“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” Wows at Venice Premiere, Signaling Tim Burton’s Comeback
Tim Burton and the cast of 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' walked the Venice red carpet, but the studio junket was held in London.
PHOTO BY STEPHANE CARDINALE - CORBIS/CORBIS VIA GETTY IMAGES
Venice audiences and critics are praising Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel as a triumphant return to his beloved macabre style.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” the highly anticipated sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic, received an overwhelmingly positive reception at its world premiere during the Venice Film Festival. The film, which has been in the making for 36 years, was met with a nearly four-minute standing ovation from an enthusiastic crowd on Wednesday night.
As the audience erupted in applause, the cast took to the balcony for bows, with Burton embracing his girlfriend, Monica Bellucci. The team then exited the theater together, with stars Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, Winona Ryder, and Jenna Ortega leading the way. Warner Bros. executives Pam Abdy and Michael DeLuca were seen accepting congratulations as they left, with Abdy expressing gratitude to festival director Alberto Barbera.
Critics have lauded the film as a return to form for Burton. The Hollywood Reporter’s lead critic, David Rooney, praised the director for rediscovering the “ghoulish mischief of his glory days” with the help of returning stars Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton. Rooney’s sentiments were echoed by other publications, including the BBC, which described the film as “a gleefully zany farce packed with knock-out punchlines and great practical effects.” Empire magazine also commended Keaton’s performance, noting that “Michael Keaton has never been Beetlejuicier.”
However, not all reviews were entirely positive. The Guardian offered a more critical take, suggesting that while Burton’s attempt to revive the 1980s horror-comedy was commendable, the sequel did not add much to the original.
Ahead of the premiere, Burton expressed how the project had re-energized him after years of feeling disillusioned with the film industry. If the Venice reception is any indication, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is poised to be a significant success. Warner Bros. has already projected the film to open with an $80 million domestic box office, a promising start for the sequel.
Article Source: The Hollywood Reporter
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