Iconic Tim Burton Prop Stolen From 'Beetlejuice' Set

in Disney, Entertainment

Credit: Warner Bros.

Tim Burton is not having a great time regarding iconic props from his films. Lightning struck the fake town of Spectre, which was used in Big Fish. The lightning strike caused massive damage, destroying one of the fake homes. To add to Burton’s woes, one of the most iconic props has now been stolen from the set of Beetlejuice 2.

Related: ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Officially in the Works

The world was shocked to hear that Tim Burton would be returning for a sequel to his hit 1988 film Beetlejuice, bringing back Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara. The horror “IT” girl, Jenna Ortega, joins the original cast. Monica Belucci and Willem Dafoe have also been added to the cast, making this a huge collection of top actors.

Though not much is known about the upcoming sequel, Keaton revealed the sequel would be close to the original. We have no idea if Keaton meant the style, humor, costumes, or plot would be similar. It would be assumed that Keaton means we can expect another hilarious and macabre story that revolves around the Ghost with the Most.

We had reported recently that a set photo pointed to a connection between the first and second films. Jenna Ortega was spotted wearing a white wedding dress with red highlights, which could be the same dress that Lydia Deetz wore in the first film.

Another connection has also been made between both films, but this connection has sadly been stolen from the film set.

We tried saying the name of this stolen statue three times, but it didn't come back! We're investigating the theft of this 150-pound sculpture from the "Beetlejuice 2" set in E. Corinth, along with a lamppost topped with a pumpkin decoration. Call 802-748-3111 with any info. pic.twitter.com/3NmKEml1AG

— Vermont State Police (@VTStatePolice) July 21, 2023

During the first Beetlejuice film, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder), Delia Deetz (Catherin O’Hara), and Charles Deetz (Jeffrey Jones) move into their new “dream home.” However, it is inhabited by Barbara (Geena Davis) and Alan (Alec Baldwin). Delia is a concept artist of sorts, and she transforms the simple farm-styled home into a gothic castle, which houses statues like the one above.

When Beetlejuice begins to torment the Deetz family, the statue above comes to life and crawls like a spider. When the family moves in, the statue is lowered in by a crane and smashes the window before trapping Delia against the house.

The Vermont State Police have reported the statue’s theft on their social media pages, cheekily stating they tried to say the item’s name three times, but it didn’t appear. They also indicated that a lampost with a distinctive pumpkin prop was also taken.

Reports indicated that thieves were driving an older GMC truck and arrived on the set in Vermont between July 13 and July 17, first stealing the lampost with the pumpkin decoration. They then returned a few days later to steal the iconic statue.

Considering the statue is of Tim Burton’s design, this is a considerable loss. Though we don’t know much about the plot of Beetlejuice 2, we can assume that the statue returning would also indicate a solid connection between the first and second films. It could be that the story might pick up at the home of the Deetz’s, which is still covered in the creepy art that Delia was accustomed to making in the first film.

Hopefully, the statue can be located, along with the stolen lampost and pumpkin decoration. We have no idea what that item would be used for, but it might belong to something more related to the Nightmare Before Christmas.

Related: ‘Beetlejuice 2’ Set Leak Potentially Spoils Major Secret

The good news is that the Beetlejuice statue is an eyesore and that the thieves cannot sell it in any online marketplace without being found by the police.

Do you think Tim Burton will get his Beetlejuice statue back? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!

James Brizuela has been a professional entertainment writer since 2019, having started his career at Comic Book Resources as a listicle writer. After focusing on his expertise in the gaming, movies, and TV at CBR, he moved into an Editor position at Giant Freakin Robot, where he ran the gaming section of the website. He would use this opportunity to catapult his way to become the Entertaintment Editor here at Inside the Magic. When James is not writing Entertainment news for ITM, he attends concerts and works on his personal film scripts.