In 1988 Michael Keaton managed to steal the hearts (and souls) of viewers by creating an unforgettable antihero in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice. Almost 40 years have passed since then, and the actor will return in a black-and-white striped suit to make some noise again. He didn’t even need much encouragement to reprise his role as the original.
In a conversation with Collider, Burton spoke about his overwhelming joy at returning to the set. He also confessed that Keaton’s enthusiasm was so great that he didn’t need any prior preparation before getting on set. He remembered his character’s character perfectly and getting back into character was no problem for him.
“We didn’t practice, we didn’t do anything. He just appeared and it was truly like being possessed by a demon. Like going back in time. (…) It was great, exciting, but also really unsettling,” the “Beetlejuice” director joked. He added later that the energy was incredible and crucial, because it was very reminiscent of what he brought to the original. And Burton wants the sequel to capture the spirit and specificity of the first one, both in mood and visuals.