Rumours of a sequel re-surfaced last year, when Burton announced that he was interested in directing the project.
"[I'll do it] if it was interesting. Although, I don't know if I would ever know a good script if it bit me in the face. But, I know what I like, so we'll see," he said, adding that Seth Grahame-Smith (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer, Dark Shadows) was penning a script for the sequel.
"I just told him, because it was something where I liked the character, he'd probably have a better response," added Burton. "He has ideas about it, so I just wanted to let him respond to it and see what he comes up with."
A report published by The Wrap last month claimed that Burton is in talks to return as director.
Michael Keaton, who starred as the devilishly frisky titular character, is also expected to return, noted the website. Keaton later confirmed to scandal sheet TMZ that Beetlejuice 2 is a go.
'IT'S A VERY PRECIOUS MOVIE TO PEOPLE'
Ryder acknowledged to The Daily Beast that she was aware of the mixed fan reaction to the idea of a sequel.
"It's a very precious movie to people," she said. "So there are a lot people like, 'DON'T.'"
She noted that if Burton and Keaton weren't involved, she would have given the project a wide berth.
"I would never go near [a sequel] if it was not Tim and Michael," she said. "Because those guys, I love."
She added, "It's not a remake. It's 27 years later. And I have to say, I love Lydia so much. She was such a huge part of me. I would be really interested in what she is doing 27 years later."
Speaking of the original, she said: "That's one of those movies where little kids stop me. I'm so associated with it. I think it gave me my career. I was such a weird looking kid."
Grahame-Smith said last year that a Beetlejuice sequel is a "high priority" for both Burton and Warner Bros.
"It's a reality in the sense that I met with Michael Keaton last week," he said. "We talked for a couple of hours and talked about big picture stuff. It's a priority for Warner Bros. It's a priority for Tim."
He said of Keaton's interest in starring in a sequel: "Huge, he's been wanting to do it for 20 years and he'll talk to anybody about it who will listen. I really told him, I have a huge reverence for Tim and a huge reverence for that film in general.
"I don't think we should do it if we s**t on the legacy. He agrees."
He also dismissed speculation that the project would be an all-out remake.
"I have a rough idea of what it's gonna be," he told website Collider. "However - I should stress this - it's not a remake, it's not a reboot, it is a true sequel with Michael Keaton as the title character Beetlejuice.
"I don't wanna be the guy that destroys the legacy and the memory of the first film; I would rather die. I would rather just not make it, I'd rather just throw the whole thing away than make something that pays no respect and doesn't live up even close to the legacy of the first film."
He then told SciFiNow back in March: "I think that you'd have to be an idiot not to be nervous about taking on something so beloved by so many people, myself included.
"Which is the precise reason why we told Warner Bros we would absolutely not even think about doing it without Michael Keaton reprising his role and without Tim's involvement and we were lucky enough to get both men to agree in theory, provided the script was strong enough that they'd at least be open to it. So we're proceeding slowly, cautiously and carefully."
Bring on showtime!
Stay tuned for updates.
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- Rumour Has It
