Audiences starved for originality often scoff at the announcement of movie sequels, as they are criticized for being easy cash grabs for major studio executives.
Not all sequels are created equal, however; in some instances, succeeding installments of a franchise can be superior to the first film.
The Godfather Part II, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back are famous examples of sequels considered improvements over the movies that spawned them.
While a sequel film's box office performance is unpredictable, they're still considered passion projects by those involved in production, despite the stigma.
Renowned comedic actor Catherine O'Hara, who reprises her role as Delia Deetz in the upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice—a sequel to the 1988 fantasy horror film Beetlejuice—bluntly defended her new movie from potential naysayers.
On Tuesday, the Schitt's Creek actor appeared at CinemaCon in Las Vegas alongside fellow Beetlejuice Beetlejuice costars Michael Keaton, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, and director Tim Burton to promote the follow-up to the '80s cult classic film.
After the cast and director screened a featurette, O'Hara commented that the sequel would include both scary and funny elements, as did the original.
The 70-year-old icon added:
“And if people don’t like it, then f'k them."
Fans said "Yaas!"
In the original film, the Deetz family (O'Hara as Delia Deetz, Jeffrey Jones as Charles Deetz, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz) move into a home occupied by the ghosts of the former occupants, the Maitlands (Alec Baldwin as Adam Maitland, Geena Davis as Barbara Maitland).
The Maitlands hire the wacky, self-proclaimed "bio-exorcist" Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) to scare away the new inhabitants, and plenty of mayhem ensues for a ghoulishly good time.
The sequel sees Delia Deetz moving back into the house with her daughter Lydia and Lydia's daughter Astrid (Jenny Ortega). Lydia visits the model of the town in the attic, opens a portal to the Afterlife, and summons Beetlejuice to create more chaos.
You can see a trailer here.
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE - Official Teaser Trailer - Warner Bros. UK & Irelandyoutu.be
At CinemaCon, Keaton, who already watched the final cut of the new film twice, teased in Beetlejuice's voice:
"I'll tell you this. It's really f'king good."
He also praised the cast, saying:
"Everyone is so friggin' funny. It's unbelievable how funny these guys are."
Burton said of his reunion working with Keaton:
"He just got back into it."
"It was kind of scary for somebody who was maybe not that overly interested in doing it."
"It was such a beautiful thing for me to see all the cast, but he, sort of like demon possession, just went right back into it."
The filmmaker said of his experience working on the new film:
"It's truly very personal and emotional and special."
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will delight and terrify audiences on September 6.
And if you don't like it, well, you know.
