'Beetlejuice' the Sequel? Warner Bros. May Be Ready Say it Three Times

Kevin Smith once addressed being offered a chance to script this project, and I don't think anyone since has ever made a better argument against it: "Didn't we say all we needed to say with the first 'Beetlejuice'?"

Well, someone clearly didn't think so.

Deadline reports that dynamic writer-producer duo David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith recently signed a two-year, first-look contract with Warner Bros., but that really isn't the interesting news. Right out of the gate, the pair gets to take a stab at the sequel to the Tim Burton 1988 supernatural-comedy classic "Beetlejuice," which starred Geena Davis, Michael Keaton and a young Winona Ryder.

For those who have never seen "An Evening With Kevin Smith," the writer-director claimed that in the early '90s following his freshman success with "Clerks" and the critical drubbing he received for "Mallrats," a sequel called "Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian" was once among the projects that Paramount Pictures offered him when that studio was pursuing the sequel.

"Must we go tropical?" Smith joked about his own thoughts when asked the question during a speaking engagement.

Though Burton was set to return as director, a script never materialized. It's now unknown whether or not what the pair may develop will have anything to do with that aborted project or not. However, Grahame-Smith is among the people who wrote Burton's upcoming big-screen turn for the cult vampire soap-opera "Dark Shadows," starring Johnny Depp. So there's that positive relationship to build confidence.

Still, there's no indication that Burton or Keaton would return for the sequel.

And if neither will come back, the sequel shouldn't happen. Keaton is Beetlejuice. That's his role, and anybody else playing it would just be a noticeable decline. Also, "Beetlejuice" has so many signature Burton brush-strokes, that it would be too jarring seeing another director's take on his successful endeavor.

“We first got to know Seth through his fantastic work on 'Dark Shadows,' and it immediately became a priority to expand our relationship with him,” said Warner Bros production president Greg Silverman.

“Seth introduced us to David, who greatly impresses us with the vision for KatzSmith from the very first meeting. We firmly believe in their talents and are extremely excited to welcome them to the Warners family.”