More than 35 years later, one of Michael Keaton’s most iconic roles has finally been resurrected.
The Academy Award nominee slipped back into his black and white suit for Entertainment Weekly’s first look at Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to director Tim Burton’s 1988 horror comedy classic.
Keaton reprises his performance as the undead ‘bio-exorcist’ with a penchant for unleashing chaos on the living.
In the first look, he donned his signature striped suit and decaying makeup, slipping seamlessly back into the role.
Burton told EW that seeing Keaton in character again after all this time was ‘a weird out-of-body experience.’
Michael Keaton slipped back into his iconic black and white suit for a first look at Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to director Tim Burton’s 1988 classic
Another image shows Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reuniting as Lydia Deetz and mother Delia, along with Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter Astrid Deetz and Justin Theroux as mysterious new character Rory
‘He just got back into it,’ explained Burton. ‘It was kind of scary for somebody who was maybe not that overly interested in doing it.’
He continued, ‘It was such a beautiful thing for me to see all the cast, but he, sort of like demon possession, just went right back into it.’
Another image shows Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara reuniting as Lydia Deetz and mother Delia.
The photo also introduces Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter Astrid Deetz.
Justin Theroux’s character Rory makes his debut as well, although details of his character are still unknown.
The four appear to be attending a funeral in the photo, all wearing black and gathered next to a hearse.
Burton revealed that the sequel begins with a death in the family. ‘That’s all I will say. There’s something that happens that sets things in motion,’ he said.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also stars Burton’s girlfriend Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s wife and Willem Dafoe as a B movie action star who has become a detective in the afterlife.
Burton said that seeing Keaton in character again after all this time was ‘a weird out-of-body experience’
He also revealed that the sequel begins with a death in the family. ‘That’s all I will say,’ added Burton
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premieres September 6 in theaters
The original Beetlejuice starred Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin as Barbara and Adam Maitland, a happily married couple who dies in a tragic car accident and returns as ghosts.
When the Deetz family moves into their country dream home and begins turning it into a contemporary monstrosity, they enlist Beetlejuice’s help to scare them away, and all hell breaks loose.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice premieres September 6 in theaters.
