Beetlejuice Beetlejuice—the decades-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s spooky-season classic—was a box-office hit, meaning that even if it didn’t make quite the same cultural impact as its inspiration, talk of a threequel is already in the air. But even if Hollywood has its hopes up, Burton and star Jenna Ortega aren’t making any promises.
In fact, in a new interview with the Hollywood Reporter, the Wednesday duo sounded downright skeptical about Beetlejuice 3.
“Really? Nobody told me. Maybe I’ve been replaced,” Burton said.
Ortega added, “Maybe I’ve been, too. Maybe [her character] Astrid dies and goes to heaven instead [of the films’ Netherworld]. They should just take Baby Beetlejuice on tour and send him to Hawaii.”
It’s hard to tell out of context just how much joking was behind that (especially when Burton made clear later in the interview that “I don’t talk about anything until I’m doing it”).
However, he’s not completely slamming the door, from the sound of it. “I really, really enjoyed making this one, and [Warner Bros.] didn’t even really want to do it. We did it the same way I did the first one, with the actors doing improv. It was beautiful to see some of the old cast and have Jenna. But it’s like trying to recreate the Wednesday dance scene. I love the characters, but I don’t necessarily see it.”
He also said, despite that “replaced” remark, that he wouldn’t want anyone else to make a Beetlejuice movie (which could theoretically happen: he doesn’t own the rights to the characters). Ortega is of the same mind.
“Oh, I would never [star in a Beetlejuice movie not directed by Burton]. I also think anybody would be really wrong to get behind that project. Without him involved, what is it? It is what it is because of Tim. There’s no other film you can compare Beetlejuice to. So why would you do that? That would be a tad disrespectful.”
The good news is, if you’re dying for a fresh Burton-Ortega fix beyond the realm of bio-exorcism, the wait won’t be too long: Wednesday‘s back on Netflix August 6.