Michael Keaton appears in Beetlejuice less than you think

Michael Keaton played the title role in 1988’s BeetlejuiceBut he shockingly appeared much less in the movie than one would expect. Before being cast as the main character in BeetlejuiceKeaton is already known for his roles in The Mary Taylor Moore House, Mr. MomAnd Night shift. Although Keaton’s version of Batman from 1989 would become a highlight of his career, his role as Beetlejuice will always be celebrated because of the establishment of an iconic character during the time of BeetlejuiceIt’s soft end.

In addition to Tim Burton coming back as director, Keaton returned for Beetlejuice 2s ensemble cast. Keaton was joined by Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, who played Lydia and Delia Dets, as well as franchise newcomers Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe and Justin Theroux. At first, it was unclear what role he would play, yet Beetlejuice 2Eventually, Beetlejuice reunited with the Deetz family. Although the title of the movie connects to the figure, it does not ensure a major role, as proven by Keaton’s first stint as the character.

Michael Keaton only has 17 minutes of screen time in Beetlejuice

From a film with a 92 minute runtime

in BeetlejuiceThe character’s bio-exorcist expertise was first needed by Adam and Barbara Maitland to rid their home of the Deetz family. His chaotic methods were a bit too unorthodox, but he proved useful later in the movie. At the end of the original BeetlejuiceThe mischievous character was sent back to the afterlife because, although he saved the Maitlands, the couple prevented him from marrying Lydia and ensuring his place among the living.

Despite his vital role in the overall plot of BeetlejuiceKeaton only had a little over 17 minutes of screen time in the 1988s Beetlejuice (via HuffPost). Given the nature of the eponymous character, this is much lower than expected. total, Beetlejuice is 92 minutes long, making Keaton’s limited screen time even more glaring, begging the question of how this impacted regular Tim Burton acting in Beetlejuice 2.

How Beetlejuice’s limited screen time still helped the movie

Beetlejuice is a character that is better in small doses

due to the plan for Keaton’s role in the original BeetlejuiceHis part took only two weeks to film. Still, he left a significant impact on the movie, stealing the very few scenes that the wacky character appeared in. To make the film more entertaining, Keaton ad-libbed the majority of the lines, giving the actor more freedom to create the role of Beetlejuice. His own. Burton’s decision to allow Keaton to ad-lib his Beetlejuice Scenes ultimately shaped the movie into a beloved classic that remained relevant enough to receive a sequel decades later.

With many catchphrases and memorable scenes such as the Beetlejuice business, the snake transformation and hilarious life trends, the fact that Keaton had so little time to work with makes the movie’s legacy even better. Keaton even had a say in Beetlejuice’s iconic look, with the team behind him winning an Oscar for Best Makeup for their creation. It makes sense why Keaton was so outspoken about his positive experience working on Beetlejuice And how the role will always be one of his favourites.

Michael Keaton’s small Beetlejuice role is mirrored by the 2024 sequel

Keaton’s character remains a vital part

Given the small amount of screen time given to the titular character in BeetlejuiceMany are wondering if the long-awaited sequel would follow suit. The cult classic status of the first film naturally saw many worry that Keaton’s Beetlejuice would be used much more significantly, potentially robbing the film of what made the first one so great. however, Beetlejuice 2 Repeated Keaton’s 17-minute stunt, fulfilling one of Michael Keaton’s only conditions for returning as the character in the sequel.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is slightly longer than the first movie, 104 minutes compared to its predecessor’s 92 minutes. This means that Beetlejuice technically has even less screen time than the first movie in the context of the length of both stories, although that was to be expected. Beetlejuice 2s larger cast. above all, It proves that Burton and the writers of Beetlejuice 2 They were well aware of how the iconic Keaton character should be used, thankfully maintaining that decades later.

Why Beetlejuice Is Such an Iconic Movie Character (Despite Barely Appearing)

Beetlejuice has a number of reasons that make him so memorable

One of the defining factors that makes Beetlejuice so iconic despite its lack of screen time is Keaton himself. To see an actor of Keaton’s caliber capable of such gravitas let loose as an irreverent, silly, goofy character makes his appeal far greater than it otherwise would have been had someone else been cast. Keaton nails the humor to make Beetlejuice someone that audiences love to watch, even if they don’t immediately root for him. This, paired with Keaton’s physical comedy and his iconic, wacky design, makes Beetlejuice instantly memorable.

Apart from Keaton’s work, the cleverness with which both Beetlejuice And Beetlejuice 2 Using the character also helped him become iconic. It’s this little screen time that makes the character work so well, as Beetlejuice is the vehicle of the plot in both films. Without him, both stories would stall, but Keaton’s appearance enhances a sense of fast-paced madness to take each film from one plot point to the next. how so The lack of screen time actually aids Beetlejuice’s iconography, as his appearances mark each film’s move to the next major sequence..

Finally, audiences often tend to respond to morally complex characters. Beetlejuice is very clearly a villainous presence in both films, not shying away from the terrible things he’s done in his life. Regardless, Beetlejuice remains a man who often sticks to his word. He helped the Maitlands in the first film, and did the same several times for the Deetz family in Beetlejuice 2Although not without making his own nefarious motivations clear. This complexity, combined with Keaton’s performance, design and irreverent humor, make the character immensely iconic despite his reduced screen time in Beetlejuice.