MAJOR DIFFERENCES:
{NOTE: If you don't want to read the treatment you can just read a list of noticable differences from this and the original film}
-More of a Horror tone, like the original script, much like a mixture of Fright Night {Remake} and Stanly Kubrick’s The Shining.
- The Original Theme would mostly stay intact but overall it would be tweaked as to create a darker, scarier tone to fit the tone of the new film.
- The Maitland’s had a daughter, adopted: Cathy Maitland, that committed suicide over them taking a vacation because she wanted to spend it with her boyfriend, when she gets her way she discovers that cheated on her and suffered deeply from depression she jumped off The Bridge an hour after finding her boyfriend sleeping with her supposed best friend Jane Butterfield (Young Jane) {at the end of the film they would discover she was Reincarnated into Lydia, the Caseworker Juno saw her as being too young to stay dead and felt sorry for her, so she allowed Lydia to be reincarnated (much like all young kids are) but Lydia isn't allowed to remember her past life as penance for suicide}
- Their Daughters death is the reason they never vacation out of home.
- Jane returns 15 years later, aged 30, trying to convince The Maitlands to sell their home, even going as low as saying “it’s what Cathy would want.”
- Little Janet is Jane’s daughter who’s likeness is identical.
- Before the Maitland’s death they talk about whether or not they would sell the house if the other had passed away, Barbara says she would while Adam wouldn’t.
- Lydia's birth mother died giving Birth, Delia use to be Charles Secretary until they started sleeping together after Lydia's mom died.
- Lydia is initially Emo, having cut her wrists attempting to cut suicide from severe depression but stopped herself {not realizing that it was actually her forcefully repressed Memories as Cathy that stopped her} and is part of the reason why Charles brought his family out there.
- Through the film Lydia is a emo and suicidal but her interactions with the Maitlands begin showing her the brighter side of life.
- Charles is a struggling writer instead of an Architect.
- Delia turned to art and clothes designing after failing as an actress.
- Delia is the one who sets up the Deal for “Big Max” to come down and look at the ghosts, this time in hope of turning the House into a “Haunted House” Museum.
- Maxie Dean “Big Max” is a publisher and Art Dealer, his business partner Bernard attempts to dissuade Max from agreeing to deal with The Deetz.
- Otho is Delia’s personal assistant and fashion coordinator.
- Otho is homosexual, and he does have a sister.
- Otho lives with the Deetz on contract.
- Instead of using the song “Day-O”, The Maitlands use “Thriller” possessing the party guests and even appearing themselves as “Zombies”
- Beetlejuice (or as it’s occasionally spelled Betelgeuse) would drop hints as to other lives he’s lived but never directly stating, the other Identities he would refer to would be: Judas, Vlad the Impaler, King Louis the XVI, George Washington, John Wilks Booth, Adolf Hitler, Zodiac.
- Otho invites his sister to a dinner party at the end of the film.
- Beetlejuice will marry Lydia at the end, but dies because he is made mortal.
SIMILARITIES:
- Beetlejuice's signature striped suit.
- You have to say his name 3 times.
- Beetlejuice is a vulgar [frick]. He loves to cuss.
- Beetlejuice keeps his perverted tendencies.
- Film retains the elements of a Black Comedy.
- Most of the Story is intact.
The big differences are in the additional details.
BETELGEUSE
Based on the film “Beetlejuice” Directed by Tim Burton
Based on the script "Beetlejuice" Written by Larry Wilson, Michael McDowell, and Warren Skarren
Screen Story and Script Treatment by Robert Garlen.
OPEN with a Preamble, taking place before the opening credits:
Arguing off screen in a house. A girl and the parents, all of screen the argument goes over the vacation the girl wants to stay, the parents want to go to Hawaii. The argument ends with the girl getting her way…
Hard on Winter River, Connecticut. Rain is pouring like a mother[frick]er. We see a young, beautiful girl (15) CATHY running down a neighborhood, happy, smiling. She runs up to a door, she knocks on the door, another girl (15) “Little” Jane Butterfield with just a T-Shirt on, and behind her comes up a boy (16) Timothy Michael. The three of them stare at each other like a deer at headlights.
