The highly anticipated Beetlejuice in 1988, director Tim Burton created, and executive produced, a Canadian animated TV series called Beetlejuice in 1989, which was loosely based on the original movie. The animated Beetlejuice series followed a young Lydia Deetz (Alyson Court) and her friend Beetlejuice (Stephen Ouimette) on their wild adventures in the mortal world and the Neitherworld in a four-season run which spanned 94 episodes.
Beetlejuice’s animated series had a unique art style, and its comedy derived from slapstick humor, wordplay, and allusions. The majority of Beetlejuice’s episodes focus on Beetlejuice’s relationship with Lydia, with Lydia being the voice of reason to the wild schemes of Beetlejuice, and Beetlejuice helping Lydia be more confident. The animated series ran for two years, from 1989 to 1991, and was a prominent children’s show at the time, due to it being among the many great 1990s cartoons that were based on movies. However, the new younger target audience did affect how Beetlejuice was adapted into the cartoon format.
The Beetlejuice Animated Series Followed On From The First Movie (& Was Actually Great)
Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Series Was Highly Praised
The Beetlejuice animated series followed on from the events of the first film, with Beetlejuice already being known to the Deetz family. However, some of the original elements of Beetlejuice had to be changed to fit a more kid-friendly audience. For example, lewd jokes were absent in the animated series, and instead of trying to win Lydia’s affections, Beetlejuice remained as a friend in the series.
Beetlejuice’s animated series was well received despite the changes, and series for several reasons.
The Beetlejuice series was well received for capturing the essence of the original film and the quality of animation, considering it was made in the late '80s.
The Beetlejuice series was well received for capturing the essence of the original film and the quality of animation, considering it was made in the late 80s. Therefore, it is no surprise that the series won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Animated Program in 1990, tied with The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Furthermore, Beetlejuice was such a hit on ABC that it also aired on Fox, becoming one of the first animated series airing on two different networks.
Beetlejuice's Animated Spinoff Proved A Second Movie Would Work
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Has Broken Box Office Records
The success of the Beetlejuice animated spinoff showed that a movie sequel could work despite years of uncertainty. Beetlejuice 2 had been rumored following the success of the 1988 movie, and there was some speculation of a film called Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian, however, the scripts didn’t meet the standards of the original movie.
25 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Easter Eggs & References Explained
Beetlejuice 2 embraces nostalgia by staying true to the original movie, but the various Easter eggs and references also lean into modern day.
Conversely, the animated Beetlejuice series was a success, showing that with the correct script and premise, a sequel could work. Evidently, Burton made the right choice with Lydia and Beetlejuice’s team up in the movie, as has broken box office records in its opening weekend. Discussions for a sequel have taken place numerous times over the years, with many of the original cast wanting to return.
Jenna Ortega's Winona Ryder-like quality and the making of Wednesday inspired Tim Burton to revisit a Beetlejuice sequel.
Winona Ryder had a condition in her Stranger Things contract that would allow her time off for Beetlejuice 2 before the sequel was even confirmed, and Michael Keaton stated in an interview in 2014 that Beetlejuice is one of the few films he would love to return to. Following Burton’s work on Netflix's Wednesday series, which stars Jenna Ortega, he became inspired to revisit the franchise, and no doubt looked to his successful animated Beetlejuice series for inspiration.
Key Background
- Season 1 of Beetlejuice has a Rotten Tomatoes audience score of 90%.
- The animated series ran for 94 episodes.
- Tim Burton worked on the series only as an executive producer. Most of the episodes were directed by John Halfpenny, Larry Jacobs and John Van Bruggen.
Beetlejuice
- Release Date
- 1989 - 1991-00-00
Cast
Stephen Ouimette-
Alyson Court
WHERE TO WATCH
Beetlejuice is an animated television series inspired by Tim Burton's 1988 film. The show follows the misadventures of Lydia Deetz, a gothic teenage girl, and her mischievous ghost friend, Beetlejuice, in the Neitherworld and on Earth. Voiced by Stephen Ouimette, Beetlejuice's chaotic antics and Lydia's resourcefulness create a unique blend of comedy and fantasy. The series aired from 1989 to 1991, garnering critical acclaim for its inventive storytelling and distinctive animation style.
- Seasons
- 4
- Main Genre
- Animation
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