Swear to God! Beetlejuice made good money for Warner Bros. From a budget of $15 million, it brought in over $73 million and developed a rabid following. He constantly switches accents and costumes, giving the feeling that he really has been everywhere at any given time. "I thought it would be much more interesting to take someone like that and make him into Batman. but something about the character of Betelgeuse isnt dated at all. Yeah. Hestands very much apart from the others in the film; even the other deceased characters have very little in common with him. Looking back, it seems like a perfect casting as Ryder has become synonymous with Lydia. Despite only being shown for a measly 17.5 minutes out of a possible 92, Michael managed to improvise almost all of his lines. Do you remember when people would write off John Hughes and those movies he made?. Michael Keaton is an American actor who has a net worth of $40 million. While Pee-wee's Big Adventure announced Burton's arrival in Hollywood, his second feature is the one that kicked the doors in and endeared him to the alternative culture. In fact, ol' Betelgeuse was depicted as a winged, reptilian demon whose human form is that of a Middle Eastern man in the original script. 3. He was the dazzlingly frenetic lead in Tim Burtons Beetlejuice, a largely improvised performance opposite fellow ghosts Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis. If you would like your comment to be considered for inclusion on Weekend magazines letters page in print, please email weekend@theguardian.com, including your name and address (not for publication). CREDITS Team Ups Poll Voice Compares Discussion Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). I ask if it was strange having an only child when he grew up in such a big family. Our DVD and Blu-ray sales estimates are based on weekly retail surveys, which we use to build a weekly market share estimate for each title we are tracking. 2. Read critic reviews. Take a visual walk through their career and see 13 images of the characters they've voiced and listen to 4 clips that showcase their performances. I was hailed as a genius. Well, Michael Keaton may have played the starring role in Beetlejuice (credited as Betelgeuse), but did you know he has just a minuscule 17 minutes screentime in this 92-minute film? This is major news for a sequel that's been long-rumored but never fulfilled until now. If you want to see Beetlejuice in the flesh, book a flight to Universal Studios, where Beetlejuice's Rock And Roll Graveyard Revue has been playing since 1992. April 25, 2019. Considering the movie is named after his character, Michael Keaton has a surprisingly small amount of screen time as Beetlejuice only 17 minutes. The actor went on to have several iconic roles that are now embedded in pop culture. 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Movies (Rank 301-400), 8.52 (domestic box office/biggest weekend), $15,000,000 (worldwide box office is 5.0 times production budget), 1,000 opening theaters/1,582 max. Even though the movie is called "Beetlejuice," the character only has 17 minutes of screen time out of a 92-minute running time. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter. He spent those years hanging out in Montana, hunting with neighbours and walking in the woods. Since Birdman, he has played the editor of the Boston Globes investigative journalism team in the 2015 ensemble movie Spotlight, which won a Best Picture Oscar; and he was a curveball choice as Ray Kroc, the man who turned McDonalds into a franchise, in 2016s too-little-seen The Founder. "Beetlejuice" was a hit during its original release which of course led to merchandise like toys, and a cartoon continuing the adventures of Beetlejuice and Lydia: The animated series proved so successful that it aired on ABC Saturday mornings, while also airing on Fox weekday afternoons, for two seasons. He also tries to coerce Lydia (Winona Ryder) into marrying him. He plays an automobile executive, Jack Butler, who loses his job in the 1980s and . Burtons world in Beetlejuice is typical of his early films: dramatic, odd, and otherworldly. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and three Saturn Awards: Best Horror Film, Best Makeup, and Best Supporting Actress for Sylvia Sidney. Breaking news and interviews on comics, sci-fi, horror and more. He writes reviews, features, and lists for Screen Rant and Game Rant. Everyone knows if you say Beetlejuice's name three times he appears, but the number three is used multiple times in the film. They tell me he lives in Montana. Starring opposite Kim Basinger, Keaton was paid $5 million for the first film. The name. Juice! Ryder was only 17 years old when she filmed Beetlejuice. Naturally, the smell of money was a temptation that couldn't be resisted and a script for the sequel was commissioned. