VENICE, Italy (AP) 鈥� The 81st edition of the is kicking off in Hollywood fashion with the world premiere of 鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice鈥� Wednesday. Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Jenna Ortega, Catherine O鈥橦ara and Monica Bellucci are among the cast expected to grace the red carpet.
The film is a sequel to Tim Burton鈥檚 1988 horror-comedy, which brings the Deetz family back to the family鈥檚 country home after the death of Charles. Ryder鈥檚 sullen Lydia is now mother to her own 鈥渟urly鈥� teenage daughter, Astrid, played by Ortega, the star of Netflix鈥檚 popular series 鈥淲ednesday.鈥� And like Lydia did a few decades ago, Astrid stumbles upon that old model city in the attic and unleashes Keaton鈥檚 mischievous ghoul.
A Warner Bros. release, 鈥淏eetlejuice Beetlejuice鈥� is premiering out of competition before opening in theatres worldwide next week. The evening will kick off a the barrier island across the Venetian lagoon where the festival has been headquartered since 1932.
The festival will and Brad Pitt back later in the week, with the out of competition premiere of 鈥淲olfs鈥� and close out with on Sept. 7 before the awards are announced.
vying for the Golden Lion include Todd Phillips鈥� 鈥淛oker: Folie 脿 Deux,鈥� with Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix; Pablo Larra铆n鈥檚 starring Angelina Jolie; the erotic thriller 鈥淏abygirl鈥� starring Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson from filmmaker Halina Reijn; Luca Guadagnino鈥檚 William S. Burroughs鈥� adaptation 鈥淨ueer,鈥� with Daniel Craig; and Pedro Almod贸var鈥檚 first English-language film, 鈥淭he Room Next Door,鈥� starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton.
___
For more coverage of the 2024 Venice Film Festival, visit .
Lindsey Bahr, The Associated Press