Cathy takes off. Wide on her running away… Slide/transition to:
INT. Maitland’s Home. Cathy is in her room crying, writing a suicide note speaking it out loud, the camera pushes in on the note as it’s read:
“I am so utterly alone. By the time you have read this you will have this I will be gone having plummeted into the Winter River Bridge, having no reason to live, as the one boy I love betrayed me. I am so sorry Mom and Dad. Goodbye forever… Cathy Maitland.”
We fade onto the Winter River Bridge. Cathy is crying sitting on the window opening.
ADAM MAITLAND (25) handsome, glasses, Fatherly is working on a half built model of the city. BARBARA MAITLAND (25) Beautiful, sweet, Motherly bursts in the room, CATHY is gone. Adam searches her room finds the note, tells Barb he knows where she it and runs for it.
Adam bursts out of the house and runs with the note dropping out of his hand.
ADAM finds Cathy at the Winter River Bridge. He runs down the Bridge hollering for Cathy, she sees Adam and leaps off. Adam sees her go and drops to his knees. Barbara finds him with the note in hand at the bridge the two sit there and cry as…
FADE IN: OPENING CREDITS: “BETLEGEUSE” No score. Instead it’s a funeral for Cathy. We go through the session and we see Tim apologize before Adam takes him by the neck and throws him out. Barbara stops Adam from throwing Jane out as she begins crying and begging for forgiveness.
CUT TO:
15 YEARS LATER… WINTER RIVERS, CT…
The Maitland’s are enjoying their vacation, now respectively in their early 40’s. They’re vacationing at home, just like Cathy wanted. They get each other presents celebrating their 15th marriage anniversary. They almost ignore the subject of Cathy.
They talk and force the subject on each other. They decide they’ll try again for a baby. Jane visits to offer her condolences and to persuade them to sell the house, they give her a harsh no and threaten to have her disbarred from the Realtor Association.
She leaves, a bit pissy. Scene moves…
Adam and Barbara sitting outside; enjoying a nice tan and sunlight. Adam is working on his model. He needs a part, He and Barb head out in their Blue/Grey station wagon.
They talk on the way there about whether or not to sell the house if the other passes, Barbara right off admits she would, Adam says he couldn’t live with himself if he ever sold the house.
They talk about Cathy, they finally agree they’ve come to terms, and can no longer blame themselves and agree to try raising another baby {but since they physically can’t have children they decide to adopt again}.
Adam goes through his routine at the hardware store, grabbing this and that for a model and exits.
He and Barbara begin heading back home hitting the bridge, Where a stray dog forces Barbara off the road.
They sit in the car unconscious for a few seconds and sees the stray stands on a beam and jumps off as they plunge into the river – ADAM & BARB’S P.O.V.: CATHY –
They wake up. Their bedroom; they look at each other, they know something isn’t right. They investigate and discover they’re dead. Adam leaves the house – the venture sends him to OCEAN – He crosses the field to get back to the house. Barb tells him that he’s been gone for hours.
They discuss the best course of action. They find "The Handbook for the Recently Deceased" on their coffee table. They flip through it look for what to do.
They walk through the house while Jane and her daughter JANET (15) {Spitting Image of young Jane} do a walkthrough with the DEETZ. Charles Deetz (40's) handsome but hardworking. Delia (40's) Lydia's step mother, beautiful but she radiates pure bitch in her movements and the last member of the gang: Lydia (15), the spitting image of Cathy; but Emo, scars on her wrists, she accompanies Jane. Lydia talks to Jane, asking her what happened Jane explains the Maitland's death, says they had a daughter that when the same way 15 years ago, Janet accuses them of suicide.
Adam and Barb watches them, they're dumb struck at Lydia. They discuss with each other over her. They don't know what to do, Adam checks the book, finds nothing.
They overhear JANE and JANET talk about going up to the Attic. ADAM and BARB book it, running right through Jane and Charles, They slam the door.
Jane pushes against the door, ADAM and BARB put pressure against it, fighting Jane.
