By Karolina Mroczek, Grade 11

The beloved horror classic, Beetlejuice, has returned to theaters for its exciting sequel. The 104-minute long film tells the story of Lydia Deetz’s experiences many years after meeting Beetlejuice and showcases aspects of Beetlejuice’s past. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice provides a glimpse into the futures of the (living) characters found in the original movie.

The original Beetlejuice (1988) was successful to a certain extent. Directed by famous horror movie director, Tim Burton, Beetlejuice grossed roughly $75 million in the box office and received mixed reviews. The movie received a 7.5/10 rating from IMDb, an 83% score from Rotten Tomatoes, and a 71% rating from Metacritic. Despite critic reviews, Beetlejuice was the 1990 Saturn Award winner for Best Horror Film and won a second Saturn Award the same year for Best Makeup. The lead characters in Beetlejuice are played by well-known actors Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz), and Catherine O’Hara (Delia Deetz). Although the actors did not win any awards for their work in the movie, their takes on their roles were well executed.

Since its first performance in 2018, Beetlejuice: The Musical. The Musical. The Musical. (simply known as Beetlejuice) was greatly enjoyed by viewers. Once the show reached Broadway, it became popular among viewers of all ages. The cast featured Broadway legend Alex Brightman, best known for his role in School of Rock, and emerging stage actress Sophia Anne Caruso as Lydia Deetz. Beetlejuice did not win any awards at the 2019 Tony Awards, but it was nominated for 10 categories, including Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Alex Brightman as Beetlejuice), Best Original Score, and Best Musical. The musical grossed approximately $97 million and can be considered successful due to its popularity on Broadway. Beetlejuice was meant to shut down in early 2020, but fan reception led to a brief Broadway ‘revival’ in 2022, shortly after COVID-19 mask mandates were lifted. Since it was never meant to return to Broadway so soon, Beetlejuice ultimately closed in January 2023. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was released in 2024 and served as a sequel to the original film. Tim Burton directed the movie, and many of the actors in the original cast returned to play older versions of their characters. For example, Winona Ryder is portrayed as the adult Lydia Deetz as well as a mother to Astrid (played by actress Jenna Ortega). Appearances by Monica Bellucci and Danny Devito may have also contributed to the movie’s overall success. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice grossed about $405 million at the box office and received similar ratings to the original film. More specifically, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice received a 7/10 rating from IMDb, a 77% score from Rotten Tomatoes, and stands pat at its 71% Metacritic rating.

Personally, I am a huge fan of Beetlejuice as a whole. I was first introduced to it through the musical, which I watched in January 2020. To this day, Beetlejuice is my favorite Broadway musical of all time– I adored the humorous portrayal of death in the show, which is not as gruesome as it seems. In my opinion, the original Beetlejuice movie is a bit more unsettling than the musical. The movie employs special effects that can easily make for a spine-chilling experience. On the other hand, the musical took a more comedic approach when it came to the storyline. That being said, the storyline is somewhat altered in the musical, but it aligns with the movie sequel. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice made me feel the same sense of fear and excitement that I experienced after initially seeing the musical, though the movie is much creepier. Modern technology allows for odder and more realistic effects, which Beetlejuice Beetlejuice does not fall short of. Additionally, I appreciated the original cast making an appearance as their older selves. It was interesting to see how Lydia’s childhood experiences grew on her and impacted the entirety of her adulthood, and how Beetlejuice had a hidden past before he met Lydia. I wish I could have seen more of the Maitlands in the sequel, especially since the plot continues to revolve around their home. Finally, I strongly disliked the use of the ‘it was all a dream’ cliche at the end of the movie. I find it to be overused and rather unoriginal, especially in a horror movie. I understand the choices that were made for the sake of production, but I would definitely appreciate a third Beetlejuice movie that ties the plot together.

Overall, the world of Beetlejuice is frightening but fun. Many horror movie enjoyers can agree that both films exhibit a great combination of comedy and horror. Beetlejuice has been a relevant movie for decades, especially with the release of its sequel. All official Beetlejuice media can be enjoyed by fans of both comedy and horror, bringing together two seemingly opposing genres into several macabre masterpieces.