The world premiere of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited sequel to his award-winning film Beetlejuice, is the Opening Film, Out of Competition, of the 81st Venice International Film Festival taking place August 28 to September 7, 2024.
Keaton returns to his iconic role alongside Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and two-time Emmy winner Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz, with new cast members Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti in his feature film debut, with Emmy nominee Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, and Oscar nominee Willem Dafoe.
Tim Burton said: “I’m very excited by this. It means a lot to me to have the world premiere of this film at the Venice Film Festival.”
Alberto Barbera said: “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice marks the long-awaited return of one of the most iconic characters of Tim Burton’s cinema, but also the happy confirmation of the extraordinary visionary talent and the masterly realization of one of the most fascinating auteurs of his time. The Venice Biennale is honored and proud to host the world premiere of a work that features a surprising swing of creative imagination and driving hallucinatory rhythm.”
After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released only in theaters and IMAX on September 6, 2024 in North America, and internationally beginning 4 September 2024. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Burton directs from a screenplay by Alfred Gough & Miles Millar (Wednesday), story by Gough & Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith (The LEGO® Batman Movie), based on characters created by Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson. The film’s producers are Marc Toberoff, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tommy Harper and Burton, with Sara Desmond, Katterli Frauenfelder, Gough, Millar, Larry Wilson, Laurence Senelick and Brad Pitt executive producing.
Burton’s creatives behind the scenes includes director of photography Haris Zambarloukos (Belfast, Murder on the Orient Express); such previous and frequent collaborators as production designer Mark Scruton (Wednesday), editor Jay Prychidny (Wednesday), Oscar-winning costume designer Colleen Atwood (Alice in Wonderland, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sleepy Hollow), Oscar-winning creature effects and special makeup FX creative supervisor Neal Scanlan (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory); BAFTA-winning Visual Effects Supervisor Angus Bickerton (House of the Dragon, Dark Shadows); and Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman (Big Fish, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Batman); as well as Oscar-winning hair and makeup designer Christine Blundell (Topsy-Turvy).