Jenna Ortega’s New Tim Burton Comments Just Killed Any Lingering Beetlejuice 2 Concerns
Beetlejuice 2 actress Jenna Ortega describing her experience on set with Tim Burton makes the expectations for the sequel’s success even higher.
Jenna Ortega’s new comments about Tim Burton filming Beetlejuice 2 confirm the upcoming sequel won’t disappoint. Premiering 36 years after the original movie, the 2024 horror comedy Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sees Tim Burton helm the first sequel to one of his films since 1992’s Batman Returns. After a series of critical or commercial misfires throughout the 2010s, Beetlejuice 2 is shaping up to be a long-awaited return to form for the gothic filmmaker, as the sequel revives Burton’s iconic trademarks from his earlier films like Beetlejuice (1988) and Edward Scissorhands (1990).
In addition to teasing her new character, Astrid, Jenna Ortega told Vanity Fair about Burton’s optimistic attitude on Beetlejuice 2’s set – their second collaboration after Wednesday. Speaking about her time filming the sequel, Ortega stated, “I feel like the shoot was a celebration of everyone being back together and doing practical effects again. It was probably the happiest I had ever seen Tim on a set, where he’s clapping at the monitor and shouting and laughing, which was really, really endearing.” Though some skepticism about a long-delayed sequel is always expected, Ortega’s comments indicate Beetlejuice 2 will live up to the original.
Beetlejuice 2 Being The “Happiest” Ortega Has Seen Tim Burton Is Even More Exciting After Wednesday Season 1
With practical effects, his early collaborators, and a spooky world that has already been built, Beetlejuice 2 is shaping up to tick all the boxes of what has come to define Tim Burton’s best movies.
Ortega stating Beetlejuice 2 was the “happiest [she] had ever seen Tim [Burton] on set” makes the anticipation for the sequel much greater. Ortega previously worked with Burton throughout Wednesday season 1 as he directed the first four episodes and served as a producer for the series, with the Netflix show already beginning the filmmaker’s big comeback. Now, with Burton seemingly even more ecstatic about Beetlejuice 2, a project he presumably has much more control over, the 2024 sequel is likely to be an even better return to form for the filmmaker than the acclaimed episodes he helmed on Wednesday.
Tim Burton’s passion projects have also typically yielded his greatest movies, and Ortega’s description of Beetlejuice 2’s filming process seems to suggest that the sequel falls under that category. With practical effects, his early collaborators, and a spooky world that has already been built, Beetlejuice 2 is shaping up to tick all the boxes of what has come to define Tim Burton’s best movies. After waiting 36 years for Beetlejuice 2 to finally come to fruition, Ortega’s comments solidify that Burton is making an authentic and worthy follow-up to the 1988 cult classic.
Jenna Ortega’s Beetlejuice 2 Comments Reveal A Huge Change That Wednesday Season 2 Needs To Make
Ortega’s description of Beetlejuice 2’s positive set environment also highlights a change that needs to be translated to Wednesday season 2. The Wednesday Addams actress explained that filming Beetlejuice 2 was partially a celebration of reviving the practical effects approach – a hallmark of Burton’s early filmmaking. Considering how prioritizing practical effects was Michael Keaton’s condition for making Beetlejuice 2, the fact that it contributed to such an enjoyable and genuine filming experience on the Tim Burton sequel means this approach should also be taken for Wednesday season 2.
One of the biggest criticisms of Wednesday season 1 was the Netflix show’s CGI effects, which were seen as underdeveloped and distracting from its horror elements. However, this CGI problem could be resolved in Wednesday season 2 by taking a page from Beetlejuice 2’s book and prioritizing practical effects for supernatural details around the Addams family mansion and Nevermore. It’s unclear how Tim Burton will be involved in Wednesday season 2, but if his excitement for Beetlejuice 2’s filmmaking style is any indication, it seems that he and the showrunners would benefit from leaning more into practical effects over CGI.