she reunites with “the ghost with the most.”

According to Harper’s Bazaar, Lydia will be a widower with an estranged relationship with her daughter, Astrid in the sequel. She'll also be the host of her own TV show Ghost House as she makes use of her gift. It looks like Tim Burton’s magic will return once again with sandworms, tiny heads, and more making an appearance as we’re ready to face the nostalgia.

Two years after the release of one of the best horror-comedy films, Beetlejuice 2 had a lot of working names like Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, Beetlejuice and the Haunted Mansion, or Beetlejuice Goes West. With so much talk going on since Beetlejuice’s release, Tim Burton admitted he didn’t understand where the hype of his beloved film was coming from:

It’s true that nowadays, just like when a television series gets high ratings in its first season, a successful box office hit is likely to get sequel talks. At the time, Tim Burton may not have known he was creating such a cult classic that would spawn a Broadway musical, a cartoon series, and viral Halloween costumes. Even Michael Keaton wasn’t ready for the public reaction to his titular character.

However, I think Beetlejuice became a memorable flick because of its iconic performances, its clever use of blending dark elements with quirky humor, and its original storytelling. I have no doubt its sequel will do the same.

Back when Beetlejuice 2 rumors were circulating, Tim Burton and Winona Ryder apparently had secret meetings about putting a sequel in motion without knowing "why it was popular." With action following all these talks, audiences will finally get to relive the nostalgia and see our favorite unworldly characters back on the big screen again. Add Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to your watchlist as it hits the 2024 movie schedule on September 6th.

If you can believe it, the hauntingly nostalgic theme of Stranger Things has been humming through our TV sets for almost a decade! Ahead of Stranger Things Season 5 concluding the long-running Netflix phenomenon, Winona Ryder has shared a wild Beetlejuice condition she gave the Duffer Brothers when she signed on way back when.

Winona Ryder recently reflected to Harper’s Bazaar on how her role in Stranger Things began. In her words: 

Stranger Things would go on to premiere for those with a Netflix subscription on July 15, 2016 with Ryder playing the mother to Will Byers, who gets stuck in the Upside Down. For nearly a decade the actress has been a key character in the science fiction series. 

Prior to Ryder reuniting with the Stranger Things cast for Season 5, she had the chance to have a highly-anticipated reunion by shooting Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with Tim Burton alongside some of her castmates like Michael Keaton and Catherine O’Hara. As Ryder continued: 

That’s right! Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has been on the brain of Tim Burton and the cast for a very long time. In fact, scripts for a sequel were first commissioned back in the nineties. However, Keaton and Burton soon became consumed by making Batman movies instead and those ideas fell to the wayside. For years and years to come, the Beetlejuice sequel was placed in and out of development until it finally was made and wrapped production back in November.

Michael Keaton and Tim Burton recently spoke to the three decade process of bringing back Beetlejuice. Keaton shared that over the years the pair would “kind of kick the notion around” but the timing wasn’t really right until it was… 35 years later! It certainly sounds like Keaton is happy with the final product, saying that “it’s really fucking good” a few months back to CinemaCon. Check out the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer below: 

Lydia Deetz is back, and she even introduces the trailer. In the upcoming movie, Lydia now has a teen daughter named Astrid (played by Wednesday’s Jenna Ortega) along with a husband named Rory (played by The Leftovers’ Justin Theroux). In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the Deetz family returns to the location of the first movie after a family death. However, when Astrid repeats history to some extent by opening a portal to the Afterlife, Keaton’s Betelgeuse gets to say hello to his former bride.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to hit theaters on September 6.