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Beetlejuice DVD (2009) Michael Keaton, Grenada Davis, Alec Baldwin at the best online prices at eBay! DETAILS BELOW Michael Keaton (born September 5, 1951) is famous for being movie actor. Keaton is not a straight Q&A kind of guy; his approach to conversation is a little like his eyebrows, looping in memorable and unexpected directions. He surprises me today by arriving with a big grin, which is unexpected in a man who has never made any secret of his dislike of interviews: you dont move to the middle of Montana at the peak of your celebrity if you enjoy being the centre of attention. say the word "home" three times to escape Beetlejuice. He has played a great movie like Batman in 1989, Batman Returns in 1992 as Bruce Wayne, Need for Speed in 2014, Spider-Man: Homecoming as Adrian Toomes. Were all here for a millisecond, so how bad can this be? he says, his drawn-out vowels (maaan, baaad) revealing his Pittsburgh origins. A Beetlejuice sequel has proven tougher to conjure up than Michael Keaton's rambunctious spirit. 5 Jun. "Beetlejuice 2" a sequel to the 1988 Tim Burton horror-comedy hit always seems to be on the tips of everyone's tongues when they interview Michael Keaton (who played the "ghost with the . Interestingly, an earlier draft of the script called for Betelgeuse to be an African-American man, so it would make sense to get someone of Davis' talent and caliber for the role. They possess the bunch into performing a dance number to the aforementioned Calypso hit by Harry Belafonte, which ends with their shrimp meals forming beastly hands that attack them, pushing them back. While "Beetlejuice" deals with death and ghosts, is still often described as a comedy. 3 from Crystal Lake Publishing. I said, Give me the night or two days and I called the wardrobe department at the studio and said, Send me a bunch of wardrobes from different time periods, randomly. Huh? With a lot of ad-libbing involved, Keaton seems to be on a different wavelength to Baldwin and Davis entirely, which works incredibly well. Beetlejuice was originally a more laid back, lounge singer-type character, so a former Rat Packer would've made sense. It's safe to say that without his unique quirks and ad-libs, Beetlejuice wouldn't have been quite the same. Look, its not like I dont think about the business I am cognisant of that side of things but if you overthink the money part, you tend to mess it up. Finally, Betelgeuse was a real nefarious and unlikable character. Previously, he wrote for Taste of Cinema, Comic Book Resources, and BabbleTop. Im so proud to be your son. Of all the great Michael Keaton performances I could choose as a favorite (such as his time as Batman or his Oscar-nominated role in 2014s Birdman), it still has to be the manic brilliance he displays in Beetlejuice. His short stories have appeared in various magazines and anthologies, such as Devolution Z, Sirens Call Publications's Monster Brawl!, Centum Press's 100 Voices, and Tales from the Lake: Vol. Keaton was the youngest of seven children in a working-class family, and they never went to the cinema because it was too expensive to buy tickets for all the kids. The two are often each others dates to award ceremonies: Sean came to the Golden Globes when his dad won for Birdman, and Keaton tearfully thanked him, calling him his best friend. Michael Keaton has always been eager to do the sequel and has maintained that hell happily do it if it gets into production today but Tim Burton didnt have any interest in it. "But since Tim told me to I did and then we dated and we're married and here we are today," he said. Photograph: Fox/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock, I wrote a book about why those movies are the most important ever made. Welch told Uproxx the story of how the relationship happened: "Towards the end of the movie Tim [Burton] told me, we were shooting in Vermont, 'You should ask Catherine out.' All the other actors including Michael Keaton, Catherine OHara, Winona Ryder, and Sylvia Sidney turned down the script when they first read it. While they are trying to think deeply about how they will solve their crisis, Betelgeuse is jabbering away in the corner and distracting them as much as possible. In the film Beetlejuice, Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin make the title character appear by saying his name three times but makeup artist Ve Neill had to do it the hard way. Luckily, Beetlejuice would up winning that battle, but there was another person from the Beetlejuice cast who had his own concerns about the films potential. Keaton is a famous actor that starred in movies such as