Beetlejuice 2: Michael Keaton will wear the striped suit but thinks another outfit is more iconic

Last Updated on November 21, 2023

As we cross our fingers that the actors’ strike is finally coming to an end, the final stretch of filming Beetlejuice 2 is almost ready to wrap. Tim Burton had previously said that they only had a day and a half to go. The plot has yet to be unveiled, but we have bits and pieces of context with several casting announcements. Burton has also given the impression that the special effects may not be CGI heavy. And recently, the film’s costume designer, Colleen Atwood, says the movie will address the 30 years of the characters’ evolution.

Atwood also, while speaking with ComicBook.com, was asked about the iconic Beetlejuice striped suit. She has confirmed that the ghost with the most will indeed don the suit, but Michael Keaton was partial to another iconic costume he wore in the original. Atwood stated, “Well Beetlejuice has to have a striped suit. It’s like doing Alice in Wonderland needs a blue dress. How long they wear it is another thing. But Beetlejuice, that is the quintessential Beetlejuice. Strangely, it was Michael, he thinks the burgundy tux is the quintessential Beetlejuice, not the striped suit. But the world happens to disagree with him, so it’s a funny thing.”  

The Beetljuice striped suit is synonymous with the character, but in actuality, he only sports the look for a few minutes of the movie’s finale. However, the movie’s poster and promotion gives the black and white striped suit the spotlight. Additionally, the Beetlejuice cartoon from 1989 has him in the striped suit by default.

When Atwood spoke of the the sequel catching up to these characters after all this time, she emphasized that beloved costumes of the original will make their triumphant return, “Well, you’re gonna see some old friends in the costume world. There’s a real homage to Beetlejuice, the original, and then you’ll see the journey that those people have made in the 30 years since Beetlejuice, it’s been a while. So, it’s a fun process, I think the audience is gonna love it, it’s really fun.”