Beetlejuice 3 has officially been announced, and while very few details have been revealed, I’m on Jenna Ortega’s side in believing that the sequel shouldn’t happen without Tim Burton. Tim Burton is the mastermind behind the Beetlejuice franchise, and after creating the series and returning to direct Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, there is no reason for Warner Bros. to give Beetlejuice 3 to a different director.

Warner Bros. waited years to deliver a sequel to the iconic 1988 film Beetlejuice, with them not making one until Tim Burton was finally ready to return for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Luckily, this paid off, as Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a mᴀssive critical and box office success. It was considered a return to form for the director, especially after years of not-so-great Burton movies.

It was announced that Beetlejuice 3 is in development very soon after the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and many fans ᴀssumed that Tim Burton would again be involved. However, Tim Burton was shocked by the news of Beetlejuice 3‘s development, responding “Really? Nobody told me. Maybe I’ve been replaced.“

Beetlejuice 3 Should Only Happen If Tim Burton Is Involved

The Movie Could Be A Mess Without Him

Beetlejuice 3 shouldn’t happen without Tim Burton, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice actress Jenna Ortega knows this. When asked about doing Beetlejuice 3 without Burton, Ortega responded “Oh, I would never.” This means that Ortega is so faithful to Burton’s vision that she wouldn’t return for Beetlejuice 3 despite Astrid Deetz’s importance ot the sequel.

Oh, I would never. I also think anybody would be really wrong to get behind that project. Without him involved, what is it? It is what it is because of Tim. There’s no other film you can compare Beetlejuice to. So why would you do that? That would be a tad disrespectful.

While her comments may be surprising, Jenna Ortega is right. Beetlejuice wouldn’t be what it is without Tim Burton’s invovlement, and the sequel in the hands of any other filmmaker would be lesser. Beetlejuice 3 should only happen if Tim Burton wants to do it, and if he doesn’t, there is clearly a reason why a third movie shouldn’t happen.

Why Jenna Ortega & Tim Burton’s Comments Are Worrying For Beetlejuice 3

Warner Bros. May Be Developing The Movie Without Burton

Tim Burton now knowing about Beetlejuice 3‘s development is worrying, as it could mean that Warner Bros. is considering doing the film without him. Even if this isn’t the case, it at least means that Tim Burton isn’t involved in the studio’s decisions regarding the franchise’s future, which is bad news for Beetlejuice fans.

If Tim Burton will be involved with Beetlejuice 3, his comments mean that the sequel is probably a long way away. Warner Bros. could want Burton back, but they simply haven’t reached the point where he would be involved yet. This signals that Beetlejuice 3 still has a lot of time in development, meaning that it could be years before the sequel hits theaters.