Wednesday star Jenna Ortega wants to stay in the Tim Burton family. The actor is eyeing a role in Beetlejuice 2, multiple sources tell .
Warner Bros., who are behind the feature, could not be reached for comment. A representative for Ortega did not respond to requests for comment.
The news comes as Ortega hits theaters with Scream VI, which could land the top opening in the franchise’s 25-plus year history.
Tim Burton, who directed the 1988 film starring Michael Keaton, is set to direct, sources say, with Keaton also returning. The production is set to shoot in London in late May or early June, but the budget hasn’t been finalized, leading to back-and-forth. If a deal goes through, sources say Ortega would play Lydia’s daughter, the character played by Winona Ryder in the original.
Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jordan and Catherine O’Hara also starred in the original film, which grossed $80 million from a budget of $15 million and won an Academy Award for Best Makeup at the 1989 Academy Awards received. The sequel has gone through various iterations over the years, with multiple writers coming and going and Burton himself publicly rambling about his own involvement.
Ortega, who most recently starred in the Netflix series Wednesday, which Burton also directed, said she had “constant dreams” of Beetlejuice growing up. The actress began her career with roles such as Young Jane on The CW’s Jane the Virgin, followed by roles on You and Yes Day. She starred in last year’s Scream reboot and also appeared in the horror hit X.
Ahead of Wednesday’s debut, Ortega told about working with Burton, “It’s been a pretty crazy experience. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with a legendary director who happens to be one of the sweetest directors I’ve ever worked with, as well as the most detail oriented.”
It’s a busy weekend for Ortega, who is also hosting Saturday Night Live in addition to Scream VI. Ortega is represented by CAA, Gilbertson Entertainment and Jackoway Austen.
Aaron Couch contributed to this story.