Beetlejuice Beetlejuice finally brings back the ghost with the most, 34 years after Tim Burton's celebrated original movie.
The sequel (which is longer than the original) sees three generations of the Deetz family return home after an unexpected tragedy. But they're not the only ones back. When Lydia's daughter Astrid discovers the model in the attic, it's not long before Betelgeuse returns for more chaos.
Following its world premiere tonight (August 28) at Venice International Film Festival, those lucky few to have already seen Beetlejuice Beetlejuice have taken to Twitter/X to share their first reactions.
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So, does the sequel live up to the first movie?
Related: Beetlejuice is now available to watch on Netflix
Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue was certainly entertained, writing: "The Juice is loose baby! #BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice is weird, quirky, and a worthy sequel to the 1988 film. I instantly had a soft spot for it with the use of 'MacArthur Park' but having Michael Keaton back as Beetlejuice is beyond perfection."
"#BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice has all of the fun reviving this horror-comedy from the afterlife. Tim Burton & the cast clearly loved making this movie, which is as bonkers, sweet, and twistedly funny as expected," Mike Reyes of CinemaBlend added. "The Juice is loose again, and it feels like old times.
"Even with a cast of heavy hitters and incoming stars, Catherine O'Hara almost walks away with this movie under her arm. Seeing her, Michael Keaton, and Winona Ryder return is a prime example of nostalgia done right."
Critic Eric Goldman had a more nuanced take on the sequel: "Plotwise, #BeetlejuiceBeetlejuice has some issues (one too many bad guy storylines, most notably). But as far as a return to this world and characters, I had a great time. Burton, Keaton, Ryder & O'Hara all feel right back at home and it happily recaptures that Beetlejuice vibe.
"Winona Ryder & Jenna Ortega, as one might guess, are a great match as mother and daughter and Michael Keaton is once more perfect playing a role that so uniquely fits him. Catherine O'Hara might be the MVP this time though - just a sublimely funny person."
Related: Watch the trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Other early reactions called Beetlejuice Beetlejuice "a joyous romp" back in the franchise, and praised its "old school Burton zaniness and greatness".
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice brings back Michael Keaton in his iconic role, alongside Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz and Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, while Jenna Ortega plays Lydia's daughter Astrid.
Other newcomers include Justin Theroux as Lydia's partner Rory, Monica Bellucci as Betelgeuse's ex-wife Delores, Willem Dafoe as ghost detective Wolf Jackson and Burn Gorman as Father Damien, a reverend in Winter River.
Earlier this month, Keaton explained how he thinks Beetlejuice Beetlejuice improves on the first movie, saying it has a "stronger story".
"There's more of a connection for the audience in terms of the other characters," he noted. "There's things in here that I wasn't ready for, that are beyond delightful."
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Ryder added: "I feel very confident that it will match and exceed expectations. It certainly did mine, and mine are way up there. I literally think every generation can find something in it that they'll really appreciate."
If you want to remind yourself of Beetlejuice before the sequel's released next week, you can watch the original movie on Netflix and Prime Video in the UK.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is released in cinemas on September 6.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
