Beetlejuice 2 Reportedly Resumes Filming Following Conclusion Of SAG-AFTRA Strike

After nearly completing filming prior to the SAG-AFTRA strike, Beetlejuice 2 has reportedly resumed filming. The movie sees the return of Tim Burton in the director’s chair with Wednesday co-creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough penning the script, and the Netflix show’s star Jenna Ortega also joining returning stars Michael Keaton in the eponymous role, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz. The cast will also see franchise newcomers Monica Bellucci as Beletgeuse’s wife and Justin Theroux and Willem Dafoe in undisclosed roles.

Just over four months after the movie halted its initial production, CBS Boston is reporting that Beetlejuice 2 has resumed filming.

The video, as seen above, shows a group of homes in Melrose, Massachusetts dressed up in Halloween decorations, with local residents telling the publication that it is for Burton’s sequel in the hopes of wrapping filming. The Massachusetts Film Office wouldn’t confirm to CBS Boston whether these reports were true.

Beetlejuice 2’s Filming Return Could Prove Promising For Its Release

Shortly after the filming halt, Burton had revealed that Beetlejuice 2 was “99%” done, indicating that he only needed a day and a half of production in order to wrap it completely. With the above filming report coming a couple of days ago, should it prove to be true, the sequel could very well have already completed shooting. This would also prove promising for the movie’s currently planned September 2024 release date.

A recent report indicated that Warner Bros. were considering delaying the movie’s release to 2025 alongside the Robert De Niro-led gangster movie Alto Knights stemming from the SAG-AFTRA strike. Said report was released prior to the strike ending, making for the possibility that the studio has since abandoned this plan, as actors are now able to promote their projects. Additionally, with Burton likely having worked on the post-production of the movie amid the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the sequel could be further along than some may expect.

The other benefit to having Beetlejuice 2 retain its current September 2024 release date is the lack of serious box office competition for the long-awaited sequel. The only major titles the movie would face is the holdover release of Kraven the Hunter, a movie already seeing minimal anticipation from audiences due to its Sony’s Spider-Man Universe connection, and subsequent release of Transformers One a week later. Though an October release could prove just as promising for Beetlejuice 2, the combined might of Joker: Folie à Deux, Smile 2 and Terrifier 3 could prove too much for WB to test the waters against Burton’s movie.

Source: CBS Boston