Beetlejuice (franchise)

Last updated

Beetlejuice
Created by
Original work Beetlejuice (1988)
Owner Warner Bros. Entertainment
Years1988–present
Films and television
Film(s)
Animated series
Theatrical presentations
Musical(s) Beetlejuice (2018–present)
Games
Video game(s) List of video games
Audio
Soundtrack(s)

Beetlejuice is an American fantasy horror comedy media franchise that originated with the film Beetlejuice (1988). The overall plot centers around a deceased couple who try to haunt the new inhabitants of their former home and call for help from a devious bio-exorcist ghost named Betelgeuse (after the star; the name is pronounced and often spelled "Beetlejuice"), who is summoned by saying his name three times. One of the new inhabitants is a young girl, Lydia, who is dealing with her mother's death and her neglectful father.

Contents

The original film was met with critical and commercial success and numerous accolades. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] The franchise expanded with the release of an animated television series, a stage musical, several video games, and an eventual sequel film.

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
DirectorScreenwritersStory byProducers
Beetlejuice March 30, 1988 Tim Burton Michael McDowell & Warren Skaaren Michael McDowell & Larry Wilson Michael Bender, Larry Wilson and Richard Hashimoto
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice September 6, 2024 Alfred Gough & Miles Millar Alfred Gough & Miles Millar and Seth Grahame-Smith Marc Toberoff, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Tommy Harper and Tim Burton

Beetlejuice (1988)

Beetlejuice is directed by Tim Burton, and written by Michael McDowell, Warren Skaaren, and Larry Wilson. [8] [9] Starring Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine O'Hara, Winona Ryder, and Michael Keaton as the titular character, produced by The Geffen Company, and distributed by Warner Bros., the plot revolves around a recently deceased couple; as ghosts, they are not allowed to leave their house. They contact Beetlejuice, an obnoxious and devious "bio-exorcist" from the Netherworld, to scare the home's new inhabitants away.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by the writing team of Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on a story by Seth Grahame-Smith. Starring Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe, the film is set to be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on September 6, 2024. [10] [11]

Television

Beetlejuice (1989–1991)

Due to the film's financial success, a Beetlejuice animated television series was created for ABC. The series ran for four seasons (the final season airing on Fox), from September 9, 1989, to December 6, 1991. Burton served as the show's developer and executive producer. [12]

"Ghost with the Most" (2020)

On October 6, 2020, Beetlejuice guest-starred in the Teen Titans Go! episode "Ghost with the Most", which aired as part of the show's sixth season. In this appearance, he was voiced by Alex Brightman, reprising his role from the Beetlejuice Broadway musical. [13]

Video games

Print

Print content associated with the franchise includes a six-issue comic book series published by Harvey Comics in 1991 and 1992, featuring adventures of Beetlejuice and Lydia along the lines of those in the animated series; a Marvel Comics guide containing "stories, comic strips, fact files, and puzzles", and a series of juvenile novels published by Aladdin Paperbacks in 1992. [15]

Stage musical

In 2016, work began on a Broadway stage musical adaptation of the film directed by Alex Timbers, produced by Warner Bros., with music and lyrics by Eddie Perfect and book by Scott Brown and Anthony King. The musical was debuted by readings starring Christopher Fitzgerald, Kris Kukul (musical director), and Connor Gallagher (choreographer). [16] It premiered at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. for a limited run from October 14 to November 18, 2018, with Alex Brightman in the title role. [17]

The production was scheduled to play its final performance at the Winter Garden on June 6, 2020. The producers were unable to find another theater to house the show due to the COVID Broadway shutdown in March 2020. The show reopened at the Marquis Theatre on April 8, 2022, and closed on January 8, 2023, [18] at a financial loss, having been unable to recoup its $21 million investment. [18] Subsequent productions opened across the world, including a North American national tour.

Main cast and characters

List indicator(s)

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in more than two films in the series.

CharacterFilmsTelevision series Stage musical
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice "Ghost with the Most"
198820241989–199120202018–2022
Betelgeuse Michael Keaton Stephen Ouimette Alex Brightman
Lydia Deetz Winona Ryder Alyson Court Sophia Anne Caruso
Delia Deetz Catherine O'Hara Elizabeth Hanna Leslie Kritzer
Charles Deetz Jeffrey Jones Roger DunnAdam Dannheisser
Astrid Deetz Jenna Ortega
Adam Maitland Alec Baldwin Rob McClure
Barbara Maitland Geena Davis Kerry Butler
Juno Sylvia Sidney Jill Abramovitz
Miss Argentina Patrice Martinez Leslie Kritzer
Maxie Dean Robert Goulet Danny Rutigliano
Otho Glenn Shadix Kelvin Moon
Delores Monica Bellucci
Rory Justin Theroux [19]

Additional crew and production details

TitleCrew/detail
ComposerCinematographerEditorsProduction
companies
Distributing
company
Running time
Beetlejuice Danny Elfman Thomas E. Ackerman Jane Kurson The Geffen Film Company Warner Bros. Pictures 1 hrs 32 mins
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Haris Zambarloukos Jay Prychidny Plan B Entertainment
Tim Burton Productions
TBA

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References

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