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Warner Bros. may have been cautious for multiple reasons. While sequels to beloved older films, such as “Top Gun: Maverick,” have had great success in theaters, prior to “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” Burton hadn’t had a box-office hit for over a decade. Plus, the first “Beetlejuice,” released in 1988, only made $74 million.
The Times reported that Burton, some of the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” producers, and stars Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenna Ortega, and Catherine O’Hara eventually agreed to be paid less upfront in exchange for a larger cut of profits from the film. The film also received tax cuts and other cuts to shooting costs to lower the production budget to $99 million, The Times reported.
But the gamble on movie theaters paid off.
“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” made $264 million in two weeks since it was released on Sept 6. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was a necessary win for Warner Bros. after other would-be blockbusters, such as “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” failed to hit.
Representatives of Warner Bros, Burton, and the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” cast did not immediately respond to a comment request from Business Insider.