Ortega, who previously collaborated with Burton and “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” writers Alfred Gough and Miles Millar on the “Addams Family” series “Wednesday,” shared her experience working on the sequel with Vanity Fair:
“They rebuilt Winter River, which was insane. All of the locals were so excited. But we were able to finish all of our Winter River stuff so that when the strike hit, they could take it all down. I remember it being super-weird energy on set the last week. For a lot of the cast that was revisiting Vermont, it felt weird to rush such a sentimental moment for them, seeing that house again and being together and calling each other by the same names again.”
In spite of this, Ortega described the shoot as being like “a celebration of everyone being back together and doing practical effects again. It was probably the happiest I had ever seen Tim on a set, where he’s clapping at the monitor and shouting and laughing, which was really, really endearing.”
Much has been made of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” embracing the original film’s practical-driven approach in interviews with the cast and crew (this one included). Meanwhile, Burton himself has talked about his frustration with modern franchises, expressing a desire to stir things up more with his output going forward. It’s not hard to spot the parallels between where he’s at now and his outlook near the end of the 1980s, which is certainly an encouraging sign. The “Beetlejuice” sequel itself still has a lot to prove — a follow-up to a 36-year-old movie doesn’t exactly read as a surefire recipe for a Burton renaissance. But who knows: maybe this “sentimental” reunion will prove to be just what the doctor ordered.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” opens in theaters on September 6, 2024.