JANE fights the door, now with Charles help!
Barbara checks the book while Adam holds the door. He jams the key out. She looks around grabs a can of paint and a brush, she "paints" a door. Adam suggests knocking three times. She does.
Barb and Adam run into the "Dimensional Doorway" Jane opens the door nearly falling as she opens it. She proceeds to show them the attic...
FADE TO:
"PURGATORY OFFICE" The Maitlands enter and go through the process.
INTERCUT: Charles handing Jane the money, Lydia and Janet in the Background talking, Delia pantomiming disgust.
PURGATORY OFFICE: The Maitlands are taken through the hallways by a decapitated female secretory. They enter a door, they are at the BRIDGE where they took their fateful plunge.
JUNO, old, kindly, chain smoker. The Maitland's case worker. They talk. Juno mentions to having met a Maitland before but dismisses it when The situation: Maitlands are dead, They want their House left alone. Juno tells them the jist, they want someone out of their house, they have to do it.
Juno leaves them where they are. They notice that they were never at the bridge but in the MODEL!
They look around, hear some rustling. They leave the model, look around to find the house is being moved into. Adam looks at his feat to find a flier for "BETELGEUSE, BIO-EXCORCIST"
Lydia looks at the looming house outside. Jane arrives to hand her a Skeleton key. They talk about the house Lydia asks her what happened and only get a "They passed away"
The Maitlands set up an elaborate ruse, as the Deetz explore the house, and the movers move in, OTHO, large dark haired, but handsome in a very "in your face way" enters with Deelia, the two explore and see {following OTHO and DEELIA}:
- The shower, ADAM in Drag, holding a bloody knife with Barb nude in the SHOWER cowering bleeding.
- Barb stabbing Adam in the stomach as he hangs in the DINING ROOM.
- Adam holding a chainsaw to Barb as she is on a meat hook in the KITCHEN.
- Barb stabbing Adam with a Machete LIVING ROOM.
- Barb with a gun in her mouth, the back of her head exploding, in the STUDY.
Nothing works. Lydia returns looking throughout the house. She snaps pictures of the rooms. She snaps a picture of Charles in the Study, in the B.G. are ADAM and BARBARA!
Lydia pulls a double take on the Picture and the room.
DINNER. The Deetz are speaking to each other about the new House. Lydia pulls her digital camera and asks about the people in the background, Neither Charles, Delia or Otho know them.
The Maitlands are frantic about the move, they move amongst each other in the attic then...
On the attic t.v. as if it's an omen... A series of images:
-NUCLEAR BLAST.
-FLASH of the name BETELGEUSE.
- The man himself, Decayed and burnt pale white skin, green rooted hair, black lifeless eye, moss on his neck (Think original, mixed with the Heath Ledger Joker, Mixed with the Jackie Earle Haley Freddy Kreuger) Presenting himself very Hitchcock-ish. His signature suit.
- He advertises his services, projecting images from other horror movies: EXORCIST, SHINING, SLEEPY HALLOW, and a Scene from the ORIGINAL DARK SHADOWS t.v. series.
- Flashing: SAY IT ONCE, SAY TWICE, SAY THRICE and you hire BETELGEUSE!
The T.V. Shuts off.
Adam and Barb look to each other, they're considering it.
NIGHT. Lydia and Delia are asleep. Charles is awake on the phone with his publisher: MAX DEAN.
They Hum and moan causing Charles to hang up. He opens the door to see ADAM in a sheet. He lectures Adam mistaking him for Lydia.
BARB is haunting DELIA. Screaming and moaning but get's no response.
Adam and Barbara enter Lydia's room(Cathy's old room) Adam slowly slides the sheet off, and tucks Lydia in ending with a "Good Night Cathy" and Leaves. Barbara watches her sleep.
DAY. Winter River. Lydia is searching the town. She enters the BUTTERFIELD REALTY OFFICE. She asks for Jane. She is given Jane's address.
THE HOUSE. Adam and Barb look through the book and make an appointment for JUNO.
