Tim Burton and Michael Keaton have another box office hit on their hands withBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, which just beat an impressive record held by their firstBatmanmovie for the past 35 years. While both were still coming up in the industry throughout the mid-’80s, Tim Burton and Michael Keaton truly broke out together through the successes ofBeetlejuice(1988) andBatman(1989), both of which saw Keaton play the titular roles. These two films are still regarded as among the greatest entries in each man’s filmography, butthere’s long been a debate about which is the better collaboration.
Arriving 36 years after the original cult horror-comedy, Michael Keaton returns in thecast ofBeetlejuice 2as the mischievous Betelgeuse, marking his fifth movie collaboration with Burton. The duo’s past projects together includeBeetlejuice(1988),Batman(1989),Batman Returns(1992), andDumbo(2019), the latter of which notoriously flopped at the box office and was met with mixed reviews. Keaton and Burton’sBatmanduology therefore served as their last big hit with audiences and critics, butBeetlejuice 2has now arrived to remind everyone which icon still has the most “juice” after nearly four decades.
Beetlejuice 2 Officially Surpassed Batman (1989)’s Box Office To Become Tim Burton & Michael Keaton’s Highest-Grossing Movie
Beetlejuice 2 Has Earned Over $441.7 Million At The Box Office
Over the past 36 years and counting,Michael Keaton and Tim Burton’s movie collaborationshave now gone on to accumulate a total of over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. For 35 years, the record of being the duo’s highest-grossing collaboration was held by 1989’sBatman, which earned approximately $411.6 million at the box office (viaBox Office Mojo). Thisnumber has now finally been surpassed byBeetlejuice 2in 2024, which has earned over $441.7 million worldwide so far. ConsideringBeetlejuice 2is still in theaters, this number will continue to grow and extend its lead overBatman(1989).
Michael Keaton Just Beat The Joker For A Second Time, 35 Years After Tim Burton’s Batman
As Beetlejuice Beetlejuice triumphs over Joker: Folie à Deux at the box office, Michael Keaton has officially beaten the Clown Prince of Crime twice.
Tim Burton has only directed two sequels to his own movies throughout his entire career,Batman Returns(1992) andBeetlejuice 2(2024). Strangely, both sequels took on very different trajectories following their original movies.Batman Returnsended up earning only $266.9 million at the box office compared to the 1989 film’s $411.6 million, whereasBeetlejuice 2has greatly surpassed the 1988 original’s $74.8 million with its $441.7 million and counting. Meanwhile,Batman Returnsexceeded the critical acclaim of the 1989 movie, with the reverse being true forBeetlejuice 2(viaRotten Tomatoes).
$74.8 million
83%
$411.6 million
77%
$266.9 million
82%
$353.4 million
46%
$441.7 million (& counting)
So far,every Tim Burton and Michael Keaton movie has been a critical and commercial success except forDumbo.Beetlejuice 2was partially looked at as an opportunity for Burton to redeem his cinematic success afterDumbo’s failure, a movie that almost led Burton to retire from making films and for which Keaton has expressed disappointment in his own performance. Thankfully, thecritical and box office success ofBeetlejuice 2proves Burton and Keaton can still make movie magic after 36 years of working together – and even reunite to steal records from their classic early collaborations.
After 30+ Years, Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse Return Beats His Batman Return
Beetlejuice 2 Was A Better ’80s Character Return Than The Flash
Oddly enough, Michael Keaton would end up returning to his two most famous Tim Burton movie roles from the 1980s in the 2020s, with the two follow-ups releasing within two years of each other. Before making his return as the “Ghost with the Most” inBeetlejuice 2,Michael Keaton reprised his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman in Warner Bros.’ 2023 superhero movieThe Flash. However, the big difference between Keaton’s 2020s Batman return and 2020s Betelgeuse return is that only one of the movies has Tim Burton back in the director’s chair.
Beetlejuice 3: Confirmation & Everything We Know
Tim Burton’s classic horror comedy Beetlejuice got a long-awaited sequel in 2024, and development has even begun on Beetlejuice 3.
Michael Keaton’s return as Bruce Waynewas heavily promoted in the marketing forThe Flash, and he’s been widely praised as being among the greatest aspects of the 2023 film. However,The Flashreceived moderately positive reviews from critics (holding a 63% score on Rotten Tomatoes) and disappointingly earned only $271.4 million at the box office against an estimated $200 million budget. Though there were plenty of factors that went into this outcome,Keaton’s 2023 Batman return ultimately didn’t hold up to the success of his outings as the character in Burton’s movies.
Michael Keaton eventually turned down playing Bruce Wayne again in a potentialBatman 3in the 1990s after Tim Burton was pushed out as the director.
Meanwhile,Keaton’sBeetlejuicefollow-up was authentic to and matched the tone and success of the 1988 original. Of course, this sequel has Tim Burton back in the director’s chair, underscoring how much more effective these characters are on-screen when they have the insight and creative collaboration of both Keaton and Burton together. IfTim Burton and Michael Keaton were to ever make a thirdBatmanmovietogether, his return to Bruce Wayne would look very different, and – ifBeetlejuice 2is any indication – potentially yield a film just as successful as the first two.
Beetlejuice 2 Proves Betelgeuse Is Michael Keaton’s Best Tim Burton Character
Betelgeuse Is Uniquely Defined By Both Keaton and Burton
Michael Keaton flawlessly steps back into the character of Betelgeuse inBeetlejuice 2, despite the fact that he hasn’t donned that hair, makeup, and voice in well over 30 years. ThoughKeaton only has 17 minutes of screen time inBeetlejuice 2, his performance is still just as memorable, hilarious, and chaotic as the original movie. There’s noBeetlejuice 2without Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse, and his praised return is a reminder that the enduring popularity of the franchise is largely built on the success of his improvisational, hammed-up performance with Tim Burton’s gothic, fantastical aesthetic.
No matter how great Michael Keaton was as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 and 1992 movies, they aren’t universally considered the defining actor and director for that character.
Bruce Wayne is in the running for one of the greatest fictional characters of all time, but, unlike Beteleguse,Batman doesn’t necessarily belong to Michael Keaton and Tim Burton. TheirBatmancollaborations provide incredible, unique takes on that classic character and world, which revolutionized superhero movies and changed the thematic and stylistic possibilities for that genre in Hollywood. But, no matterhow great Michael Keaton was as Batmanin Tim Burton’s 1989 and 1992 movies, they aren’t universally considered the defining actor and director for that character, especially afterThe Dark Knighttrilogy.
Meanwhile, Michael Keaton and Tim Burton are the DNA for Betelgeuse. Keaton’s performance and energy with Burton’s style and gothic approach are what make Betelgeuse the beloved figure that he is.Batman can work with a different actor and director behind him, but that isn’t the case for Betelgeuse. It’s the combination of Keaton and Burton that madeBeetlejuicean unexpected hit in 1988, and it’s their return – alongside Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara, of course – and distinctive, personalized filmmaking approach that led toBeetlejuice Beetlejuicebecoming such a major box office hit and critical success so many years later.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
Batman
Batman is a 1989 superhero movie directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Bruce Wayne. The film features Jack Nicholson’s chilling portrayal as Jack Napier, who turns into the Joker and reigns terror on Gotham. Kim Basinger also stars in the film as Vicki Vale, along with Michael Gough as Bruce’s trusty butler named Alfred.
