Considering the negative audience reception for one underwhelming Beetlejuice 2 moment, I’m convinced that Beetlejuice 3 needs to break a beloved franchise tradition. The campy Tim Burton movie Beetlejuice became a cult classic after its 1988 release, developing a pᴀssionate fan base. 36 years later, the film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hit theaters. Less than half a year after the 2024 sequel’s $451 million success, Warner Bros announced that the Ghost With The Most would appear again in Beetlejuice 3.
As a mᴀssive fan of the first Beetlejuice movie, my feelings about the threequel are mostly those of excitement, with a dash of nervousness. I couldn’t wait to watch Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and it lived up to expectations in many ways. However, it did have one big issue that could impact the upcoming third movie. Beetlejuice 2 continued the franchise tradition of including a campy musical number, which should have been great fun. Sadly, the scene was so disappointing that I’m convinced the officially confirmed Beetlejuice 3 would be better off skipping a lip-syncing scene altogether.
Beetlejuice 2’s MacArthur Park Scene Felt Forced & Lasted Too Long
Beetlejuice 2’s Musical Number Desperately Needed Editing
Beetlejuice’s “Day-O” scene is iconic, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice tries to replicate the magic. Disappointingly, Beetlejuice 2’s MacArthur Park scene didn’t live up to expectations. When comparing “Day-O” to “MacArthur Park,” the first felt completely authentic to the scene while the latter didn’t. Adam and Barbara possessing people and making them dance seems like the way they would try to scare a dinner party. However, Betelgeuse breaking out into song at his wedding felt forced, and that’s partly because it was.
According to screenwriter Alfred Gough, they set out to do a musical number like “Day-O” from the start, rather than the scene happening organically (via The Hollywood Reporter). The “MacArthur Park” number could still have worked, despite being forced, if they had shown some restraint when it came to the scene. Unfortunately, they decided to include the entire 7-minute and 21-second-long song. By comparison, the Day-O musical number lasts just under 2 minutes in Beetlejuice.
Each additional underwhelming lip-syncing scene has the potential to water down the impact of the musical numbers as a whole.
The fever dream-ish chaos in the “MacArthur Park” dance and lipsync scene is fun at first. The song includes changing time signatures and odd lyrics that feel appropriate for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. However, the musical number dragged on for so long that it lost every bit of charm and enjoyment. By the end, I was frustrated. I just wanted the musical number to be done because it was distracting from the story instead of enhancing it. Because both Beetlejuice and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice include a big musical number, the expectation is that Beetlejuice 3 will continue the tradition.
A Lackluster Musical Scene Could Ruin Beetlejuice 3
Fans Could Hold A Grudge Against Beetlejuice 3 If They Deliver Another Subpar Musical Number
Even though musical scenes have become a tradition of the Beetlejuice franchise, I’m concerned that a lackluster lip-syncing scene could ruin Beetlejuice 3 for many fans, even if the rest of the movie is decent. I wasn’t the only one who felt let down by the musical number in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The “MacArthur Park” scene was frequently mentioned as a negative of the movie in reviews from both critics and audience members.
Fans probably won’t forget the last let down so easily, which means the third attempt at a musical scene could be a make-or-break moment. Unfortunately, each additional underwhelming lip-syncing scene has the potential to water down the impact of the musical numbers as a whole. The more times they include characters lip-syncing to songs, the higher the risk. If Beetlejuice 3 messes up, that would be two movies in a row. I know I’d certainly begrudge them for not paying proper homage one of the most memorable moments of the original Beetlejuice, and I don’t think I’m the only one.
Beetlejuice 3 Should Probably Skip The Musical Number
Skipping The Musical Number in Beetlejuice 3 Would Be A Daring But Smart Choice
Although I love a good musical scene, especially a bizarre one, I think Beetlejuice 3 would probably be better off skipping it. At this point, they’ve already caught lightning in a bottle once by creating the “Day-O” scene. The second film wasn’t very successful at replicating that feeling despite the creative team putting in a lot of effort. The team behind Beetlejuice 3 might just want to cut their losses rather than strive to achieve a nearly impossible task. It’s better not to include a musical number at all than to include a disappointing one that will leave fans upset.
That being said, if the creative team does decide to include one in the third film, they need to be very strategic. The musical number needs to truly fit within the scene, rather than feeling forced. The maximum length the song should be is 4 minutes, twice the length of the “Day-O” number, to prevent the Beetlejuice 3 scene from dragging on. I would also advise them to think about why they want a musical number in the movie. They also need a good reason to include it in Beetlejuice 3 rather than just saying “it’s tradition” or “fans expect it.”