Batman, The Founder, and Spotlight. For a description of the different acting role types we use to categorize acting perfomances, see our Glossary. Burton jokingly suggested Scared Sheetless as a title and was mortified when executives actually considered using it. That would not be the only time during the making of Beetlejuice when he came at odds with the studio. Hes like a lightning bolt to every scene he appears in, often taking it down paths that you wouldnt expect. And he did it a bunch of times: Brotherhood! And then someone explained it to me and I was like, Ohhhhh! I mean, I think Id forgotten he was in [Batman].. When Tim Burton first signed on to helm Beetlejuice, his top choice for the title role was Sammy Davis, Jr., of whom hed been a huge fan since childhood. Neither actor is in the game for the money and tend to choose movies that interest them. But, look, there was some really horrible taste in the 90s, and I probably contributed to that, unfortunately. It's based on the Betelgeuse star which is housed in the Orion constellation and is the ninth brightest star in the night sky. This clever recommendation would lead to the creation of the creepy office setting where the Maitlands literally spend three months waiting to see someone, amid a whos who of truly unfortunate souls. Yet, the movie might have had far less laughs if Warner Bros. settled on co-writer Michael McDowells original vision for a more straightforward scary movie in which, according to Consequence, the title character was a murderous, shape-shifting winged demon who takes human form as a small Middle Eastern man. It has become widely known that Geena Davis immediately signed on to portray Barbara Maitland after meeting with Tim Burton. Not strange, exactly. Heck, you only need to look at why Keaton dropped out of Batman Forever, saying the script was terrible and he just wasn't interested. Yeah, probably. RELATED:The 10 Most Memorable Tim Burton Characters, Ranked. Before Beetlejuice was settled on as the final name of the movie, there was a bit of back and forth regarding what it should be called. He was always hanging out in groups and going to someones house, I remember that, he says. His family visited him, and there have been girlfriends (he is in a relationship now, but its the one subject he refuses to discuss), but in the main he was on his own. Geena Davis was the only cast member who was actually eager to sign up for Beetlejuice. Sadly, she wasn't able to take the role because the show's producers wouldn't let her out of her contract. Michael Keaton talks about meeting Tim Burton for the first time and needing to be convinced that he would be perfect for the creepy casanova/bio-exorcist Beetlejuice. Figures will therefore fluctuate each week, and totals for individual titles can go up or down as we update our estimates. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Beetlejuice VHS Video Tape Movie Film Tim Burton Alec Baldwin Michael Keaton at the best online prices at eBay! Despite playing the title character, Michael Keaton only has 17 minutes of screen time in Beetlejuice. The director was not going to take no for an answer, and Keaton was asked to meet with him again for another chat where the actor sought a better explanation of Burtons vision. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Two, Betelgeuse was meant to assault Lydia and not marry her as per the final version. Luckily, David Geffen, who was overseeing the development of the film at Warner Bros, suggested Keaton, who eventually won the role. movie for Burton) and traded the New England setting of the original for a tropical one, in what eventually became known as "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.". by . Michael Keaton originally starred in the titular role (Betelguese) way back in 1988. Tim Burton's Beetlejuice is the film which put director & Michael Keaton on the map. This article was corrected on 11 September 2017. Maybe we're all going to be dead. Before he would go on to direct 1993's stop-motion classic " Nightmare Before Christmas ," Tim Burton made a splash with this major directorial debut. ORWAVs Top 20 Films of 2021: #8 First Cow, Why First Cow Was The Biggest Oscar Snub This Year, Bloodless Spectacle and Everyday Sexism in Silence of the Lambs, Best Films Never Made #40: George A. Romero's The Mummy, Best Films Never Made #43: The Beatles and Joe Ortons Up Against It, Best Films Never Made #42: George A. Romeros The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, Best Films Never Made #41: J. J. Abrams and Ron Howards The Dark Tower, Best Films Never Made #39: Joss Whedons Wonder Woman, Best Films Never Made #38: Ridley Scotts Nottingham, Best Films Never Made #37: Neill Blomkamps Alien 5, Pandemic Panic: The