Somebody tell Tim Burton that ‘Beetlejuice 3’ already has a poetic setup

It took 36 years for a Beetlejuice (1988) sequel, and now that it’s here, fans are already eager for another installment. Tim Burton’s thoughts on the matter are a bit complicated, but some evidence suggests that Beetlejuice 3 could very much become a thing.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice returns Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara to their legendary roles while Jenna Ortega debuts as Astrid, the daughter of Ryder’s Lydia Deetz. Astrid’s descent into the afterlife portal sees Beetlejuice and Lydia teaming up to save her. Although Beetlejuice is undoubtedly a big draw, the movie’s true focus is the three generations of Deetz women. With Ortega’s Astrid feeling right at home in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice universe, another film seems like a no-brainer.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice audiences will most likely be leaving the theater with their phones already clutched in one hand to Google prospects of Beetlejuice 3. At the time of writing, there is no official confirmation of a third Beetlejuice movie, but producer Tommy Harper told GamesRadar+ that “anything could happen.” However, Harper also confirmed that he and Burton haven’t discussed next steps, focusing instead on the success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice before jumping ahead:

We haven’t talked about where it could go from here, we just talked about making one really good movie.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice producer Tommy Harper (GamesRadar+)

Burton shared the sentiment and, according to GamesRadar+, “noticeably squirm[ed]” at the mention of Beetlejuice 3. That’s not entirely surprising. The interview was conducted before the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, meaning no reviews or box office stats, either. Talking up a third movie before critic and audience reception is a risky move, even for a notable director like Burton.

There’s also Burton’s filmography to consider. Since his 1985 directorial debut of Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Burton has only directed one sequel before Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which was Batman Returns, the follow-up to 1989’s Batman. Burton has also been quite outspoken against a Nightmare Before Christmas sequel and compared his franchise refusal to an “old guy” fighting a big power plant for his land during an interview with Variety. From Edward Scissorhands to Jack Skellington, Burton is very protective of his characters and doesn’t (typically) follow Hollywood’s turn-everything-into-a-franchise trend.

For some, it’s refreshing. For others, it’s concerning. Beetlejuice 3 will only work with Burton, and Burton isn’t known for jumping on the sequel bandwagon. Reception will play a major role here. If Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a smash hit, that “one really good movie” Harper mentioned could very well turn into another one. After all, the movie’s title already perfectly sets up a third entry.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice feels like something carefully selected by studio executives as a little wink and possible hint of another installment. One only needs to utter Beetlejuice’s name three times for him to appear, so what better way to wrap up his story than with a film titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice? That’s just poetry.