DAY. Lydia is at the Butterfield house. She knocks three times, Jane opens the door, Invites Lydia in. Lydia begins questioning her about the story of the Maintlands.
PURGATORY OFFICE. Adam and Barb are pissed demanding help. Adam tosses down the flier. He tells her straight "help us get rid of them or we hire Betelborg here!" JUNO threatens "If you hire him. It's your job to put him back. He won't stop. He's a killer. He's slaughtered thousands, if you call him you have no idea what your asking for. And the only way to put him back for good is to trick him into saying his name 3 times, you say his name 3 times it's only temporary"
DAY. Lydia is getting the full story on what Jane did to Cathy, telling her that Tim was Janet's father and Cathy's boyfriend. Cathy was the Maitlands adopted daughter, and she committed Suicide because of what Jane did, and that Jane believes that all the years of pressure must have finally got to them. She tells Lydia that Lydia looks exactly like Cathy. Lydia asks for a picture of the Maitlands, Jane shows them an older picture, Lydia compares with the picture she took. It's the Maitlands!
PURGATORY OFFICE. They're arguing JUNO urges them to get the Deetz out their selves, and comments that she never had trouble with their daughter, this infuriates the Maitlands and The Maitlands leave Juno's office. Set in they're mind. The walk to the Model. Adam calls for Betelgeuse!
They're zipped into the model They walk through the Model, the closer they get to the Ghost with the Most, the more noticeable it is, the Model becomes increasingly warped and insane the closer you get to the Graveyard.
They reach the Gothic headstone with "BETELGEUSE" Written on it. Two stacked by it. The Maitland dig.
INTERCUT: Delia is fixing Diner with Charles assisting her. Lydia brings them the picture and tries to argue that they're ghost, she shows them the picture of the Maitlands from Janes. They tell her she's being delusional.
They hit a BOX. Adam opens it to find a Bottomless pit! TWO HANDS reach out grabbing at BARB, ADAM and BARB fight their way out of the pit.
SHOOTING out of the PIT is BETELGEUSE!!! Crazier in person, his signature Suit adorned, Insanity in his eyes!
They have their meeting: Betelgeuse begins molesting BARBARA. {Something he continues to do through the scene.} They try to make sense, they ask him questions and he answers like a smart mouth. He get's them steaming. They get pissed. He threatens them if they leave telling them if they want to [frick] off and leave he'll hunt them down and make Death seem like a vacation!
They escape. Betelgeuse is stuck in the Model.
DINER. The Party is: The Deetz, Bernard and his wife Grace, Otho and his sister Beryl.
As the Dinner progresses the subject of Ghosts becomes overbearing. They start to hear creaks and moans, a wolf howl... They're hearing the opening to... THRILLER!
Delia is forcefully flung on the table as she begins doing Thriller, Lydia gets the [frick] out of dodge, watching... The rest of the party are forced on the table! The small group performs Thriller!
As they climax kicks up, the Maitlands appear as Zombies and run at the Guests... Just as they're about to grab them... They burst, blood and guts all over them.
The guests open their eyes to see everything clean. Lydia laughing like a mad man in the corner.
The Maitlands watch as they guests begin laughing and complementing each other. They march to the attic and begin screaming and hollering.
Betelgeuse laughs and makes fun of them and tells them "Time to shake the Juice, and see What shakes loose!"
The Deetz wave goodbye to their guests.
The night has wound down, Delia demands Lydia takes them to the Ghosts. As Lydia begins leading them The Floor begins Rising forming... BETELGEUSE, In a Giant Spider-Form.
He spits webs at OTHO, His massive Spider-Leg kicks Delia against the wall, He hits Charles with a web and draws him in saying "I came for your family Chucky!" Just as SpiderGeuse starts crawling towards Lydia, Barb shows up saying "BETELGEUSE BETELGEUSE BETELGEUSE!" Betelgeuse evaporates!
Lydia runs and cries.
BARBARA and ADAM return to Betelgeuse's hide out at the MODEL. They threaten to Kill Betelgeuse he argues their common sense of threatening a Dead guy.
