Though it’s still at least a year away from release, the long-awaited “Beetlejuice” sequel is still highly anticipated by many fans of Tim Burton’s original 1988 supernatural comedy.
Burton is back at the helm, along with cast members like Michael Keaton as the eponymous bio-exorcist and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz. “Wednesday” star Jenna Ortega is also involved as Lydia’s daughter.
Previously Keaton revealed back in June that the sequel will retain many of the filmmaking techniques of its predecessor and includes sticking to practical sets, make-up effects and in-camera trickery wherever possible.
This week cinematographer Haris Zambarloukos, out promoting Kenneth Branagh’s “A Haunting in Venice,” talked to Collider and revealed he had a great time working with Burton because the filmmaker made a point of sticking to those old school ways:
“[W]e certainly are shooting things in-camera and for real. That’s part of the charm. I mean, he’s a great filmmaker in that respect. He’s both a visionary and a very classical filmmaker at the same time.
We did a lot of that on ‘Haunting in Venice’ as well. What you see in the film is very much in-camera. So, yes, I think I enjoyed that aspect of the filmmaking of these last two films I’ve made. I think I’ve enjoyed immensely that reliance on practical techniques.
I think you get a very, very different kind of performance out of actors when things are done in-camera, and I think you get a very different audience reaction out of in-camera effects.”
In a separate interview with The Wrap, Zambarloukos also revealed the central story of the sequel mirrors the first movie, namely about family:
“At its heart ‘Beetlejuice [2]’ is a story about a family. And now it’s 30 years later and what are the intricacies and the human condition in keeping a family together all that time set in the craziest world possible? That’s why I choose projects. That human connection for me is always at the forefront.”
Catherine O’Hara also returns as Delia Deetz in the film – showcasing three generations of women together. Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux also star in the film which is set to premiere in cinemas on September 6th 2024.