Earlier today, the new Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer dropped, and there was a lot to take in from the preview, including sandworms, tiny heads and much more. However, upon closer inspection, there’s another interesting tidbit to add to the list of things we know about the Beetlejuice sequel. It turns out that Danny DeVito will appear, meaning this upcoming 2024 movie is delivering another reunion between him, Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton, who all first worked together on 1992’s Batman Returns.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, about halfway through the Beetlejuice 2 trailer, there a brief snippet where there’s a custodian cleaning the floor of a basement packed with stuff, and electricity suddenly starts flying. If you pause at just the right time, you’ll see that this custodian is none other than a demonic/zombie-looking DeVito who’s listening to some tunes during this… shocking moment (I had to do it). See for yourself:

It’s hard to say right now if Danny DeVito’s role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is simply a cameo of if this custodian will have a significant role in the movie, but either way, this now marks the fourth time he and Michael Keaton have appeared in the same movie, and third time those two and Tim Burton have all collaborated together. As mentioned earlier, the trio first came together for Batman Returns, which saw Keaton reprising Bruce Wayne and DeVito playing Oswald Cobblepot, a.k.a. The Penguin. Then in 2019, Burton’s live-action reimagining of Disney’s Dumbo saw DeVito playing ringmaster Max Medici and Keaton playing antagonistic entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere. However, the first movie DeVito and Keaton did together was 1984’s Johnny Dangerously, which was directed by Amy Heckerling.

And, of course, we can’t forget that earlier this year at the Academy Awards, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito did a Batman-related bit with the latter’s Twins costar Arnold Schwarzenegger, who played Mr. Freeze in 1997’s Batman & Robin. Ok, so it was George Clooney who played Batman in that movie, but seeing DeVito and Schwarzenegger call out an ascot-wearing Keaton was still pretty great. Now I’m just hoping that DeVito and Keaton actually share screen time in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice rather than appear separately.

As for the rest of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s cast, Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are also reprising their respective roles from the 1988 original, Ludia and Delia Deetz. The newcomers include Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz (Lydia’s daughter), Justin Theroux as Rory, Monica Belluci as Betelgeuse’s wife, Willem DaFoe as ghost detective Wolf Jackson and Burn Gorman as a reverend. If you’d like to take in the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer again, we have you covered:

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens in theaters on September 6. It’s one of four upcoming horror movies to look forward to that month, the others being Speak No Evil, Saw XI and Never Let Go.

The recently released Beetlejuice 2 trailer and Michael Keaton’s return certainly had me singing "Day-O." However, fans, like myself, hoping to reunite with Geena Davis' Barbara Maitland in the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, will be very disappointed. Speaking from CinemaCon 2024, where she received the Viola Davis Trailblazer Award, Davis clarified she won't be returning for the new installment. Though I’m bummed by the news, her ‘theory’ for why she won’t be returning to the world of the undead makes a lot of sense.

If you are a fan of Tim Burton's movies, especially his highly inventive cult horror-comedy flick, you probably share Michael Keaton’s enthusiasm for the sequel finally hitting the 2024 movie schedule. While several OG cast members, including Keaton, Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara, are set to return, Davis recently spoke about not reprising her role in the much-anticipated sequel, telling Entertainment Tonight:

It's certainly disappointing that Geena won't be revisiting Burton's enchantingly gothic universe, yet her rationale makes sense: ghosts, after all, do not age. 

Davis and Alec Baldwin were pivotal in the original film, portraying Barbara and Adam Maitland—ghosts dwelling in the house of Lydia and Delia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara, respectively. The plot thickened when the Maitlands, to reclaim their home, reluctantly called upon Michael Keaton’s bio-exorcist, setting off a chain of events. 

Although the original film concluded with the Maitlands and the Deetzes reaching a peaceful coexistence, Davis has finally confirmed she and Baldwin's characters will not be featured in the follow-up more than 35 years in the making. It remains to be seen how the sequel will address their absence.

The Thelma & Louise actress believes she wasn't asked to return for the sequel because, according to her, it wouldn't make sense for her character to come back. She added: 

Although she might not be fully updated on the latest developments of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Davis has been keeping busy, particularly with her recent acceptance of the Viola Davis Trailblazer Award. The Exorcist alum expressed her gratitude, saying:

Congratulations are in order for Geena Davis, and although she won’t appear in Beetlejuice 2, we eagerly anticipate her future projects.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hits theaters on September 6, 2024. CinemaBlend has extensively covered Warner Bros.’s 2024 CinemaCon panel, where you can get our complete coverage, which includes a look at the studio's upcoming films and the upcoming flick from Tim Burton. 

