Why You Won't See Much of Beetlejuice in 'Beetlejuice 2'

After a more than 35 years, the long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice , hits theaters on Sept. 6. However, fans may be somewhat surprised to learn that the titular character won't be getting quite as much screen time as they may have hoped.

All things considered, Beetlejuice only appeared onscreen for 17 minutes in Tim Burton's 1988 classic. And as Michael Keaton , the "Ghost With the Most" himself explained in a new GQ interview this week, he actually had a stipulation in agreeing to do the sequel that Beetlejuice wouldn't take up too much space, given the enduring and overwhelming popularity of the character.

"The idea was, no, no, no, you can't load it up with Beetlejuice, that'll kill it," Keaton told the publication. "I think the Beetlejuice character doesn't drive the story as much as he did in the first one. He's more part of the storyline in this one as opposed to the first one, which is a case of, this thing comes in and drives the movie a little bit."

However, while Beetlejuice may not get as much or any additional screen time, Keaton reassures that the character won't be getting toned down for comparatively sensitive 2024 audiences and will continue to be a "debauched sicko."

"He's a thing. He's more of a thing than a he or a she, he's more of an it. And I'm not saying ‘it’ to be politically correct. I just viewed it as a force more than anything. I mean, there’s definitely strong male energy, like stupid male energy, which I love," he explained. "You don't want to touch that because it's not like you go, ‘Well, it's a new year and this thing would now act like that.'"

Beetlejuice 2 , as the sequel is also often referred to, picks up 36 years after the series of events in the first film, when the Deetz family returns to the family home after the unexpected death of Charles Deetz. Naturally, it doesn't take long before Lydia's (Winona Ryder) rebellious daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) stumbles upon the mysterious town model in the attic and accidentally opens the portal to the Afterlife.

In addition Keaton, Ryder, and Ortega, the cast includes Catherine O'Hara as well as newcomers Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, and Willem Dafoe. You can watch the trailer below.