'Beetlejuice 2' Too Little, Too Late

Well, it appears "Beetlejuice 2" is finally coming together. Of course, Hollywood does not care that the original "Beetlejuice" came out over two decades ago. It does not matter that the older Michael Keaton gets the more he looks like the ghastly character he portrayed in the original. It does not even matter that horror movie fans have sent a message to Hollywood they are not interested in seeing sequels and remakes of classics from a generation or two ago.

Currently, David Katzen­berg and Seth Grahame-Smith are working with Warner Bros. to get the project moving. The goal is to have both Tim Burton and Michael Keaton on board before putting the movie in theaters. Too bad they did not come to horror movie fans to see what they think. I am sure they would have heard many voices saying "please no" in unison.

Outside of trying to cash in on a classic, I am sure "Beetlejuice 2" will simply be a mash-up of CGI with cheap pun connections to the first movie. I am sure the filmmakers will also take the extra step to make sure it will be a 3D movie, since we don't have enough of those right now. I wonder what "new" take we are going to have to look forward to.

We also have to wonder if "Beetlejuice 2" will veer from what it was that made the original movie such a classic. First off, the movie was simple enough for a child to follow. The jokes were simple, and much of the comedy reflected the classic slapstick comedy the early days of movies were known for. The movie had some scenes that were over-the-top, but not enough to trivialize the movie as one that kept looking to over-thrill the audience like a Michael Bay movie.

I would hope Burton and Keaton keep their blessings to themselves. I would hope they are wise enough to realize that certain classics need to go untouched. The sanctity of certain classics should never have to be defiled by profit-driven companies that care more about making a buck than making a classic. Hopefully this project stays in the purgatory it is in right now.

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