Monica Bellucci Joins Growing Cast For 'Beetlejuice 2,' More Actors Returning From Original
By Jeffrey Harris on May 13, 2023 at 9:00 PM EDT
With Warner Bros. Pictures moving full steam ahead on plans for "Beetlejuice 2," more actors are joining the growing cast. According to The Hollywood Reporter, veteran thespian Monica Bellucci ("Mafia Mamma," "The Passion of the Christ," "The Brotherhood of the Wolf," "Spectre") is the latest actress who appears to be joining the film's growing cast.
The Hollywood Trade notes that Bellucci is currently in negotiations for the upcoming sequel.
Monica Bellucci Joining Michael Keaton And Jenna Ortega In 'Beetlejuice 2'
THR reports that Bellucci is expected to portray the wife of the one and only "ghost with the most." The original film had a joke referencing Beetlejuice having a wife when he attempted to marry Lydia. He found a severed finger in his pocket with a ring, claiming, "I'm telling you, honey, she meant nothing to me! Nothing at all!" During the ceremony, the undead ghost also implied he had been married once before.
The highly anticipated sequel to the 1988 film is currently undergoing casting, and Bellucci is the latest name to emerge for the film. Tim Burton, who directed the original, will again be behind the camera for the follow-up. Academy Award-nominated actor Michael Keaton will again reprise his role as the "bio-exorcist," Betelguese, aka Beetlejuice. And Jenna Ortega joins the franchise as Lydia Deetz's daughter.
Winona Ryder portrayed Lydia in the original film. THR reports that Ryder is also on board as Ortega's mother for the sequel. Catherine O'Hara is also reportedly returning as Lydia's mother, Delia Deetz. It's unknown if Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, who portrayed the ghostly Maitlands, will be back. New to the cast for the sequel will be Justin Theroux ("White House Plumbers," "Your Highness").
"Beetlejuice" is currently slated for a Sept. 6, 2024 release. It takes the spot that Marvel Studios and Disney previously picked for the "Blade" reboot starring Mahershala Ali. However, Marvel has put that project on pause due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. The film was still in preproduction when it was shut down, so it's unlikely "Blade" will still be able to make the September 2024 target.
Burton is directing and producing the film from a script by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. He's re-teaming with the duo, who also created "The Addams Family" reboot, "Wednesday," which starred Ortega as Wednesday Addams. Burton served as executive producer of the hit Netflix series and directed several episodes.
The original "Beetlejuice" film is an iconic genre-transcending film, and the sequel has been discussed for many years. Now, it looks to become a reality finally. The original movie forged the relationship between Burton and Keaton, convincing Burton that Keaton was the man to portray Batman in the 1989 "Batman" film. The success of "Beetlejuice" also helped Burton get the green light from the studio for the comic book movie. Keaton will also reprise his role as Batman next month in the new DC comic book movie, "The Flash," which arrives in theaters on June 16.
Plot details on the sequel are being kept secret, but it should be interesting to see how Bellucci's character comes into play.
