As moviegoers and critics alike remain split right down the middle on Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (hell, even the staff here at WGTC is divided), one thing is absolutely certain: an eye-catching alcoholic cocktail released by AMC as a promotional item for the hotly-anticipated sequel is less than impressive.
Now, products released alongside fresh-faced movies are certainly nothing new. Popcorn buckets, novelty items, and other miscellaneous merchandise continue to be unveiled upon new movie releases to further enhance the excitement and cinematic appeal of physically going to the theater. Despite this, the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice cocktail has left viewers terribly disappointed, and not for the reasons you’d think.
The drink, which is “a 24-ounce cocktail made with blue and black raspberry juice and premium vodka” and referred to as the “Sandworm Slayer,” was recently ordered and shared to X by user @JimJarmuschHair. Costing a whopping $31 for this particular patron, onlookers were as dumbfounded by the drink’s price as the drink itself, which was poured into a dull plastic cup and topped with cheap gummy worms. Honestly, it’s giving Willy’s Chocolate Disaster.
Ignoring the brutal fact that this one cocktail falls in the $20-$30 price range (depending on the tax of your specific state), paying that inflated price in this economy for a drink that doesn’t even match the aesthetic of Beetlejuice is a crime in and of itself. For starters, the drink is ocean-water blue, which is odd for a movie that incorporates a diverse color palette of white, black, green, and purple. Simply put, blue doesn’t exactly fit Tim Burton’s unorthodox theme for the campy sequel. WTF, AMC?
I’m not the only one who feels betrayed by this bombastic drink, either. Other Burton devotees insist that Beetlejuice himself would have to “show up and bring me my drink” at that price point (even at $21 in some states), especially given its ordinary AF presentation. Others have agreed that the colors are too dissimilar to Burton’s classic Beetlejuice style, with an odd few expressing interest in trying the drink despite the critics (even though, you know, it’s basically Kool-Aid with a splash of vodka and wet worms).
While an alcoholic beverage to enjoy during a showing of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice certainly sounds good on paper and might compel you to shout “Day-O!” mid-movie, perhaps its actual execution just simply isn’t up to par. Interestingly enough, this makes the cocktail just as divisive as the movie itself, but perhaps that’s genius-level marketing the sequel needs to keep it skyrocketing at the box office. Either way, we’ll try any cocktail at least once ⏤ even if it bends the wallet slightly ⏤ but sorry, we’ll never trust Willy Wonka again.