Juno, the shrewd, chain-smoking caseworker in the movie “Beetlejuice” in 1988, said it best, “Never trust the living.”
An investigation is underway in Vermont after a lamppost and an art sculpture were stolen from the set of “Beetlejuice 2,” which is being filmed in East Corinth, about 25 miles southeast of Montpelier, the state capital, the Vermont State Police said last week.
Early on July 14, the state police received a report that someone had removed a lamppost topped with a “distinctive pumpkin decoration” and loaded it into the back of a pickup truck, covered it with a tarp, and fled the scene.
Three days later, movie officials reported a second theft: a 150-pound abstract art statue that was stolen from the vicinity of a cemetery.
The original film, a comedy-horror classic directed by Tim Burton, follows a dead couple who haunt their own home after strangers move in. They enlist the help of Beetlejuice, a ghastly, mischievous character played by Michael Keaton, but things go terribly wrong when they discover that he cannot be controlled.
The stolen art piece appears similar to one seen in the original film that was created by Delia Deetz, a struggling sculptor played by Catherine O’Hara. In the film, her eerie artwork comes to life to witness Beetlejuice’s wedding to Lydia Deetz, Delia’s stepdaughter, played by Winona Ryder.
It was unclear if the thefts would affect filming or if movie officials would increase security measures on set. Warner Bros., the movie studio behind the sequel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
While the thefts are a concern, the Hollywood writers’ strike has also affected filming, Variety reported. Seven Days, an alternative weekly paper in Vermont, said that outdoor scenes for the sequel were filmed mostly in the state while indoor scenes were filmed in another location. The paper also said that filming began shortly after devastating floods swept the state this month.
Few details are known about the sequel, although Keaton, O’Hara and Ryder will all reprise their roles and Burton will again direct. Jenna Ortega, the “Wednesday” star, will play the daughter of Ryder’s character, according to Variety.
The film is expected to be released sometime next year.