This year was the year Warner Bros. greenlighted some ideas that a-listers had really been kicking around for years. Both Tim Burton’s sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Kevin Cosner’s western saga Horizon had been ideas the two directors had been kicking around for about 35 years, and both are coming to theaters in 2024. As part of the upcoming 2024 movies slate Warner Bros. presented at CinemaCon, we got to hear from all the Beetlejuice OGs about their journey to this project, and Michael Keaton also had one big takeaway for the fans. 

Speaking to a packed crowd at Caesar’s Palace, Warner Bros. touted out none other than Tim Burton, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Michael Keaton himself. It was a crowded stage, and Winona Ryder and Jenna Ortega weren’t even there. Part of the reason the movie was probably able to land such great talent is the fact that A. most of but not all the Beetlejuice OG’s came back but also B. the movie has lived on in the pop culture vernacular and is amongst Burton’s most-loved films, so it makes sense a-listers – or as Burton noted “Academy Award winners” – were interested. 

Keaton’s actually already seen what's done of the film in all its glory and here’s the message he wanted to impart on the fans, f-bomb and all. 

Keaton's been enthusiastic about Beetlejuice 2 a lot already, and why not? The sequel is also a project Burton and Michael Keaton had been bandying about for years. Keaton was pretty candid about the idea of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ultimately getting greenlighted and it sounds like a second movie was always something he and Burton would casually talk about; however, there were roadblocks for a long time. You wouldn't have known it from the attention to detail and care in the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer, but it took a while for an idea to form, and Keaton talked about how easy it is for time to pass before you return to a legacy project in Hollywood. 

Tim Burton admitted it actually took the decades that have passed for him to latch onto a Beetlejuice 2 idea that would work, but his “eureka” moment sounds like it came when he realized he could revisit a “weird teenager” character again and make that a focal point in the new movie. Per Burton: 

Other franchise OG Catherine O’Hara also humorously noted “for the last 30 years at least” she’d been “asked over and over again” if the movie was being made. She joked she thought for a while that the movie was just being made without her, leading to the interview questions, but on a candid note she was please to really be asked back when Burton decided to make it happen. 

But again, the big note that I think the cast wanted to impart on everyone attending is that they think the movie is just great. It’s not finished, as Burton revealed he has to go back to London tomorrow for more work, but if there’s one thing Keaton would like to impart on any audiences even casually interested in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, it’s this bullish final note:  “The last cast was great, this cast is so good, everyone's so frigging funny… really it’s true.”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hits theaters on September 6th, 2024. CinemaBlend's full coverage of Warner Bros. 2024 CinemaCon panel is also available for a full perusal of the studio's slate. 

Fans and studios have been saying Beetlejuice’s name more than three times, and Tim Burton’s “Ghost with the Most” character is coming back with a horror-comedy sequel that seems aimed to please fans. And as the continuation of one of Tim Burton’s best movies has been in the on-and-off again planning stages since 1990, it clearly deserves a title with more pizzazz than simply Beetlejuice 2. A poster revealed the movie’s official title was Beetlejuice Beetlejuice last month... and I’m so glad Burton backed down on the sequel’s original title he considered.

Back in 1990, when the Beetlejuice sequel was first in the planning stages, it was going to be called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. Then, there were other ideas in Tim Burton’s stream of consciousness like Beetlejuice And The Haunted Mansion or Beetlejuice Goes West. But after waiting three decades to see cinema’s favorite ‘80s ghost return from the dead (again), a highly anticipated sequel needed a catchier title than Beetlejuice 2. When I think about the alternative title the director told Entertainment Weekly he had in mind, I’m so glad he shut the idea down:

I agree. I understand the similarities between the two movies, as Dracula A.D. 1972 was supposed to be a take on a centuries-old vampire returning to modern London. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is doing something similar, as it’s no longer 1988 anymore – or whatever time period the scheming character was first alive in. 

However, the title Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a clever reference to the ghoulish bio-exorcist who can be summoned when you say his name three times. Sure, we’ll be saying his name twice once the second movie’s official release date arrives – but a possible third movie could be called Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice if the new release becomes a success.

