Featured Image Credit: Alamy
Topics: Johnny Depp, Film and TV
Charlie Cocksedge
With so much attention on Johnny Depp's defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard recently, you'd be forgiven for forgetting he's appeared in a fair few films in his time.
Aside from his unforgettable role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films, Depp's work with director Tim Burton has produced some of his most well-loved and iconic characters.
From Edward Scissorhands to Ichabod Crane in Sleepy Hollow, and Sweeney Todd to Willy Wonka, Depp and Burton's collaborations have an unmistakable, quirky quality about them.
And while Depp is nowhere to be seen in Burton's standout 1988 comedy Beetlejuice, it seems another collaboration on the horizon could be about to change all that.
Advert
As the trial draws near to its conclusion, it appears some fans have been doing some internet sleuthing – using Google, in other words – to see if Depp has any plans to reappear on the big screen.
And it seems he has, as a Google listing for Beetlejuice 2 not only suggests Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder will resume their roles as Beetlejuice and Lydia Deetz respectively, but Depp will be appearing alongside them in an as-yet-untitled role.
Some further internet sleuthing – using IMDb, in other words – suggests the sequel will be arriving sometime in 2025, and that Arrested Development's Will Arnett will appear as the Jersey Devil, while Stranger Things' David Harbour – no stranger to acting alongside Ryder – will play a 'struggling real estate agent'.
As for the plot, the IMDb listing states: "The original cast and crew plus new additions return when Beetlejuice is found homeless in the netherworld.
"He takes it upon himself to travel back to the mortal world seeking comfort, only to find the Maitland house has blown up due to a gas leak, leaving our beloved characters without a humble home to share the love.
"In search of guidance, the crew travels down to the Netherworld only to find there's a new sheriff in these parts, The Jersey Devil (Will Arnett)."
With more than 30 years between films, there's been a lot of will they-won't they talk about the possibility of a sequel.
Larry Wilson, a screenwriter on the original comedy, told USA Today in 2019: "The bottom line is, Tim Burton and Michael Keaton are not going to think about a Beetlejuice sequel unless it somehow catches the energy of the first film. And that’s not easy.
"Beetlejuice really was lightning in a bottle. But there have been discussions since it really shocked everyone in 1988."
More recently, however, Winona Ryder herself appeared to confirm the sequel could happen, telling USA Today just last week: "I'm in! I'm definitely excited and I'm really hopeful that it'll happen.
"The only way we would do it is if everything was perfect and we had all the people – obviously Michael [Keaton] and obviously Tim [Burton].
"That's what I love about Tim. He's such a perfectionist.
"He can't do something unless it's completely his vision. It’ll happen if it can happen the perfect way."
If you have a story you want to tell, send it to UNILAD via [email protected]