Betelgeuse threatens to force himself on Lydia to teach them a lesson, they question why it would intimidate them, Betelgeuse tells them that who she is is so damn obvious he's surprised they can be that ignorant!
Betelgeuse sees the WHORE HOUSE! ADAM and BARB are sucked into a vortex and let out at...
PURGATORY OFFICE, JUNO'S OFFICE. Juno is furiously pissed, then questions them about letting Betelgeuse loose, and why they'd want to have the Deetz out. Adam demands to know what she knows, Juno drops the bomb on them... Lydia is Cathy's Reincarnation!
DAY. Lydia at the public library researching the newspaper, she looks up the Maitlands' date of death and reads the obituary, It wasn't a suicide. She researched Cathy's death she discovers that Cathy Died a month before she was born, by jumping off the Winter River Bridge.
THE MAITLANDS leave Purgatory office. They're set. They want the Deetz to stay.
They enter the House/Attic. They stand in the attic and turn to see {Jump Scare} Lydia!
Lydia begins talking to them. She shows them the pictures. The Maitlands start talking about how she looks like their daughter Cathy. Adam tells Lydia they want her and her family to stay. She asks about the Giant Spider. They point the blame on Betelgeuse.
She tells them about researching their death's and Cathy's. They decide not to tell her who she really is.
DOWNSTAIRS - A Vampire-Bat-Betelgeuse stalks through the house chasing Charles, Otho and Delia! They fight the bat off Lydia calls him back saying his name 3 times. The Deetz demand Lydia takes them to the attica.
the Deetz and Otho look around he grabs the Handbook and tucks it into his jacket. They search around Charles gets the idea to pitch to Maxie a Haunted House Art Museam from the old town.
Charles calls Maxie Dean tells him to come with his best investors. Maxie agrees...
NIGHT. Maxie, his wife Sarah, Bernard, Grace, and a group of 4 investors arrive to the Deetz home. The Deetz try to force Lydia's cooperation. She refuses.
Otho has a plan B. He gathers everyone around for a séance. He begins reading a passage that brings the Maitlands into our plain... but painfully causing them to hyperdecay.
Lydia goes to Betelgeuse. Situation, she wants help, He wants out so that nothing can put him back. He needs to get married. She wants him to save the Maitlands. He agrees if she Marries him...
She agrees. "Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse. Betelgeuse."
He appears stealing the show and breaking up the séance!
He smiles, his eyes flicker with Demonic inspiration. He begins slaughtering the guests, leaving the Deetz Alone.
He stops the decay, they begin to revert to youth!
He won't help the Maitlands till Lydia marries him, They speed through the Ceremony. He helps the Maitlands, a ghoul at his word. It's at the apex. Barbara shouts his name 3 times. It doesn't do shit. He says his name three times. He's alive that trick won't work. He chases them through the house. Attacking them using his magic to injure them. The Maitlands take a stand against him!
Adam has an idea, He tells Barb to distract him and keep him at the fireplace, he walks out the door. Barb flashes Betelgeuse, he give the comment "Nice knockers for a dead woman!" He stomps after her She fades out. He uses magic tohurt her, Lydia makes a run for the Fireplace, Betelgeuse uses his magic to hold her against the wall.
Betelgeuse chases after her, as he gets to the fireplace...
A SHARK BURSTS THROUGH THE FLOOR, ENGULFING HALF OF BETELGEUSE! "Where's a utility belt when you need one!"
The shark proceeds to eat him...
CUT TO BLACK:
TIME CUT: SIX MONTHS LATER...
Adam and Barb discuss their surprise with Juno’s help
placing the bodies and a broken helicopter into the middle
of the woods.
Lydia comes home with her school supplies and pictures. She
banters with Adam, talking about a boy she thinks is cute...
Adam tells her it’s way to early for her to like boys.
Barb asks her about the math tests. She passed. She asks if
she can do "IT" Barb and Adam look at each other
questioning... They agree.
The lights hit. The music swells, Lydia begins doing
THRILLER.
The Maitlands dancing with her...
Innercut: Charles reading the Handbook, Delia in her
sculpting room.