Other than saying the titular character's name more than once, the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer is filled with tons of Easter eggs. Just like Catherine O’Hara promised us about a beloved aspect returning, we hear a more moody version of “Day-O” as the soundtrack. We also see Jenna Ortega’s character riding her bike past Miss Shannon’s School for Girls,  which her mother, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), attended in the original movie. Fans can also spot the bridge where Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam (Alec Baldwin) died after their car plummeted into the water. 

Of course, we can’t look past the miniature town in the attic or a haunting Beetlejuice popping out in life-size form. With Tim Burton, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara from the original cast of Beetlejuice returning, a lot of the original's best elements are coming back. 

My heart is filled with nostalgia watching the trailer for the Beetlejuice sequel, and while Tim Burton’s heart was in the right place proposing the title be Beetlejuice A.D. 2024, the revised title seems like a better direction for the beloved character we’ve missed having around. One of the most anticipated 2024 movie releases, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be playing in theaters on September 6.

It's almost too wild to believe but, after nearly 40 years since the release of its famous predecessor and years of sequel speculation, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 has finally wrapped! Not only that, but it's also landed on the 2024 movie schedule. Now, the Ghost With the Most himself, Michael Keaton, opened up about how it feels to finally be able to return to his iconic character. Additionally, he opened up about collaborating with Burton again after all these years.

Michael Keaton is slipping back into the ghostly shoes of everyone's favorite "bio-exorcist" for the much-anticipated sequel, which is aptly titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Needless to say, the excitement amongst fans is palpable. During a recent chat with ET to promote his new film, Knox Goes Away, the Founder star couldn't help but spill some ectoplasmic about reprising his iconic role. The Batman veteran had this to tell the interviewer:

I can't argue with him that it did indeed take "a while to get there," but I'm so glad he and his longtime collaborator finally linked back up. Honestly, I cannot wait to see Tim Burton back in his comfort zone. It feels like it's been a minute. 

It might have taken a long time to get to this point but, based on what we know about Beetlejuice 2, it sounds like it will be well worth the wait. Not only has the director reportedly ditched a lot of the CGI that has been pretty divisive in his latest work, opting for practical effects, but the talent in front of and behind the camera sounds incredible. 

The excitement for the movie is real, particularly after the news that Scream star Jenna Ortega is joining the sequel. This development came after she worked with the director on Wednesday, the popular Netflix series she almost passed on. She is set to portray Lydia Deetz's daughter, Astrid, in the follow-up. Original Beetlejuice cast members Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara will also return. Moreover, the cast will get a dose of new blood with the additions of Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux and Monica Bellucci.

Tim Burton’s long-time musical collaborator, Danny Elfman, who composed his Batman movies and lent his haunting harmonies to the 1988 classic, will once again be orchestrating the eerie ambiance. With such a splendid lineup, the long-awaited follow-up is shaping up to be a ghoulishly good time. Hopefully, we won't have to wait nearly four decades for another sequel, should one be greenlit later.

Meanwhile, the Spotlight star is showcasing his versatility with Knox Goes Away, directing for the first time since 2009's The Merry Gentleman and starring as the lead. In this compelling drama (which opens in theaters on March 15), the star portrays a hitman on a profound personal quest, grappling with a rare form of dementia. At the same time, the character is also trying to mend his relationship with his estranged son, played by James Marsden.

I'm intrigued to see Michael Keaton in that intense-sounding role but, of course, I remain doubly hyped to see him reprise his titular role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice , which will be released just in time for the spooky season on September 6th. Let's hope that he and Tim Burton still prove to have that special and spooky spark. In the meantime, you can check out our list of upcoming horror movies to discover what chilling movies are coming to a theater near you.

As the Mayor said in Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: “Terrible news, folks! The worst tragedy of our time!” The 1993 flick (which is now considered one of the best claymation Christmas movies) was originally undervalued by audiences. However, in the past three decades, it has become a staple of many people’s watchlists, even becoming a comfort film that can be viewed during the holidays or far after they've passed. So, of course, fans have long been asking for a sequel, which would give them a chance to revisit Halloween Town's Jack Skellington. Burton himself has now humorously weighed in on the prospect of a sequel. And it doesn't sound like one will happen – no matter how much 90’s nostalgia it could evoke.

