Michael Keaton recently shared his thoughts on the “surreal” experience of reprising his iconic role in the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel. In a conversation with Empire magazine, Keaton, who first brought the character Betelgeuse to life in Tim Burton’s 1988 classic, discussed how he had to strip away the layers of pop culture that had built up around his character over the years.
Keaton emphasized the importance of reconnecting with the original, quirky essence of Betelgeuse rather than focusing on the character’s widespread commercial image. “There’s been so much merchandising of it, I had to drop back to where it started,” he explained. “I had to go, ‘What was my unusual imagination even thinking about when I was developing it in the first place?’ As opposed to seeing a coffee mug or a golf club cover with Betelgeuse’s face.”
Reflecting on the character’s mainstream merchandising, Keaton admitted it felt strange. “To be honest with you — I’m being very frank — it was off-putting, to look and go, ‘I don’t want to look like all these little things, fuck that — what was the thing that started this?’”
Despite these challenges, Keaton believes he successfully recaptured the essence of Betelgeuse for the sequel, set to release on September 6. “I love it,” he said about the film. “I absolutely love this thing. And I don’t [usually] talk like that. I unabashedly love this. It was not easy to pull off, and I think we did it in spades.”
Director Tim Burton also praised Keaton’s performance, telling Empire, “It was like he was possessed by a demon, because he just went right back into it.”
The Beetlejuice sequel boasts an impressive cast, including Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Catherine O’Hara.
