Just over six months afterBeetlejuice 2released in theaters, Warner Bros releaseda new horror comedy film on Max that feels like a loose remake of Tim Burton’s 1988 original.Beetlejuicefalls into the category of Warner Bros’ most beloved franchises, with the movie becoming a cult classic thanks to the incredible performances by the cast, the clever script, and Tim Burton’s signature strange style. Even though it took36 years forBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceto reach fruition, the entertaining sequel hit theaters in September 2024, garnering praise from fans and critics.
Immediately, the question came up about where the story would go next, raising hope forBeetlejuice 3. The company seems to want to capitalize on the success ofBeetlejuiceandBeetlejuice Beetlejuicewithout committing to a threequel. Warner Bros just released a film calledThe Parentingon Max that might as well be a more horror-leaning remake of Tim Burton’s 1988 film with how many Easter eggs and parallels they included.
Max’s The Parenting Is Filled With Easter Eggs & Parallels To Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice
The Parenting Has Over 20 Beetlejuice Easter Eggs & Parallels
The Parentingfeels like a very loose remake ofBeetlejuicewith the sheer number of parallels.At face value, the two premises are extremely similar. A family goes to a house that’s haunted by a poltergeist who wants to be alive and a ghost family from the ’80s. The poltergeist is summoned by repeating a specific phrase/name multiple times in a row, and he has the ability to shape-shift, possess people, teleport, and alter reality (to a small degree).
The Parenting Ending Explained: Andras' Real Motivation & Fate
Max’s The Parenting brings two families face-to-face with a 400-year-old poltergeist, leading to a hilarious ending that reveals Andras' fate.
A book helps the living individuals understand the paranormal events going on in the remote home. Additionally,The Parentingis packed withBeetlejuiceEaster Eggs, like the use of Beetlejuice green lighting when Frank is possessed, the hairstyles of Allie and Brenda during the summoning scene, and the dinner table song.
The entrances to the homes are laid out similarly, and the walls have kitschy wallpaper. The head of Andras looks like the beaks on the Maitlands. Brenda also has the same eccentric and vapid personality as Delia Deetz. While not everything matches up in the two movies,The Parentingfeels like an homage toBeetlejuice, if not a knockoff of the Tim Burton film.
The Parenting Has A Great Cast, But Its Reviews Can’t Rival Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Movies
The Parenting’s Reviews Are Much More Critical Than Beetlejuice’s Reviews
One of the most appealing aspects of the Max film isThe Parenting’s incredible cast, which is just as prestigious and packed with A-listers as Beetlejuice. The parents of Rohan and Josh are played by Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Brian Cox, and Edie Falco – all of whom are prolific in Hollywood.Parker Posey is just as hilarious in The Parentingas she’s been in her other roles. Additionally, even though they’re younger, Nik Dodani and Brandon Flynn have made a name for themselves as well since gaining fame inAtypicaland13 Reasons Why, respectively.
Despite having a fantastic cast, thereviews forThe Parentingcome nowhere near that of Tim Burton’sBeetlejuice.The Parentingholds a 44% Tomatometer score, with critics pointing to the issues with the characters being described as flat, the script as weak, and the effects as dated. Most of the reviews acknowledge that the actors give great performances, but that can’t make up for the flaws. Meanwhile,Beetlejuiceis Certified Fresh with an 83% Tomatometer score onRotten Tomatoes. Critics praise the film for effectively balancing the horror and comedy while adding a dash of bizareness from the mind of Tim Burton.
The Parenting Proves Why A Proper Beetlejuice Remake Wouldn’t Work
Beetlejuice Needs Filmmaker Tim Burton In Order To Succeed
The Parentingis a fun and unapologetically campy film, and it’s entertaining to try and spot all the Beetlejuice nods. However,the parallels and Easter eggs also draw attention to the fact thatThe Parentingisn’tBeetlejuice. It feels like it’s trying too hard to be something rather than establishing its own identity. This just goes to show how difficult it is to recapture the unique magic that Tim Burton created in the 1988 film. The only version of the show that succeeded without that creator’s input wasBeetlejuice the Musical. The comics and books never captured the ambiance and tone.
Moreover, the Max film proves why Tim Burton should be involved in any sequels pastBeetlejuice Beetlejuice. Without the director’s vision, the second film might have felt more like an homage or ripoff, likeThe Parenting, instead of a proper part of theBeetlejuicefranchise. A possibleBeetlejuice 3, which has been teased but not confirmed, would lose what makes the franchise special.
The Parenting
Cast
The Parenting is a film about a young couple, Rohan and Josh, who organize a “meet the parents” weekend at a country rental house, only to encounter a 400-year-old poltergeist.
Beetlejuice
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist”, an obnoxious spirit who specializes in driving living occupants out of homes. When Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die suddenly, they pass into the spirit realm, and must stay in their home. However, in the living world, the Deetz family purchases the house and moves in, prompting the Maitlands to enlist the help of Beetlejuice to drive them away.