Tim Burton, who has an extensive list of movies on his resume, put his foot down once and for all when it comes to the possibility of The Nightmare Before Christmas ever getting a sequel. When asked about it, he refused in lively fashion, choosing to get colorful with his language to emphasize that he’s not one to mess with when it comes to the art he’s extremely passionate about. And, in typical Burton fashion, what he had to say to Empire was not only funny but proves he’s not playing around when it comes to Jack Skellington and co: 

Anyone that’s watched the creepy holiday movie knows that for a somewhat dark piece of work, it shines bright in ways that are very personal for any viewer. There’s a lot of insightfulness, and it has themes that pertain to inward thinking and self-awareness. Keeping all of that in mind, such subject matter may not ever be able to be replicated properly in a supposed. 

So, if Tim Burton -- who produced the film -- wants to keep this one to himself because of how much it means to him, it's his right. (Of course, Disney could theoretically move forward with another film regardless if it so chooses to do so.)

Despite the Beetlejuice helmer's humorous assertion that fans should "get off my land," franchise devotees will probably continue to clamor for a follow-up. Nightmare director Henry Selick is even down for a prequel, as he'd like to tell the story of how Jack became the Pumpkin King. Whether something ever comes to fruition, I’m just thankful that we live in a time at which something as special as this movie exists.

You can check out Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas using a Disney+ subscription. Said membership will also get you access to other classic features from the House of Mouse.

This fall, for the first time in over 30 years, Michael Keaton’s iconic demon will return to haunt something in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Ahead of us seeing the 72-year-old back in the black and white-striped suit for the sequel, Keaton shared why it was important to both him and Burton to make the movie without leaning on much CGI. 

Following Beetlejuice 2 wrapping its production back in November, it has joined upcoming horror movies on this year’s calendar to hit theaters this September. While we wait to see a first look at the sequel, Michael Keaton said this about it: 

Per Michael Keaton’s interview with People, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is going to be all about the practical effects, just like the original 1988 movie was. Making much of what the audience sees in frame being “handmade” not only was important to the star and writer/director, but also made the set the “most fun” one Keaton's been on “in a long time.” As he continued: 

Michael Keaton has done his share of big movies with green screens as backgrounds. From his recent return to Bruce Wayne for last year’s The Flash to starring in Tim Burton’s Dumbo to playing Vulture in Marvel’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, the actor has had his share of acting next to tennis balls, so to say. 

It’s rather exciting to hear that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is taking the practical route, because most of the effects were practical in the original too. At the time, Tim Burton reportedly didn’t want to use post-production effects on the horror comedy, and so they didn’t. Plus, the movie took home the 1989 Oscar for Best Makeup! 

Thus far, all that we’ve seen from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the first poster. You can look forward to seeing Michael Keaton back alongside fellow familiar faces Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, and newcomers including Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux. One of the most anticipated 2024 movies will hit theaters on September 6. 

The directors on this list are among the greatest in the history of cinema, with films that are considered the best of all time; films that will never be forgotten. What about those movies they brought all their tremendous talents to, but which aren’t remembered as well? Here is our list of great movies, by great directors, that don’t get talked about enough these days. 

The Frighteners - Peter Jackson

The Frighteners is such a great movie, and it’s criminally underrated. No, it's not as sprawling or overwhelming as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings films, but it has all the heart and more. Michael J. Fox leads as a con man/exorcist who can see and interact with ghosts. The Frightners is really funny, well-paced, and delightful. 

The King Of Comedy - Martin Scorsese 

When you think of Martin Scorsese, “comedy” is not usually the first word that pops into your head, but The King Of Comedy is really a pretty great movie, and while it’s technically a comedy, it’s really dark. Goodfellas has some comedy in it, like Joe Pesci acting like a clown… but a true (dark) comedy? This Robert De Niro and Jerry Lewis-led film stands alone in Scorsese’s canon. 