The Maitlands, Lydia, and Michael Jackson’s Ghost dance to
Thriller as we...
CUT TO: CREDITS!
THE FAN CAST
BETELGEUSE [Height: 5’9”, Age: Unkown]: While not much is known about Betelgeuse's past(including how and when he died), it is known that he lived through the black plague. It is also known that he used to work for Juno. In the movie, he used advertisements to get the Maitlands to hire him as a "bio-exorcist" to rid their house of the Deetzes. They summon him when they learn that he can be summoned if his name is said three times in a row. Things go bad when the self-proclaimed Ghost with the Most starts scaring the Deetzes in ways that seriously harm them, and even worse, wants to marry Lydia Deetz. Fortunately, saying his name three times can also be used to get rid of him. In the end, Betelgeuse ends up in the waiting room for the deceased, and gets his head shrunk when he switches numbers with the head shrinker to avoid a long wait. Humorously, he thinks he looks better with a smaller head.
JACKIE EARLE HALEY [Height: 5’5½”, Age: 51] (Watchmen, A Nightmare on Elm Street {Remake}): OK this is the choice that got this whole ball rolling, He is the actor that I wanted from the getgo. There were times where I switched him out with Cillian Murphy and Sharlto Copley but I couldn’t help it I always go back to Jack because it was his performance as Freddy Kreuger that got me to feel he would play a more Evil Betelgeuse and he is no doubt the perfect choice in my opinion. This is the best choice I feel to play the character and to reinvent him.
ADAM MAITLAND [Height: 6’, Age: 40’s]: Adam is a nice guy who wants to get along with everyone and be in peace. Being a quiet man, his hobby was creating realistic sculptures (especially for his model of his hometown) before he and his wife Barbara died in a car accident after a short trip into town to get supplies for the day's projects. When he finds himself a ghost and his house sold, he finds the new owners do not share his aesthetic. He is disgusted by the elaborate, abstract artwork of Delia Deetz, which ruins the simple, tranquil feeling of their now haunted Victorian home. Although Jane took credit, he and his wife worked very hard on redecorating their house, and he decides that as ghosts, his and Barbara's opportunity to scare the Deetz family out of the house is their best chance to restore the house to its original beauty where he and Barbara may spend their afterlife together in peace.
PATRICK WILSON [Height: 6’1”, Age: 39] (Watchmen, Insidious): This is another role where many actors were considered {such as Jason Lee, Clark Gregg, and Jon Krasinski} But I gravitated to Patrick after his performance in Insidious, it really shown a way of taking the character Adam into a different aspect but making him familiar. Pat’s got the build, the look, and the Nice guy demeanor that is something you really need for the character.
BARBARA MAITLAND [Height: 6’, Age: 40’s]: A woman of simple pleasures, she preferred to spend her vacation at home, decorating her Victorian home in a quaint decor in favor of spending it in Jamaca. She partially regrets her unintended death wish when she and her husband return home as ghosts, as she not only gets cabin fever from being unable to leave the house (except for the Neitherword). She is irritated that she can no longer clean her home properly, as her vacuum is in the garage and she can't leave the house.
AMY ADAMS [Height: 5’4”, Age: 38] (Enchanted, Doubt): She’s an actress who just looks like a natural mother, someone who can play an optimist and who can play a person recovering from a lost as the character had suffered a death in my reinvention of the film.
LYDIA DEETZ/CATHY MAITLAND [Height: 5’4”, Age: 15]: Lydia is a moody, angst-ridden teenage Goth who feels isolated in the world. Her father and step-mother do not take anything she says seriously and often ignore her for their own selfish pursuits. Lydia loves writing poetry, photography and loves anything supernatural and paranormal. Lydia appears to be the most sensible one of the whole household. Lydia by the end of the film is more happy and well-adjusted since Adam and Barbara become her parental figures. Lydia in this version is the reincarnation of the young Cathy Maitland who had committed suicide cause a violent damage to the Maitlands. As Cathy she was the Maitlands adopted daughter and was considered a very happy girl before jumping off the Winter River Bridge. {Cathy Maitland was based on Cathy Deetz from the original Beetlejuice script}
JODELLE FERLAND [Height: 5’2”, Age: 18] (Silent Hill, Case 39): The perfect actress for the role I feel, her work in Silent Hill is 110% of the reason why I love her cast a Lydia. She works great for my take on Lydia and for the new character Cathy.
