Brad Pitt's 'Plan B' Set To Take Over Much-Awaited 'Beetlejuice' Sequel

Beetlejuice: 2 is now officially in the good hands of Brad Pitt's production company 'Plan B'. The sequel to Tim Burton's 'Beetlejuice' was in planning for the past ten years, but couldn't get past the grave depths of 'in-development'.

According to Consequence and Yahoo Entertainment, Plan B has shown great interest in producing the new sequel. Beetlejuice: 2 was also in the making during 2015 when Warner Bros. had green-lit the production. But after a year, the production, that is the 'development' stopped. Now, Plan B is planning to start afresh and roll cameras this summer.

Tim Burton's Beetlejuice premiered in 1988. It was a comedic horror and garnered an enormous fan following. It was a one-of-a-kind cult film that accumulated $75 million at the box office with an Academy Award win for best make-up. While the budget for visual effects in the film was just over a million, BAFTA recognized the creative genius of the film and nominated it for best visual effects.

The plot revolved around a deceased couple (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), who contact Beetlegeuse (pronounced Beetlejuice, played by Michael Keaton) to haunt the new inhabitants of the couple's former house. The film was also revived by an animated TV series. Since its release, Beetlejuice had been labeled a comedic and creative classic by critics.

The sequel is already said to have the original cast return. This means that Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder will reprise their roles. Alec Baldwin, unfortunately, won't be part of the film because of the shooting incident that took place earlier this year. At the time when people were yearning for this sequel during the '90s, Burton planned a vacation film called "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian". This was written by Jonathan Gems. The plot followed the Deetz family, who moved to Hawaii to live in a resort. They get to know that the resort was being built on an ancient burial ground and the spirits could return. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice wins a surf contest through magic.

The sequel could've happened, as Keaton and Ryder agreed to it. But Keaton and Burton, both, became busy with 'Batman Returns', and the idea was dropped. After this, Warner Bros. pursued the idea of a sequel in 2011. They hired Seth-Grahame Smith to write the script, but it just did not work out well. After nine years of development, the project was officially shelved. About the script and his involvement in the sequel, Smith said:

'I don't wanna be the guy that destroys the legacy and the memory of the first film; I would rather die. I would rather just not make it, I'd rather just throw the whole thing away than make something that pays no respect and doesn't live up even close to the legacy of the first film.' As far as the audience is concerned, it is ethically important to create a sequel that lives up to the legacy of the original cult classic.

Michael Keaton has since done great roles. He has worked in the critically acclaimed Academy Award winners 'Birdman' and 'Spotlight'. He recently worked in the critically acclaimed Hulu drama 'Dopesick'. Keaton is also reported reprising his role as Bruce Wayne in the new 'Batgirl'.

Tim Burton has also continued his legacy of cult classics with films like 'Edward Scissorhands' and 'Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'. Tim Burton is also creating 'Wednesday', an original series based on 'The Adams Family'. It is likely that none of the 'old-timers' have lost their touch, in fact, they've even evolved and are getting better and better. So, the fans can expect a great sequel, and the longings might well be more than just fruitful.

As far as the production is concerned, Plan B has been involved with both, box office and critical successes. They've produced 'Twelve Years A Slave' that won three Oscars out of nine nominations. Plan B was involved with other great films like 'The Big Short', 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', 'Killing them Softly', 'World War Z', etc. Therefore, it is good to assume that the Beetlejuice sequel is in safe hands.