Box Office: ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Delivers Pulpy $13M in Previews

As a seasoned gamer and movie buff with over three decades of entertainment under my belt, I must say I am utterly thrilled about the upcoming release of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” Having grown up watching the original 1988 film, I can’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for those days when Tim Burton’s quirky and imaginative world first captivated my young mind. The fact that this sequel has managed to amass such impressive preview numbers is a testament to the enduring appeal of “Beetlejuice” as a cult classic.

The Juice is on the loose.

Tim Burton’s highly anticipated sequel, titled “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice“, generated a hopeful $13 million during its preview screenings on both Thursday and Wednesday at the North American cinema market.

The Warner Bros. movie premiere is projected to bring in one of the largest September box office openings ever, potentially earning between $90 million and $110 million during its domestic launch, according to sales data and pre-sale figures. Predictions suggest the film could make over $100 million on opening day, but Warner Bros. is being careful with their estimates.

In September, the movie “Beetlejuice” had the second highest pre-release viewing figures of all time, just behind “It,” another R-rated blockbuster from Warner Bros. “It” went on to have an opening weekend of $123 million in early September 2017 (unadjusted for inflation). To this day, “It” holds the title for the biggest September opening of all time. Notably, among PG-13 movies, “Beetlejuice” now has the highest pre-release figures.

The opening for “It Chapter Two” from 2019 ranks as the second largest September release, earning $91.1 million. This is surpassed only by Marvel Studio’s “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” which debuted during the pandemic in 2021 with a take of $75.4 million. The next biggest September opening falls within the mid-$50 million range.

On Wednesday, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice raked in $3 million during special screenings at Imax and other large-format cinemas, and it gathered another $10 million from standard Thursday preview showings.

Burton’s much-anticipated follow-up film unfolds 36 years after the original Beetlejuice movie hit theaters. It hopes to capitalize on the film’s lasting popularity as a cult favorite and attract audiences spanning various age groups. The initial Beetlejuice earned $74 million at the box office, which equates to over $195 million when accounting for inflation today.

The movie for $100 features Michael Keaton reprising his role as the mischievous ghost, along with Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara. Joining the franchise for the first time are Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, and Willem Dafoe.

In this new turn of events, Lydia Deetz, along with her family, comes back home following a heart-wrenching incident, but they soon discover that Lydia’s daughter, Astrid, has accidentally opened a gateway to the spirit world. (The intriguing teaser trailer cleverly showcases Keaton exclaiming to a startled Ryder, “The supernatural force is free!”)

In their review for the sequel, which premiered at the glamorous Venice Film Festival, The Hollywood Reporter’s chief film critic David Rooney notes that the director appears to be revitalized as he draws upon the mischievously whimsical essence of one of his iconic films from the golden era. He offers a similar flavor for two actors who played significant roles not only in the original “Beetlejuice” but also in Tim Burton’s “Batman” movies and “Edward Scissorhands”: Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder.

The film’s current critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes is a fresh 76 percent.

In the sequel, Burton was the one in charge, following a screenplay penned by the creators of “The Wednesday” series – Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. However, it’s important to note that Seth Grahame-Smith contributed significantly to the movie’s narrative as well.

2024-09-06 18:28

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