Tim Burton doesn’t want to make Beetlejuice 3, but there are 2 more versions of the fantasy adventure that you can discover now

Since September 5th, the cinemas have been haunted again, because Beetlejuice, Tim Burton’s sequel to his 80s ghost story Beetlejuice, has been conjured up. Michael Keaton is back as the scoundrel ghost Betelgeuse (“Beetlejuice” is just the film title and a charade reference to his name, which is pronounced the same way) and Winona Ryder is back as Lydia.

Part 3 could be extremely fitting Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will probably not happen, as Burton recently told Variety. Fortunately, fans have two worthwhile alternative options.

Instead of Beetlejuice 3: These two versions are waiting to be discovered by you

For many kids in the 90s, the first point of contact with the bio-exorcist Betelgeuse was not the original film, but the surprisingly enduring and amusing animated series Beetlejuice. Four seasons with a total of 94 episodes were produced by Tim Burton between 1989 and 1991 and even made it onto German television via Sat.1.

The biggest difference to the film: In the cartoon, the mob poltergeist Betelgeuse and the goth girl Lydia Deetz are close friends. What remains the same is that she summons him by saying his name three times. Only then he doesn’t try to make her his far too young bride, but instead experiences groovy goth adventures with her.

Many still swear by the cartoon version and especially by Lydia’s cool spider web poncho, which can still be seen occasionally at Halloween parties today.

If you want to see for yourself, you can at least buy the first season of the Beetlejuice cartoon on Amazon and Google Play. But at least check out the banger opening to the series, for which film composer Danny Elfman contributed a very Elfman-like piece:

Beetlejuice The Musical. The Musical. The Musical.

Speaking of music: Until the film sequel ushered in the return of Michael Keaton, one man was the replacement Betelgeuse for many: Alex Brightman, the star of the acclaimed Beetlejuice musical. In this version by author and composer Eddie Perfect, Lydia loses her mother at the beginning, which Betelgeuse comments on after the first song as follows: “A ballad already? And such a bold deviation from the original!” Burton’s black and white snakes and the recently deceased Adam and Barbara Maitland from the film still appear.

In general, Betelgeuse likes to break the fourth wall during the stage play. For example, in his first song, The Whole Being Dead Thing, when he informs the audience that the show will go on even if one of them kicks the bucket during it. Typical of the self-aware, tongue-in-cheek musical version, which is nevertheless a profound examination of the subject of death.

Unfortunately, there was a small curse on the musical, which made it to Broadway in 2019 after a trial period in Washington, only to be closed during the Corona pandemic. It did not return to the stage until 2022 and also began a US tour.

A complete pro-shot recording of the Beetlejuice musical does not exist for streaming. However, you can listen to the entire studio album on sites like Spotify or Amazon * Here is a trailer for the show:

There is currently no talk of a German version of the musical. Perhaps that will change soon, depending on how well Beetlejuice does at the local box office.

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