The Beetlejuice Cartoon Was Notoriously Hard to Find Until Now

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The Beetlejuice Cartoon Was Notoriously Hard to Find Until Now

As a child of the ’80s and ’90s, I can vividly remember the sheer joy that Beetlejuice brought into my life when it first graced our television screens. The quirky humor, the eccentric characters, and the Tim Burton-esque aesthetic made it an instant favorite for many of us kids back then. So, you can imagine my dismay when I found out that this Emmy Award-winning series was nowhere to be found for over three decades!

In an unusual decision, Tim Burton took on the director’s role for the 1989 animated series “Beetlejuice,” which was inspired by his own movie from the previous year. The success of the horror-comedy film led to this animated sequel, but surprisingly, only Beetlejuice, Lydia Deetz, and Harry the Hunter (also known as The Shrunken Headed Guy) remained. All other characters, such as Percy, Bertha, a muscular skeleton fixated on his physique, a spider that danced tap, a cheerleader in a past life, and a giant red-furred monster, were entirely new creations for this cartoon.

Joining Doomie (a unique character combining werewolf and car traits), as well as clowns Scuzzo and Fuzzo (who are in competition with BJ), it remains intriguing that action figures weren’t produced for this popular animated series. However, the more enigmatic query about the Beetlejuice cartoon is why it took 35 years for the hit show to debut on a streaming service. This significant delay might be due to Warner Brothers owning the rights to Beetlejuice, a studio known for being selective in decision-making processes. You only need to look at how they managed titles like Coyote vs. Acme, Batgirl, Fixed!, the Boomerang app, and the Cartoon Network website to understand their cautious approach.

Despite these three unproduced films and the digital hubs having little connection to the original IPs, a cartoon like this one, which won an Emmy Award, deserves recognition from its dedicated audience that played a significant role in the show’s initial success. To WB’s credit, some episodes were available on VHS tapes in 1993, but those bulky media players are rarely used now. Moreover, three select episodes from seasons two and three were included in the 20th Anniversary Beetlejuice DVD in 2008; however, this is not a particularly notable achievement.

Was WB Holding Beetlejuice Back?

The Beetlejuice Cartoon Was Notoriously Hard to Find Until NowThe Beetlejuice Cartoon Was Notoriously Hard to Find Until NowThe Beetlejuice Cartoon Was Notoriously Hard to Find Until Now

To avoid appearing miserly, WB granted Time Life the rights to produce the Beetlejuice animation, which then made the seasons available exclusively on Amazon from 2013 to 2014 in a two-year window. Due to this limited distribution, the episodes became scarce and expensive, causing many fans to scour the internet for scattered episodes and clips. For the following ten years, this situation persisted. The once critically acclaimed animated Beetlejuice found itself relegated to the obscure corners of the cartoon world.

In June of this year, Warner Brothers unexpectedly underwent a change – a lucrative idea ignited within their corporate brain. As a result, Shout! Studios took charge and compiled the entire series again, this time at an affordable price. Now, each episode is available for purchase on YouTube, Prime Video, and Apple TV for just two dollars, and can also be streamed on Tubi.

Supporters of Warner Brothers might argue that the complete release of this cartoon was delayed to align with the premiere of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. However, waiting three decades for its release seems excessive in this case. The fact that there were talks about theatrical sequels to the successful 1988 film circulating in Hollywood for over 30 years demonstrates a persistent interest from viewers. Yet, as was the case with other projects, Warner Brothers appears to prioritize profits above all else. Stream Beetlejuice on Tubi, and rent the series on YouTube, Prime Video, and Apple TV. The movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is currently playing in cinemas nationwide.

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2024-09-07 02:01