We were expecting the first trailer for Tim Burton's long-awaited Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (dammit!) to be released today, but it seems Warner Bros. decided to hold off until tomorrow.
In the meantime, EW has released the first official promo images spotlighting new and returning characters.
The stills feature Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), her mother Delia (Catherine O'Hara) and daughter Astrid (new cast addition Jenna Ortega), who return to the town of Winter River after a death in the family (most likely Charles Deetz, played by the late Jeffrey Jones).
The family is accompanied by Justin Theroux's character, but all we know about this guy is his name: Rory.
Of course, we also have a first look at the titular Ghost with the Most (Michael Keaton), and if what we've heard proves to be accurate, the ever-scheming bio-exorcist still has designs on "winning" Lydia's hand in marriage.
"He just got back into it," Burton says of Keaton reprising the role after so many years. "It was kind of scary for somebody who was maybe not that overly interested in doing it. It was such a beautiful thing for me to see all the cast, but he, sort of like demon possession, just went right back into it."
"Unless it felt right, he had no burning desire to do it," Burton adds. "I think we all felt the same way. It only made sense if it had an emotional hook."
Burton also confirmed an earlier report that the sequel will utilize stop-motion animation and practical FX over CGI. "It needed a back-to-basics, handmade quality," he says. "It reenergized why I love making movies."
Check out the stills (via EW) at the link below.
"After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened. With trouble brewing in both realms, it’s only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice’s name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem."
Other new cast members include Monica Bellucci as Betelgeuse's wife, and Willem Dafoe as an afterlife cop.
Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar penned the script.
Beetlejuice 2 is set to release in theaters on Sept. 6, 2024.