Peggy Sue Got Married - Francis Ford Coppola

Peggy Sue Got Married is a deceptively simple film. Unlike Francis Ford Coppola’s more-talked-about epics like The Godfather films and Apocalypse Now, this film, starring Nicolas Cage and Kathleen Turner, is smaller, but that doesn’t mean it’s lesser. It’s a weird time-travel tale, but at its heart, it’s really a love story, and while it's not Coppola’s best work, it’s well worth a watch and should be talked about more often. 

Jackie Brown - Quentin Tarantino

Quentin Taratino has famously said that his next movie, his 10th, could be his last. Whether that holds true or not remains to be seen, but it’s a safe bet Jackie Brown will still be his least talked about.

Strange Days - Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow’s won Oscars (for The Hurt Locker) and she’s directed cult classics (Point Break). Strange Days is certainly closer to the latter. In it, Bigelow dabbles in science fiction, a rarity for her, but it’s unsurprising, as Strange Days was written by her then-husband James Cameron. It doesn’t have the iconic quotes that Point Break has, nor is it as white-knuckle as The Hurt Locker, but it is a great time capsule to filmmaking in the mid-90s and well worth remembering. 

Amistad - Steven Spielberg

Wedged between The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Saving Private Ryan in Steven Spielberg’s filmography, is Amistad. It’s easy to understand why this powerful historical drama revolving around a landmark court case regarding the slave trade is overlooked, but it shouldn’t be. It’s a moving story, told expertly as only Spielberg can, with a monster cast including Matthew McConaughey, Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, and Djimon Hounsou, among many others. 

Clockers - Spike Lee

Let’s be clear here, Clockers is not Spike Lee’s finest work. It doesn’t reach the heights of movies like Do The Right Thing or Malcolm X, but it's still a really good movie. It gets lost in Lee’s stellar filmography, which is understandable. It’s also a testament to just how good Lee’s career has been. 

Talk Radio - Oliver Stone

Talk Radio has everything you expect from an Oliver Stone movie. Its pacing and storytelling are perfect, it’s a fascinating and terrifying story that pulls from the real-world events of a murdered radio show host. It also has a healthy dose of conspiracy, as any great Stone film does. 

The Bling Ring - Sofia Coppola

Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring is a meta-tastic heist film that is not only a ton of fun to watch with celebrity cameos and great acting performances, but it also touches on some of the emerging trends that exploded in the years after the movie came out, notably influencer culture. It’s too often overlooked in Coppola’s stellar filmography. 

The Game - David Fincher

David Fincher is a master, and his filmography is full of great movies, like Se7en and Fight Club. The movie he made between those two classic is The Game with Sean Penn and Michael Douglas. Understandably, it’s overshadowed, but it’s an amazing film that is every bit as good as those two more talked-about movies. Even when people watch Fincher’s whole body of work, The Game gets overlooked and it shouldn’t. 

Casualties Of War - Brian De Palma

Casualties of War was released in 1989, which was the tail end of a slew of excellent Vietnam War movies released in the late ‘80s, like Platoon, Full Metal Jacket, and Hamburger Hill. Despite earning well-deserved praise from critics, the Brian De Palma film bombed, and as such, it's unfortunately one of the director’s least talked about movies when it should be one of the most. 

Matchstick Men - Ridley Scott

Usually, when movie fans talk about Ridley Scott, it’s his sprawling historical epics like Gladiator or Napoleon that dominate the conversation, along with sci-fi classics like Alien and Blade Runner. Matchstick Men is a smaller movie, a dark comedy about a con man with a myriad of personal problems played by Nicolas Cage. It’s a wonderful performance by Cage, and despite not performing well at the box office, it’s been well-reviewed over the years.

Inherent Vice - Paul Thomas Anderson

Inherent Vice from Paul Thomas Anderson is a complicated movie, based on a complicated book by Thomas Pinchon. It’s easy to understand why it’s not as talked about as some of Anderson’s other movies, like There Will Be Blood and Boogie Nights, but it’s every bit as good as those, featuring great acting performances and wonderful cinematography. 

