‘It Was Strange’: Jenna Ortega Says Beetlejuice 2 Filming Had All The ‘Old Notes From The Original’ Film Given By Townies

As a dedicated fan of the macabre and all things spooky, I must say that being part of the Beetlejuice sequel has been an unparalleled experience. Stepping onto the set of Winter River felt like stepping into a time capsule, with the townsfolk eagerly sharing their memories and memorabilia from the original film. It was as if the ghosts of Beetlejuice’s past had risen to welcome us back.


The cult classic horror comedy Beetlejuice was filmed in the town of Winter River, Conn. For the sequel, the cast and crew returned to the iconic sets and got extra help this time. Jenna Ortega and the cast of Beetlejuice had the support of the townsfolk where the sequel was being filmed. The Wednesday actress was a new member of the franchise but got “all the old notes” from the original film. 

In the Entertainment Weekly’s Around the Table video series, Ortega, who portrays Astrid (Lydia’s teenage daughter played by Winona Ryder), discussed an unusual event that happened on set. “I clearly remember a time when we were rehearsing near Winter River,” said the actress, as she reminisced about the incident.

She continued, “It was peculiar because while we were filming, residents from a Vermont town were visiting us with books signed by Tim dating back three decades.” They showed us photographs of the initial Beetlejuice cast and other memorabilia, demonstrating that they had been present when the movie was first made. “They still had all the old notes from the original production,” she explained.

During the production of the Beetlejuice sequel, it was disclosed that a quaint cinema in East Corinth played the initial Beetlejuice movie continuously. The actress from The Scream commented, “It seemed as if we were actually filming within the model [of the town].”

Originally, Ortega reminisced about phoning her mom and sharing details of her day, eliciting great enthusiasm from her. Subsequently, the story continues from where the first installment ended, with Lydia facing the challenges of being a solo parent to Astrid while also hosting a TV program named Ghost House.

Following Lydia’s father’s passing, she and her stepmother Delia (portrayed by Catherine O’Hara) return to the house on Winter River. They go there to grieve his death. Unexpectedly, their hasty departure transforms into a meeting with none other than Ghost with the Most, also known as Beetlejuice (played by Michael Keaton).

Since the portal to the afterlife is accidentally opened, Lydia secures a demonic bio-exorcist to put things back in order. But will the chaos be dealt with? 

During the round table conversation, Keaton revealed that he found reprising his character and the story challenging. “How do you do this again? It’s not like we sat down on the first one and thought, ‘Remember now, in the first act, this happens,” he added. 

“Overwhelmed by passion, I could hardly contain my excitement as I watched them shape the idea, step by step. It wasn’t long before the concept blossomed into reality, much like a seed sprouting in fertile soil. As he put it himself, ‘It just came to life up here [in his mind], but then it took on a life of its own.'”

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to hit theaters on September 6. 

Read More

2024-08-29 19:39