CHARLES DEETZ [Height: 6’4½”, Age: 40’s]: Athough he claims he just wants to relax and clip coupons (which he obviously does) he just couldn't resist his old habit of continuing his writing estate career... the one he had before his "nervous breakdown", and intends to sell the entire town of Winter River. Though he acts a bit too busy for his own family, he truly cares about them, as he loves his wife Delia unconditionally (even though he hates how she "trashes the place" with her sculpting obsession) and is more attentive to Lydia then she is, (he asks the child her opinion of the house they moved into, promises her a darkroom for her photography hobby, and even calls Lydia "pumpkin") despite the fact he seems to prefer the girls to spend more time with each other than with him.
PATRICK WARBURTON [Height: 6’3”, Age: 48] (Rules of Engagment {T.V. Series}, Get Smart): He’s got the look, attitude and the build for Charles Deetz. He’s really great at playing the kind of character Charles Deetz is. He no doubt has the talent to portray a newer yet old fashioned Charles Deetz.
DELIA DEETZ [Height: 5’4”, Age: 40’s]: Delia is portrayed as an overdramatic artist as well as a perfectionist. She is constantly criticizing her husband Charles and criticizes her step-daughter Lydia for being a Goth and for constantly complaining. Delia is very self-centered and puts her own interests before her husband and step-daughter.
COURTNEY COX [Height: 5’5”, Age: 48] (Scream, Friends): She’s a great actress who is fantastic at playing self-involved characters. She has the talent you need to really give the character a new and creative edge.
OTHO FENLOCK [Height: 5’10”, Age: 40’s]: Otho's personality is grumpy when he hears things like ghosts in the house or he will have a bothered personality. During the scene before the ending when he is revealing the ghosts and Betelgeuse arrives to save the Maitlands, he is scared and embarrassed when Betlegeuse jumps on his back and makes his clothes rip into a blue suit and then he leaves. Otho is also very clever when he helps other people in the house.
JOHN CUSACK [Height: 6’3”, Age: 46] (Gross Point Blank, High Fidelity): A great actor who just jumped to mind when casting Otho, I’ve always wanted to see Cusack in this type of role, no doubt he’d be a great fit for Otho.
BERYL FENLOCK [Height: 5’4”, Age: 40’s-50’s]: Beryl is a editor for Ballantine Books. Not much is known about her, She appears to be a quiet artistic freak. Otho picks on her for this aspect. She is often seen smoking cigarettes and has nervous, twitchy mannerisms. Previously unsuccessfully attempted committing suicide, possibly on multiple occasions. Again Otho antagonizes her "dreary suicide attempts", saying "You know what they say about people who commit suicide - in the afterlife, they become civil servants". {Based on the character Beryl from the original film}
JOAN CUSACK [Height: 5’9”, Age: 50] (Gross Point Blank, Martian Child): Her career is filled with roles where she is cast as the sister to her brother’s character. This would be a nice small cameo role for her.
JANE BUTTERFIELD [Height: 5’4”, Age: 30]: Jane is one of the pushy sorts, as she was insistant to the point of annoyance that the Maitlands should sell the house to a family with children... claims it is too big for just two people. Although Barbara firmly told her not to, Jane had been showing pictures of the Maitlands' home to people (specifically, customers in New York) long before it was officially for sale. She even stuck her face onto the window of Adam's basement workshop to ask him to sell the place even even after Barbara said no! When the Maitlands died, she gave no consideration to their last requests and, without considering their tastes, immediately sold the house to the Deetzes. A mistake she made when she was 15 is the incident that caused her best friend, the Maitland’s adoptive daughter, to commit suicide. From the incident she became pregnant and gave birth to her daughter Janet.