Out Of Sight - Steven Soderbergh

Steven Soderberg is known for stylish filming techniques with snappy dialog and interesting plot twists. It’s all right there in Out Of Sight, but the movie still gets overlooked. It was Soderbergh’s first big-budget film, and maybe that’s why it doesn’t get talked about enough. It was also his first collaboration with George Clooney, which makes it even more confounding that it’s not more popular. 

Barry Lyndon - Stanley Kubrick

It’s hard to really argue that any of Stanley Kubrick’s films are not talked about enough, but Barry Lyndon comes the closest here. It’s most revered for its cinematography, but it’s also a wonderful story. While it doesn’t have the panache of A Clockwork Orange or the scope of 2001: A Space Odyssey, it’s still a Kubrick film and it’s one of the best ever made. 

Stardust - Matthew Vaughn

Matthew Vaughn has quietly put together one of the finest resumes in Hollywood. The Kingsman movies are a hot franchise, he’s dabbled in Marvel, and may have inspired the choice of Daniel Craig as James Bond after directing him in Layer Cake. Stardust seems to get lost in the shuffle, but it’s maybe, low key, his best film. 

Ryan's Daughter - David Lean

David Lean is rightfully most remembered for three films, The Bridge on the River Kwai, Lawrence of Arabia, and Doctor Zhivago. Lost in the discussion of those films is Ryan’s Daughter, a retelling of Madame Bovary set at the end of World War I. It was the last film Lean directed for 14 years and we can only wonder what he might have done had he not semi-retired. 

Fantastic Mr. Fox - Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson has developed one of the most distinct styles in film history, which translates brilliantly to animation, as well. Anderson’s first foray into the genre was Fantastic Mr. Fox, starring George Clooney, Meryl Streep, and Bill Murray, among others. While it may never outshine his live-action classics, it should be discussed more as one of his best works. 

Bound - The Wachowskis

The DNA of the Wachowskis is very evident in Bound, their first movie. It was made on a shoestring budget, so it doesn’t have the over-the-top effects of The Matrix series, but you can see where they were headed in their filmmaking. 

Intolerable Cruelty - Coen Brothers

When you have a filmography like the Coen Brothers, inevitably, some of the movies won’t get talked about as much as others. Intolerable Cruelty is one of those that gets lost in the mix, behind movies like The Big Lebowski and others that are among the best movies of the ‘90s and beyond. 

Insomnia - Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan is among the most beloved directors of the 21st century, creating what feels like independent films, but with monster budgets. That DNA was on display early in his career with Insomnia, which has everything you’d expect from a Nolan movie, but with less than half the budget of Oppenheimer. 

The Fan - Tony Scott

There are few better action directors in Hollywood history than Tony Scott. Most remembered today for classics like Top Gun, and Days of Thunder, The Fan should be talked about more. It’s not a perfect movie, but De Niro’s performance is terrifying (in a great way) as a baseball fan obsessed with Wesley Snipes' character. It’s action horror, and it’s great. 

Vincent And Theo - Robert Altman

Robert Altman had one of the most up-and-down careers in Hollywood history. After a string of successes in the ‘80s, his career was almost sunk by Popeye. It took years for him to rebound, but he did with Vincent & Theo. That led to a career revival, but it’s hardly remembered anymore, overshadowed by his early and later films. 

She's Having A Baby - John Hughes

One of the biggest reasons John Hughes is so loved by people who came of age in the ‘80s and ‘90s was his ability to write and direct genuine teenage characters. That extended to a young married couple starting their lives together in She’s Having A Baby. It’s not as quotable as some of Hughes’ other movies, but it’s still sharply written and a fun watch. 

Only The Lonely - Chris Columbus

Chris Columbus has some directed some huge films in his career, most notably Home Alone and Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone. He's also got movies like Mrs. Doubtfire and Adventures in Babysitting on his resume. One film that is not talked about enough is Only The Lonely starring John Candy as a man looking for a wife, but dealing with a controlling mother. 

