(CNN) – “Beetlejuice,” the sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 classic, has been a huge hit, grossing an estimated $110 million in domestic ticket sales during its opening weekend, according to data from Comscore.
The “stellar domestic opening” is the second-highest for a film in September, surpassed only by “It,” which grossed $123 million in its opening weekend in 2017, Boxoffice Pro said Sunday.
“Audiences of all generations who attended the new ‘Beetlejuice’ saw children and adults dressed up for the performances, making it an event,” the National Association of Theatre Owners’ official publication stated. “It’s one of those rare sequels that feels like a continuation rather than a remake of the original, while still giving audiences what they wanted.”
Worldwide, “Beetlejuice,” starring Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton, grossed an estimated $145.4 million over the weekend, according to Comscore.
Actor Michael Keaton was hesitant to take part in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” for fear of “ruining” the franchise
“Ortega has sold this new film to the under-25 crowd and is shaping up to be Tim Burton’s new muse in the style of Johnny Depp,” said Boxoffice Pro.
Ortega, who plays Astrid, the daughter of Ryder’s character Lydia Deetz, wasn’t born until nearly 15 years after the first “Beetlejuice” was released and didn’t see the original film until she was about 9 years old.
“Jenna had to be born, become an actress and work with Tim,” Catherine O’Hara, who reprises her role as Delia Deetz in the new film, said in a recent interview with CNN, explaining why the sequel took so long to “click.”
Ortega told CNN that Burton offered him the role of “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” while they were working together on the second season of the hit Netflix show “Wednesday,” which is based on another dark and macabre franchise, “The Addams Family.”
The film was released by Warner Bros., which is owned by CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.