It was just the other day that we let you guys know the strange yet awesome news that Tim Burton’s 80’s classic BEETLEJUICE is getting a Broadway musical, which is set to begin its run next Halloween.
And since we’re here, why not keep the BEETLEJUICE news a-rollin’? Sounds good to me! Recently the film’s producer Larry Wilson spoke to Yahoo! and dropped some interesting trivia on the film, including the movie’s original ending and title.
Producer Larry Wilson:
Our first ending was Lydia — she died in a fire and was able to join Barbara and Adam in the afterlife. A couple of people said to us, ‘Do you really think that’s a good idea? Is that really the message you want to be sending to the teenagers of the world? Die in a fire?’ So, yeah, it probably was darker.
On top of the great bit of trivia, Wilson also let Yahoo! know they film’s original title:
The title that I remember being suggested, pretty much before the release, was House Ghost,” Wilson recalled. “I bet it was David Geffen who said no to that, and a big firm no. There were marketing people within Warner Bros. who thought no one would know what ‘Beetlejuice’ was, but they’d know what a house ghost was. Thank God [they went with Beetlejuice]. I would not like to be here talking about House Ghost the movie.”
What do you make of the film’s original ending and/or title? Make sure to hit us up and let us know in the comments below or on social media!
BEETLEJUICE (1988) synopsis:
After Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die in a car accident, they find themselves stuck haunting their country residence, unable to leave the house. When the unbearable Deetzes (Catherine O’Hara, Jeffrey Jones) and teen daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder) buy the home, the Maitlands attempt to scare them away without success. Their efforts attract Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), a rambunctious spirit whose “help” quickly becomes dangerous for the Maitlands and innocent Lydia.
The original film was directed by Tim Burton and starred Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Catherine O’Hara, and Jeffrey Jones. The new musical will hold its world premiere in a pre-Broadway run at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. next October.