Michael Keaton Says He Let Down Tim Burton With His Dumbo Performance

As a long-time gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in virtual worlds, I can’t help but draw parallels between my gaming adventures and the cinematic journey of Michael Keaton. Like him, I too have had my fair share of victories and defeats, triumphs and failures, but always learning from each experience to become a better player – or actor, in this case.

The movie “Beetlejuice” sequel starring Michael Keaton, directed by Tim Burton, premieres in theaters next week. In their collaborative history, Keaton mentions that he feels he disappointed Burton on one of his projects. In an interview with The New York Times (as reported by Deadline), Keaton reminisced about working with Burton and admitted that despite their successful partnership, the 2019 film “Dumbo” still troubles him to this day.

Keaton mentioned, “I absolutely enjoy collaborating with Tim, yet I can’t seem to pinpoint why we work so well; it just happens naturally. However, I feel like I let him down in one film, but that’s my fault and it still bothers me. I was completely lost on the set of Dumbo. I truly struggled in Dumbo.”

For his part Burton, who was also part of the conversation, disagreed.

“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Burton said. “But whatever.”

2019’s live-action version of Dumbo featured Keaton as V.A. Vandevere, a ruthless amusement park tycoon who purchases a circus with the intention of exploiting Dumbo. Alongside Keaton were Colin Farrell, Eva Green, and Danny DeVito. The movie garnered mixed critical feedback and didn’t prove to be a significant financial success for Disney, earning approximately $350 million at the global box office. Burton himself had expressed that he thought Dumbo would likely be his final project with Disney, stating in 2022 that he came to understand while working on the film that he was part of a “disheartening big circus”.

Burton expressed that his journey began at the same place where he was initially employed, but was let go multiple times during his professional tenure there. He analogized his experience with Disney to the character Dumbo in the film, suggesting that this connection led him to believe that his time with Disney has come to an end. He felt that, like Dumbo, he was trapped in a large circus and needed to break free. To some extent, Burton considered his story to be reflective of the movie’s themes.

Keaton Says Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s Story is “Stronger” Than the Original

As a passionate admirer, I must confess that Keaton doesn’t hold his role in the original Dumbo close to his heart. However, when it comes to his recent project with Burton, he expresses a different sentiment entirely. In an interview with GamesRadar, Keaton shared his excitement about the sequel, stating that it boasts a “powerful narrative.” He further elaborated, “There are elements in this film that I wasn’t prepared for, and they surpass my wildest expectations. Unlike saying, ‘I eagerly await the release of this project,’ or, ‘I can’t wait for Beetlejuice to really take off.'”

What is Beetlejuice Beetlejuice About?

As a gamer, I’d say: In the game “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice”, my family, the Deetz clan, finds ourselves back at Winter River following an unexpected demise of Charles Deetz. My life takes a strange turn when my rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, stumbles upon a secret model of our town hidden in the attic. Little did we know that this discovery would lead to the accidental opening of a portal to the Afterlife, unleashing Betelgeuse!

Under Burton’s guidance, the ensemble of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice comprises actors such as Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, and Willem Dafoe.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released exclusively in theaters on Friday, September 6th.

2024-08-29 06:40

Keaton Says Beetlejuice Beetlejuice‘s Story is “Stronger” Than the Original

What is Beetlejuice Beetlejuice About?

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