Monica Bellucci is set to play Beetlejuice's wife in Tim Burton's upcoming sequel.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Bellucci is in final negotiations to star in the film alongside newcomers Jenna Ortega and Justin Theroux. Ortega will play the daughter of Lydia Deetz, played by Winona Ryder. Michael Keaton is back as everyone's favorite poltergeist.
Beetlejuice hit theaters in 1988 and followed a recently deceased couple (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) who, after returning to the land of the living as ghosts, are unhappy with the new family moving in and decide to hire a so-called "bio-exorcist." The film was a critical and commercial success, bringing in over $74 million at the global box office against a budget of $15 million and winning the Academy Award for Best Makeup. The film also spawned an animated series that aired on ABC and Fox in 1989 and a 2018 Broadway Musical.
The movie's script has been penned by Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, with Burton returning to direct. A sequel to the hit film has been in development hell since 1990, with Warner Bros. making an official announcement last year.
Bellucci, who has multiple decades of American, French, and Italian films under her belt, most recently starred in Italian apocalyptic comedy Dry as well as Diabolik –Ginko all'attacco! She can be seen next in Mafia Mamma, starring opposite Toni Collette.
Beetlejuice 2 is set to hit theaters on September 6, 2024. For more, check out our list of the most exciting upcoming movies, or, skip straight to the good stuff with our list of movie release dates.
