The Beetlejuice sequel, which grossed $264 million worldwide in its first two weeks, was initially considered for a streaming release on Warner Bros.' platform Max. However, co-chair Pamela Abdy told the New York Times that, internally, the idea was quickly rejected.
"That was never going to work for Tim," Abdy said. "You're talking about a visionary artist whose films demand to be seen on a big screen." The decision followed a decade-long effort to bring the sequel to life, as Warner Bros. and Burton explored different concepts, including the now-scrapped idea for Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian. (It's worth noting that Burton directed four of the eight episodes of Netflix's Wednesday.)
Despite an initial push for a streaming release, Abdy and her co-chair Michael De Luca worked with Burton to make the movie an exclusive theatrical release. The decision was tied to budget constraints, as the film's initial projected cost reached $147 million due to star salaries and producer fees. De Luca and Abdy convinced Burton to lower the budget to $99 million--below the $100 million ceiling required--in exchange for cast and crew members receiving back-end deals tied to the film's performance.
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