Best Horror Films to Distract You Right Now, Official Competition Venice 2021 Review, People Just Do Nothing: Big in Japan Review. Michael Keaton had no clue what director Tim Burton was talking about when he was pitched Beetlejuice, so he turned it down several times. In 1990, Burton hired Jonathan Gems to write Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. So there was that. It sounds like Mr. Burton is quite the salesman maybe that's how he has convinced execs that he needs to cast Johnny Depp in nearly all of his projects. Keaton has enjoyed a long and successful acting career that has spanned from the 1970s all the way into the current era. That would have been an experience.. Thus, we find it perfectly acceptable that Burton allowed star Michael Keaton to ad-lib his lines in the movie. Michael Keaton is an American actor who is best known for his roles in films such as 'Mr. Mom,' 'Beetlejuice,' 'Batman' and 'Birdman.' Updated: Apr 14, 2021 Photo: John Shearer/Getty Images. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Still not convinced, Keaton met with Burton a third time which is when something finally clicked. In a wide-ranging conversation about his career and his new film, "Birdman," Michael Keaton talked to Charlie Rose about working with Tim Burton on the class. However, that all changed when he was sent the script for Beetlejuice. The gear turns, fish-tailing, kicking up ooze and stuffing. Michael Keaton said in a recent interview that he has been speaking with Tim Burton about making Beetlejuice 2.During a junket for his latest film, Robocop, the actor told MTV that the sequel is . Not really, no, and thats a good way of putting it: married, house, kid right away, career, a lot of attention, which is not something Im crazy about. A call from my editor: "They said maybe . However, the March 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax, the actor best known for his roles in Birdman, Batman or Beetlejuice is alive and well. Woods - uncovers a moment when Warner Bros. executives suggested House Ghosts as a more marketable title for the film than Beetlejuice. In one routine, he talks about how just a look from a stranger on the streets of New York can send him into therapy; in another, he imagines what it would be like if the cartoon strips that used to come with gum packets explored philosophical concepts. So what are you waiting for? The title character is struck in the afterlifes waiting room, and tries to cut in line in front of a witch doctor. Beetlejuice as played by Sammy Davis Jr.? I don't think we have very much to worry about anymore." Adam Maitland. The undead title character, Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), finds a brothel; women invite him inside. Even though the movie is called "Beetlejuice," the character only has 17 minutes of screen time out of a 92-minute running time. E_CatherineTeddy. Yeah, yeah. Keaton is not a straight Q&A kind of guy; his approach to conversation is a little like his eyebrows, looping in memorable and unexpected directions. While it does seem like the cast and crew had a whale of a time on set, it wasn't all roses and sunshine. As a joke, Burton replied, Why dont we call it Scared Sheetless? only to realize, much to his horror, that they found the punny title worth considering. the last song played at his memorial service. The proposed sequel was bizarre to say the least, but screenwriter Gems defended Burton's idea: "Tim thought it would be funny to match the surfing backdrop of a beach movie with some sort of German Expressionism, because they're totally wrong together.". Keatons crazy eyebrows are put to good use as the on-the-edge mentor, but it is a somewhat baffling choice for him: the movie is undeniably generic for an actor who has always eschewed straightforward genre. As you all know, most movies aren't filmed in the same linear sequence as the script; therefore, you might get the ending completed before the first scene is even shot. In addition to the beatnicks, a band of ancient Hawaiian ghosts are none to pleased about the hotel; they try to recruit Beetlejuice to frighten away Deetz and his developers, but he declines because his license to scare has been revoked. Part of HuffPost Entertainment. And they were: Burtons first Batman film remains one of the most interesting big-budget movies ever made, with Keatons psychologically subtle performance a major part of that. "Beetlejuice" is one of the funniest horror films ever made. The Maitlands quickly have to learn to navigate Tim Burtons freaky view of the afterlife, monster-ridden deserts and all. That's why we're here to uncover the nitty-gritty. With that said, it's showtime! With buzz building for a possible follow-up to Beetlejuice, director Tim Burton's 1988 horror . Larry Wilson also spoke to Yahoo! So he would never do anything just for the money? Then the duo went their separate ways for decades. Jeffrey Jones built up quite an extensive career for himself, acting in movies such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off, The Crucible, Stuart Little, and Beetlejuice. This month, he plays a CIA special ops trainer, Stan Hurley, in the Bourne-esque American Assassin. