Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was one of fall 2024’s early successes. Following up with the тιтular poltergeist after 36 years, the movie was a theatrical hit. It made over $451.9 million worldwide, topping the first film’s $74.8 million sum by a fair margin and easily recouping its estimated $100 million budget. It was so well-received that it has compelled another sequel, with Beetlejuice 3 confirmed to be in development as of last month.
With the recent news of the threequel comes a series of unanswered questions, one of the most important of which is the casting. The 2024 sequel returned some of the key cast members from the original film, including Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and Winona Ryder, but it also introduced a smattering of new characters. Beetlejuice 2‘s new cast included Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, and Monica Bellucci, among others. In order to make a new quirky and campy adventure, Burton will likely want some new talent for Beetlejuice 3, and there are some good candidates from past Burton movies.
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Johnny Depp
Burton’s Most Frequent Collaborator
Perhaps the most obvious (but apt) Beetlejuice 3 casting would be Johnny Depp. After all, Burton and Depp have already worked together on several occasions, extending all the way back to Edward Scissorhands in 1990. In subsequent Burton films, Depp played iconic characters such as Willy Wonka, Sweeney Todd, and the Mad Hatter. Depp’s career has been defined by his ability to transform into these extravagant and out-of-this-world roles.
This kind of energy would serve Depp incredibly well when it comes to Beetlejuice 3. Playing on the campy aesthetic of the first movie, even the 2024 sequel took on a whimsical feeling in both its set pieces and its characters. They rely on actors who are experienced and skilled enough to play outlandish characters while still maintaining a key sense of groundedness. Depp fits into this category, making him a good choice for the threequel ensemble.
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Helena Bonham Carter
Carter And Burton Share Two Kids Together In Real Life
Helen Bonham Carter carries with her a lot of similar qualities to Burton, in that she has played a lot of over-the-top characters. She first collaborated with Burton in his 2001 adaptation of Planet of the Apes, where she played a chimpanzee named Ari. She also has skills in both the voice acting and live-action acting mediums, expanding the types of roles she could play should the next Beetlejuice film require some actors to appear as voices only.
“a very painful divorce.”
One slight complication to a Carter appearance in a Burton film is her personal relationship with the director. Meeting on the set of Planet of the Apes, the Hollywood stars began a romantic relationship in 2001, and had two children together. They ended things in 2014, and while the release of Alice: Through the Looking Glᴀss was in 2016, Carter has previously described their separation as “a very painful divorce.” Even if the pair is on better terms now, this personal history may make Carter’s appearance in Beetlejuice 3 less likely.
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Eva Green
She Played A Key Character In Burton’s 2016 YA Adaptation
A lot of Burton’s frequent collaborators of yesteryear, including Christopher Lee and Michael Gough, have since pᴀssed away. Of those alive, Depp and Carter have worked with Burton the most. After these two obvious Beetlejuice 3 choices, this leaves a list of actors who have not worked with Burton as consistently, but still have at least two past credits with the director. One great choice for another actor is Eva Green.
Green has worked with Burton three times, starting with Dark Shadows in 2012. Her most notable Burton role was in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, wherein she played the eponymous Miss Peregrine. While this book adaptation takes on a different tone than the Beetlejuice movies, it is also a fantasy story with teenage protagonists. Green plays a memorable adult character in the film, which would make her a good candidate for a role in Beetlejuice 3.
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Deep Roy
He Played The Oompa-Loompas
Deep Roy is not as big of a star as someone like Green or Carter, but he could not be a more perfect choice to enter into the Beetlejuice universe. Roy is best known for playing all the Oompa-Loompas in Burton’s 2005 adaptation of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Standing at 4 feet, 4 inches tall, the actor is most recognizable for his distinct physical appearance. Roy’s atypical stature would work to the benefit of Beetlejuice 2, as it could be easier to cast Roy in a character acting role.
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Deep Roy’s Tim Burton Roles |
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|---|---|
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Film |
Role |
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Planet of the Apes (2001) |
Gorilla Kid / Thade’s Niece |
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Big Fish (2003) |
Mr. Soggybottom |
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Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) |
Oompa-Loompa |
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Corpse Bride (2005) |
General Bonesapart (Voice) |
Though he is best known for his work as the Oompa-Loompas, Roy has also contributed to other Burton films, including Big Fish and Corpse Bride. Roy played alongside Danny DeVito in his brief role in Big Fish. DeVito made a brief cameo appearance as a janitor in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. If he were to appear in the sequel as well, casting Roy would be a great chance for the actors to reunite on-screen.
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Martin Short
He Has Been In Two Burton Films
Martin Short, one of the great comedic actors of his time, worked with Burton on one of the director’s earlier films, playing Press Secretary Jerry Ross in the alien invasion dark comedy Mars Attacks! He later contributed his voice acting talents to Burton’s fantastic stop-motion film Frankenweenie. Short has been a voice actor on several occasions, including a part in the 2019 animated version of The Addams Family and an episode of the adult animated series Big Mouth.
As in the case of an actor like Carter, Short’s dual live-action and voice-acting experience would allow him to portray a wider range of characters. One barrier to his involvement, however, could be his schedule for Only Murders in the Building. The mystery comedy has been a huge success on Hulu during its run, and will return for season 5 this year, but could have more seasons. But Beetlejuice 3 does not yet have a confirmed production start date, meaning that it could still be possible for Short to make an appearance in the film.
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Christopher Walken
Walken Is Still Giving Great Performances
The octogenarian goes even further back with Burton than Short, first appearing as Max Schreck in Batman Returns in 1992. He then appeared in a second Burton film, Sleepy Hollow, in 1999, which also featured Depp. If Walken were to come back to a Burton film for Beetlejuice 3, it would be the first time that he has collaborated with the director in over two decades.
If Walken has proven anything in the last few years, it is that age has not slowed him down. Last year, he played a supporting character in the sci-fi epic Dune: Part Two, showcasing his ability to act effectively in a big Hollywood film. He also provides his talent to the touching and tragic character of Burt Goodman in the Apple TV+ series Severance. These roles are emblematic of how iconic Walken still is despite his age, so him appearing in Beetlejuice 3 would be an enticing choice.
1
Jack Nicholson
Could Tim Burton Pull Him Out Of Retirement?
Nicholson is the most unlikely candidate to re-team with Burton. After an iconic career that included Chinatown, The Shining, and Burton’s Mars Attacks! and Batman, Nicholson effectively retired from acting in 2010. His last film on record is was How Do You Know, which was helmed by former Terms of Endearment and As Good As It Gets director James L. Brooks. Brooks, who is still making films, has previously stated a desire to get Nicholson on screen again, but to no avail thus far.
Nicholson has never publicly stated he has retired, but those close to him have said that he isn’t interested in returning to work. Burton may not be able to convince him to come back for Beetlejuice 3, given the actor’s age and how much time he has been gone from the industry. His role as the Joker in Burton’s earlier work, however, remains so iconic, and Nicholson would certainly draw fans to the Beetlejuice sequel, even if his role was small.
Beetlejuice
- Created by
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Tim Burton, Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, Warren Skaaren
- First Film
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Beetlejuice
- Latest Film
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Beetlejuice
Summary
Beetlejuice is a dark fantasy horror-comedy franchise that began with the release of the 1988 film directed by Tim Burton. The story follows a recently deceased couple who become ghosts haunting their former home and summon Betelgeuse (pronounced “Beetlejuice”), a mischievous and devious bio-exorcist ghost, to scare away the new inhabitants. The film’s success led to an animated television series, stage musical, and a highly anticipated sequel.
