Beetlejuice Becomes a Build-A-Bear Complete with Michael Keaton’s Voice

Build-A-Bear’s new Beetlejuice bear is a spooky hybrid of adorable stuffed animal and mischievous poltergeist, made spookier by a sound chip containing Michael Keaton’s voice. Keaton memorably portrayed the character Beetlejuice, a troublemaking spirit haunting a house inhabited by the Deetz family, in the 1988 Tim Burton horror-comedy. When Barbara and Adam Maitland (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) realize they’ve passed away and become ghosts, they mistakenly summon Beetlejuice to evict the new human residents from their home.

Build-A-Bear has released a new Beetlejuice stuffed bear inspired by the character in collaboration with Warner Bros. Like the human version (of the fictional ghost), the bear also has green hair, yellow and purple eyes, and ghostly white skin, the latter of which makes him either a ghost bear or a polar bear. It also sports Beetlejuice’s iconic black-and-white striped suit, but the bear goes barefoot to show off the film’s logo emblazoned on his paws. Unlike the company’s trademark custom stuffed animals, the online exclusive can only be bought as-is, meaning no scent or sound additions can be made. The item stands at 16 inches, and collectors can purchase a limit of four.

The result is more cute than creepy, save for a 6-in-1 sound chip that allows the bear to repeat lines from the movie in Michael Keaton’s grating delivery. In a bone-chilling baritone, the Beetlejuice bear can croak out the following phrases: “Hi, how are ya?”; “Just say it.”; “Go ahead, make my millennium.”; “So say it once, say it twice, third time’s the charm.”; “I’m the ghost with the most, babe.”; and “It’s showtime.” It also emits a demonic cackle that devolves into a growl, then a sigh, and finally into a diseased cough. Fans who wish to hear that sequence emerge from the depths of a stuffed bear can purchase the fluffy demon now for $52.00.

Although Beetlejuice came out over 30 years ago, the Tim Burton film remains a pop-culture classic with an active fandom. Build-A-Bear is known for its retail stores in which kids and adults can assemble their own bears and other stuffed animals, but the company has expanded to include pop culture collectibles based on Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, and other major franchises. The Beetlejuice Build-A-Bear may be a fun gift or collection addition for someone who collects Funko Pops and memorabilia, or for any fan of the film.

Source: Build-A-Bear

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