The long-awaited Beetlejuice 2 is looking to cast fan favorite Wednesday actor Jenna Ortega in a major role. A sequel to Tim Burton's 1988 classic has endured several starts and stops over the years, with the most recent iteration sparking development reports in early 2022. Original stars Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder were expected to reprise their roles of Beetlejuice and Lydia, respectively. However, Beetlejuice 2 made little outward progress throughout 2022.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, Ortega is circling a major role in Beetlejuice 2. While nothing is official just yet, there is a tentative production start date of late May or early June, dependent on the budget being settled. If she gets cast, it's said Ortega will play the daughter of Ryder's. Keaton and Burton are both expected to return for Beetlejuice 2 as well.

What Ortega's Casting Means For Beetlejuice 2


If Beetlejuice 2 does cast Ortega, it will be only the latest impressive title to join the young star's filmography. Ortega is currently riding an incredible wave of acclaim between her roles as the lead on Netflix's Wednesday (which Burton also directed) and one of the final girls in 2022's Scream. She returns in the new release Scream VI as well. It seems her collaboration with Burton on Wednesday has helped pave the way for her potential Beetlejuice 2 role, though it's worth mentioning that she already seems well-suited for the part of Lydia's daughter.


Right now, little is known about Beetlejuice 2's plot. In its original incarnation, back in the early 1990s, the sequel was aiming to bring Keaton's demonic "bio-exorcist" to Hawaii. It remains to be seen if that idea will be integrated into the new film. What is clear so far is that Beetlejuice 2 will turn its attention to the next generation; perhaps Lydia's daughter accidentally - or intentionally - summons Beetlejuice for help, in a similar manner to how her mother did years before.

With Beetlejuice 2 looking to add Ortega to its cast, the sequel is closer to becoming a reality than ever before. There is still the chance Ortega's deal won't go through, or that budgetary concerns will stall the film. However, if production is hoping to get off the ground within a matter of months, this at least indicates Burton has a script in place and is ready to finally make Beetlejuice's second act come to life.