Beowulf - Robert Zemeckis

Generations of high schoolers have been confounded and frustrated by Beowulf. Some love the old English classic, but many hate it. It takes a bold director to take it on as a movie. Robert Zemeckis makes it work, and work well. Still, given the material, it’s not a surprise it’s not talked about as much as Zemeckis’ more popular movies like Back to the Future. 

Great Expectations - Alfonso Cuaron

Director Alfonso Cuaron has made some of the best movies of the last 20 years, including Roma, Gravity, and Y tu mamá también. One of his films that doesn’t get talked about much anymore is 1998’s Great Expectations starring Gwenyth Paltrow and Ethan Hawke. It’s a bold modernization of the classic Dickens novel that can be polarizing, but still worth talking about more.

Ed Wood - Tim Burton

Of all the movies Tim Burton has made, it’s unsurprising that Ed Wood is one of his least discussed. It’s a love letter to legendary B-Movie director Ed Wood, and despite being filled to the brim with great performances, it's not as popular as many of Burton’s other works. 

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil - Clint Eastwood

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is not exactly the kind of film you might expect from Clint Eastwood, but you should. Some of his best work is when he strays away from the tough guy movies he’s so well known for and this is a great one, starring John Cusack and Kevin Spacey. 

Away We Go - Sam Mendes

Sam Mendes is best known for movies that cover heavy topics, movies like American Beauty, 1917, and Road to Perdition. That's probably the reason 2009's Away We Go with John Krasinski and Maya Rudolph isn't talked about as much, but it's a sweet movie about a couple dealing with major changes in their life and how to handle them. 

Sleepers - Barry Levinson

Sleepers is a dark, dark film. It's also really, really good. With an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Kevin Bacon, and many more, it's surprising it doesn't get talked about as much as some of director Barry Levinson's other work, but given the subject matter, it can be a very hard watch.  

High Anxiety - Mel Brooks

Mel Brooks is a living legend and his filmography is filled with some of the most quotable movies of all time. One that doesn't get quoted much, or even talked about much, is High Anxiety. It was, believe it or not, the first time Mel Brooks also played the lead in one of his movies, so that alone should garner more attention. 

Great directors usually have long filmographies, so it's only natural that some of their finest work would be talked about less than their most groundbreaking or biggest films. That said, many movies should be talked about as much as those classics, but aren't. Here's to that changing now! 

There have been so many Batman movies over the last 30+ years that have envisioned the character in so many different ways that it seems everybody has their favorites, and almost nothing is “off limits” with the character. Who the best Batman actor is, and what is acceptable for the character, is very much a topic of debate. But that wasn’t always the case, as the screenwriter for Batman Returns says he was “attacked” by fans over changes to the established canon that were made in Tim Burton’s sequel.

Tim Burton’s Batman was a massive hit that spawned an immediate sequel, and even though it included a pretty significant change to the classic Batman story, the idea that the Joker has killed Bruce Wayne’s parents, fans largely embraced it. This was not the case a couple of years later. At a recent screening of Batman Returns (via IndieWire) screenwriter Daniel Waters says fans did not appreciate the way the sequel broke with tradition regarding the backstory for the villains, though nobody seems to mind it now. Waters explained… 

Fans of any popular character want to see that character brought to life as they imagine them, and that frequently means doing it in a very “by-the-book” way. As time goes on, fans can begin to want to see different interpretations of the character. And every new take wants to try and differentiate itself in some way leading to now a lot of Batman movies, each a little different.

To be fair, fans weren't the only ones upset with the film. McDonalds had a big problem with Batman Returns that led to Tim Burton leaving the franchise and Joel Schumacher coming on to shift the Batman franchise in a lighter direction, which ultimately led to George Clooney "ruining" Batman. 

Today the things that make Batman Returns stand out are part of what makes it so popular. Many consider it the best of that generation of Batman movies if not the best Batman movie, period. Waters admits that the decision to make such changes to classic Batman lore came about because he and Tim Burton simply didn’t bother to learn the original stories. He explained… 

It just goes to show, while fans are often critical of people working on comic book movies not being intimately aware of the source material, sometimes it can lead to creative decisions they wouldn’t have otherwise.