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Keaton's total earnings are around $45 million. Although Keaton isnt as outwardly eccentric, he has a similar tendency towards unmediated stream-of-consciousness responses, and blunt plain-speaking both the opposite of slick Hollywood schmooze. Posted by ; royal canin yorkie dog food reviews; Adam runs forward and stares after the wheel, which is now out of sight. After all, the original script doesn't sound like a big crowd pleaser. Its like making movies with Tim [Burton], he says, those eyebrows rising in various directions. NY 10036. recalled to Charlie Rose during a 2014 interview, doubts his neurotic 30-year-old self had, originally ended with Lydia perishing in a fire, James Cameron Discusses The Connection Between Avatar And The Abyss, Viral TikTok Of Chris Pine Admitting His Publicist Roasted Him For Looking Like 'Rachel From Friends' Is Pretty Great, 5 Oscar Nominated Movies To Make Sure You Watch Before The 2023 Ceremony, Best 'Creed' In The Trilogy? Beetlejuice's Screen Time. How many weeks do we spend doing the same thing over and over at work and being distinctively average? Beetlejuice is kind of a strange name when you think about it. His co-stars were apparently reluctant too, with Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder, among others, initially rejecting the opportunity. It. Keaton's performance is pure id. Heres how it works. And I thought, Im in this job for the long run, I dont want this. How much did Michael Keaton make for Beetlejuice? We're pretty certain that no cast or crew member plans on meeting their future partner while working on a movie, but that's what happened to actress Catherine O'Hara and production designer Bo Welch on the Beetlejuice set. The movies upbeat ending and other crucial aspects are key as to why Beetlejuice may just be the most delightfully strange and unusual movie ever made in which death is a major theme. I tell him I always thought it was a shame he didnt do more John Hughes comedies after Mr Mom. Beetlejuice (1988) Awards. Michael Keaton reunited with Tim Burton in 2019 After Beetlejuice and Batman, Keaton reunited once more on 1992's Batman Returns. Kinda! O'Hara was immediately on board after meeting with the director. The next time you watch Beetlejuice and you get to the Day-O scene, keep in mind that when the shrimp hands come up to push the dinner guests faces, they are really pulling away from them. Being around that is so much fun, you just want to be in that environment.. Just that make up job still gives us nightmares.. It didn't even occur to me that I was even supposed to talk to actors.". Michael Keaton For Clean and Sober: Satellite Awards 2008 Nominee Satellite Award: Best Classic DVD. His iconic roles as Beetlejuice and Batman gave his career the proper boost to succeed today. Directors Tim Burton Starring Alec Baldwin, Michael Keaton, Robert Goulet Genres Comedy, Horror, Fantasy Subtitles None available This video is currently unavailable Anyone familiar with the controversial reception to 1992s Batman Returns knows that Tim Burton is no stranger to receiving some pushback from his distributors, and Beetlejuice was apparently no exception. Hes manic, a whirlwind of dark energy that seemingly never stops. Juice!. June 16, 2022 . Obviously, the character didn't turn out the way that McDowell and Wilson originally conceived and we saw the bio-exorcist ghost morph into more of a used car salesman. My hypothesis is that maybe because he can't outrightly say his name (like . If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Speaking of merchandise, if you want your own "Handbook For the Recently Deceased" look no further than Etsy! Neill, whom you may . Now 25 years later, it is reported that a sequel is finally going forward with Burton in talks to direct and Keaton returning to star. 2023 The Hollywood Reporter, LLC. Tim Burton caught on to this plot hole, but he decided to allow it for the actors sake because they wouldve been uncomfortable if they had to be kept wet on dry land all the time. Thus, an animatronic snake was utilized, which bore no likeness to him. Michael Keaton Suggested Making The Afterlife A Dreary "Unemployment Office" Setting In that same oral history for CBC Radio, which was also part of a radio show called q, hosted by Tom Power,.