KAT DENNINGS [Height: 5’4½”, Age: 26] (Thor, Two Broke Girls): For this heavily reimagined role I wanted an actress with comedy and drama in her background. Someone to mix the pallet and play someone with regret but hope. This Jane is significantly more of a bad person especially being apart of the incident that causes a character’s suicide which I think as dark a role it would be Kat could do very well for her scenes while also looking enough like the actress I chose for the younger version of the character and character’s daughter.
JANET BUTTERFIELD [Height: 5’4”, Age: 15]: Jane’s Daughter from her affair with Cathy Maitland’s boyfriend Tim. She is the representation of any good Jane had that left her as she transformed into the terrible person she is. {Based on the character Little Jane from the Original Film}.
HAILEE STEINFELD [Height: 5’7”, Age: 15] (True Grit, Sons of Tucson): An amazing actress who was very very very close to being cast as Lydia/Cathy, but in the end I went with Jodelle and gave this role to Hailee because of how great a performer she is. I love her work so far and really really enjoy what she’s done and for the brief scene at the beginning where she would play Young Jane would be great with her work as Janet, Jane’s daughter.
JUNO THE CASEWORKER [Height: 5’4”, Age: Unknown]: Juno is a caseworker. She apparently had Betelgeuse as a assistant at one time too. She now uses the Receptionist as a new assistant. She seems to have died from lung cancer before she went to the Netherworld, but since she is a civil servant she most likely slit her own throat. Her compassion for Cathy lead her to granting the child a second chance and having her reincarnated.
BETTY WHITE [Height: 5’4”, Age: 90] (Mary Tyler Moore Show, Golden Girls): A sweet old lady who I just wanted to see in this role. I would love to see her tackle this kind of role.
MAXIE DEAN [Height: 6’, Age: 50’s-60’s]: Maxie Dean is a rich wheeler and dealer. He is the Chairman of Botco Publishing and Art.
BRUCE CAMPBELL [Height: 6’1”, Age: 54] (Army of Darkness, Spider-Man): Like I’d choose anyone else to pay a corporate billionaire prick other than the man who does it the best.
SARAH DEAN [Height: 5’5”, Age: 40’s-50’s]: The Wife of Maxie Dean.
MARY LOUIS PARKER [Height: 5’8”, Age: 48] (Red, Weeds): A Simple role that I really think she could just fit the role and look great Next to Bruce.
BERNARD HOFFMAN [Height: 5’3”, Age: 40’s]: Bernard is Delia's agent and has been "consistently losing money on her work for years".
TED RAIMI [Height: 6’2”, Age: 47] (Spider-Man, My Name is Bruce): He’s another good cameo that works with the director I chose for this one. He’s a decent actor and comedian and works really well in his roles.
GRACE HOFFMAN [Height: 5’10”, Age: 30’s-40’s]: Bernard’s wife, a Writer for the Magazine “Art in America.”
ELIZABETH BANKS [Height: 5’5”, Age: 38] (Spider-Man, Hunger Games): Now I know in real life the two would never be a couple, but I think it would just be a nice throw in for Bernard’s character. Banks is a pretty good actress keeping herself busy.
SCORE: Composer who writes, and scores the soundtrack for the film.
STEVE JABLONSKY (A Nightmare on Elm Street): I love his work on the Platinum Dunes Horror Movies, some of the best composing in horror films since Carpenter. His work has a sense of worry and pace not many other horror composers quite capture.
WRITERS: Screenwriters to tackle the initial treatment I typed up.
ANDREW KEVIN WALKER (Se7en), WESLEY STRICK (Cape Fear): They are two fantastic Writers who’ve done works with a horror sensibility mixed with a black comedy. They may not be the perfect fit but I’d love to see what they’d do with my treatment.
DIRECTOR: The orchestrator of the film, casting and directing the actors.
SAM RAIMI (Army of Darkness, Drag Me To Hell): No one can really mix Horror and Black comedy like Raimi, his amazing works in Army of Darkness and Drag Me to Hell are prime examples of why he is the perfect person to direct the story.