Tim Burton Says He's 'Closer Than Ever' to Finishing BEETLEJUICE Sequel Script

After years of rumors, Tim Burton just revealed to ComingSoon.net that he and Michael Keaton are "closer than ever" to working on a BEETLEJUICE sequel.

Burton told the website, "It's a character that I love and I miss and I miss actually working with Michael. There's only one Betelgeuse. We're working on a script and I think it's probably closer than ever and I'd love to work with him again."

Directed by Tim Burton and distributed by Warner Bros., BEELTLEJUICE revolved around a recently deceased young couple (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) who become ghosts haunting their former home and an obnoxious, devious "bio-exorcist" named Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) from the underworld who tries to scare away the new inhabitants (Catherine O'Hara, Jeffrey Jones, and Winona Ryder) permanently.

BEETLEJUICE was a financial and critical success, grossing $73.7 million from a budget of $15 million. It won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and three Saturn Awards: Best Horror Film, Best Makeup and Best Supporting Actress for Sylvia Sidney, her final award before her death in 1999.

The film spawned an animated television series that Burton produced and a planned unproduced sequel, Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian.

Burton's BIG EYES will hit the big screen on Christmas Day, and he is also working on a film adaptation of the popular fiction series MISS PEREGRINE'S HOME FOR PECULIAR CHILDREN.

Keaton just appeared in the film BIRDMAN, which has been nominated for seven Golden Globes. The actor has recently seen a resurgence, with ROBOCOP and NEED FOR SPEED out earlier this year.