Summary

• Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has earned a PG-13 rating, a departure from the original movie's PG.
• If the original movie was released today, it would likely have earned a PG-13 due to its mature themes and language.
• PG-13 is a sweet spot for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as it will allow the film to recapture the magic of the original with broad audience appeal.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailers have already teased an adventure very similar to the original film.

FilmRatings.com now reveals that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice won't be rated PG like its predecessor, however. According to the site, the MPA has given Burton's sequel a PG-13 rating for "violent content, macabre and bloody images, strong language, some suggestive material and brief drug use." The reasons for the rating are more or less in line with the content of the original film.

Why Beetlejuice 2's MPA Rating Isn't A Big Deal

Tim Burton's Sequel Won't Be Drastically Different Than The Original

Burton's original movie features some surprisingly dark elements for a PG film. Beetlejuice deals heavily with themes relating to death and the afterlife, and there are certainly some moments that could frighten younger viewers. There are also some sexual jokes in the film, and the profanity is more than PG movies today would be able to get away with.

If the original Beetlejuice was released today, it would almost certainly come with a PG-13 rating. PG-13 was invented in 1984, so it certainly could have been given to Burton's original movie, but the standards for the different age ratings have evidently evolved over time. It's likely, then, that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice won't actually be markedly different in tone or content than its predecessor.

It wouldn't make sense for Burton's sequel to carry an R-rating given how it would limit the film's commercial prospects (the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cast is sure to be a major audience draw), but that rating would also mean a departure from the original movie's tone. From the trailers that have been released thus far, the film is clearly attempting to recapture the magic of the original film in of visuals and general presentation. It remains to be seen how the film will be received, but a PG-13 certainly seems like a sweet spot for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Source: FilmRatings.com