Summary
Before Winona Ryder joinedStranger Things, she had one very specific condition linked toBeetlejuice, which ended up becoming relevant nearly a decade later. Ryder’s role as Lydia Deetz in Tim Burton’s 1988 movie was just the start of her bright career. After emerging as one of Hollywood’s big up-and-comers, Ryder had a steady career over the next few decades, appearing in titles likeHeathers, Edward Scissorhands, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Alien Resurrection, andBlack Swan. Then, in 2016, Ryder starred in her first major TV show, portraying Joyce Byers in Netflix’sStranger Things.
ThroughStranger Things' four seasons, Joyce has remained a critical character within the sci-fi series. After dealing with the disappearance of her son Will in season 1, she became fully immersed in the mysterious happenings stemming from Hawkins' link to the Upside Down. Ryder is back amongStranger Things' castahead of the fifth and final season. While it’s unclear what’s truly in store for Joyce and the others in the concluding chapter, it’s arriving at a special time for the actress, especially when looking back at one career detail.
How Stranger Things Season 5 Can Lead Directly Into Netflix’s Confirmed Spinoff
Stranger Things season 5 is adding a younger character to the Hawkins team, and they can lead into the upcoming live-action spinoff TV show.
Winona Ryder’s Only Condition For Joining Stranger Things Was That They Let Her Do Beetlejuice 2
Ryder Knew The Chances For Beetlejuice 2 Happening Were Strong
Interestingly, Winona Ryder was one of the first cast members announced forStranger Things. The show didn’t explode in popularity until word-of-mouth and great buzz took hold of the title’s release in the summer of 2016. Before Ryder agreed to sign on as Joyce, she met with the show’s creators, The Duffer Brothers, with a specific stipulation. According to the actress (viaHarper’s BAZAAR), during her first meeting with the Duffers,Ryder shared that her one condition for joiningStranger Thingswas that they allowed her to go and work onBeetlejuice 2if it ever ended up happening.
Considering Ryder’sStranger Thingscasting was announced in June 2015, her meeting with the Duffers would have been around that time. The co-creators fully agreed to Ryder’sBeetlejuicesequel condition, with Ryder confirming that she had been in contact with Burton at different times over the past 15 years at that point about the possibility of the sequel.Stranger Thingseven included a nod toBeetlejuiceand Ryder’s past in season 3. Nearly a decade after Ryder joinedStranger Things, the long-awaitedBeetlejuice 2movie finally happened, fully paying off her one condition.
Beetlejuice 2 Releasing Before Stranger Things' Ending Is Even More Exciting
Winona Ryder’s Upcoming Releases Will Be A Career Highlight
It’s already been two years sinceStranger Thingsseason 4 debuted, but there still isn’t a release date for the fifth season other than the expectation that it will arrive sometime in 2025.Beetlejuice 2, on the other hand, is set to release this September. Considering theBeetlejuicesequel andStranger Thingsseason 5were filming around the same time, the Duffers likely had to work around Ryder’s busy schedule. The production overlap also means both of Ryder’s highly anticipated projects will come within a relatively short period of one another.
What was brought up as a possibility in 2015 will turn out to be a massive pop culture event for fans of Winona Ryder and two of her beloved roles. WhereasStranger Thingsgives Ryder and the cast a way to embrace the ’80s era,Beetlejuice 2allows the actress the opportunity to jump back into a role that helped define her career in the ’80s. Who knows if there will be more Beetlejuice sequels in the future, but with her back in the spotlight andStranger Thingscoming to an end, it wouldn’t be surprising to see upcoming projects fight for Ryder’s involvement.
