This Iconic ‘Beetlejuice’ Tune Is in the Sequel, Catherine O’Hara Confirms

The much-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’sBeetlejuice (1988) is set to hit theatres on September 6, 2024. The returning cast includes Michael Keaton reprising his role as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder (Stranger Things) as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek) as Delia Deetz. But O’Hara has just revealed that it’s not just the cast making a comeback. The iconic song “Day-O,” featured in the first film’s dinner scene, will also be a part of the sequel.

Sung by the late Harry Belafonte, “Day-O” made the dinner party scene from the original Beetlejuice a memorable moment in pop culture. The scene features O’Hara in her comic element as the ghosts of Barbara and Adam Maitland, played by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, haunt the family that moves into their home. The ghosts force everyone on the table to dance to the Belafonte classic, also known as “The Banana Boat Song.”

Speaking about filming the new “Day-O” scene with the cast of Beetlejuice 2, officially titled Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, on Kelly Ripa‘s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, O’Hara talked about how happy everyone was to be on the set! She said, “It was just really loose and fun and lovely,” which is similar to how the scene from the original film made the audience feel. Well, the fact is, the inclusion of Belafonte’s iconic song pays homage to the singer as well as the original film in a lot of ways, and it really couldn’t get better than this!

The Cast of ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Will Feature Some Fresh Faces

The ensemble cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also features fresh faces including Jenna Ortega (Wednesday) playing Lydia’s daughter Astrid. Additionally, the sequel has included Italian model and actress Monica Bellucci as Beetlejuice’s bride along with Justin Theroux (The Leftovers) in an undisclosed role.

While most of the plot details for the sequel are still under wraps, Ortega has gone on the record to talk about the dynamic between her and Ryder’s characters. Much like the role Ortega played on Netflix’s Wednesday, Astrid is going to be a weird character, but in a different way. According to the young actress, Lydia has also gone through a lot of changes, which the fans are going to catch up with in the sequel. The screenplay for the sequel is written by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, who have also worked on Wednesday. Tim Burton, of course, serves as the director with the film being produced by Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is all set to hit theaters globally on September 6, 2024. Warner Bros. is yet to release a trailer for the sequel film and has only released a poster so far. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates! You can rent or buy the first film on Prime Video.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

This is a follow-up to the comedy Beetlejuice (1988), about a ghost who’s recruited to help haunt a house.

Release Date

September 6, 2024

Director

Tim Burton

Main Genre

Comedy

Writers

Seth Grahame-Smith , David Katzenberg , Michael McDowell , Mike Vukadinovich , Larry Wilson , Alfred Gough

Studio

Warner Bros.

Watch on Prime Video