"Beetlejuice" fans have waited 28 years for Tim Burton to reunite Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder for a sequel and contrary to reports, they will have to wait a bit longer. "Beetlejuice 2" is not in development.
The potential for a "Beetlejuice" sequel has been rumored for the past few years, but Warner Bros. does not have the film in development. Burton is keeping busy finishing production on "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" for 20th Century Fox and developing Disney's live-action "Dumbo."
Burton reportedly confirmed "Beetlejuice 2" on Tuesday through an anonymous source.
"The film is a go and has been approved by the Warner Bros. team, we have talked with the cast members we wanted for the film and they are all on board, this includes both Winona and Michael. We have the script in hand everything is in place all we need to do now is get ready to start filming."
His rep then denied the story on Friday.
"Tim Burton did not confirm 'Beetlejuice 2" as the movie is not in development," the rep said.
Rumblings of a possible sequel kicked into high gear last summer when Ryder revealed on "Late Night with Seth Meyers" that she could confirm the movie was happening because Burton had already done so during press for his film "Big Eyes."
"I think I can confirm it," the 44-year-old actress said. "It was very hush-hush top secret... and then [Burton] was doing some press for 'Big Eyes' and he did an on-camera interview and he said, 'Oh yeah, we're doing it. Winona's gonna be in it.'"
Ryder will star in the upcoming Netflix series "Stranger Things." She will star as a mother whose young son disappears and she must confront terrifying forces in order to get him back.
Her "Beetlejuice" co-star Keaton is also keeping busy following his Golden Globe-winning role in "Birdman." He next stars in "The Founder," a film about McDonald's founder Ray Kroc, and "American Assassin," an adaptation of the Vince Flynn novel.
Burton also teased last year that work had begun on writing a script and was looking forward to working with Keaton again. The director and actor last worked together in the early '90s on "Batman" and "Batman Returns."
"Beetlejuice" was a critical and commercial success, grossing $73.7 million in 1988. The film also starred Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis and Catherine O'Hara.
