Yeah, yeah, we know that technically the character should be named Baby Betelgeuse, but marketing is what it is, and you had to know, the moment this thing showed up onscreen in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, that somebody was going to have a toy version ready to go. Though the baby looks a lot like Mezco’s Living Dead Dolls, NECA is the company that got the rights, and this infernal infant is now up for preorder online exclusively at the NECA Store. If his dad is the ghost with the most, does this make it the baby with the maybe?
Problem Child
In the movie, it’s not entirely clear that this baby is real at all. Betelgeuse Sr. appears to spontaneously conjure it from Lydia’s womb, but it seems like a momentary creation, albeit one with sharp teeth. Later, it appears again in a nightmare sequence. Regardless of its veracity as a character, this prop is very real, standing 18 inches tall or 14 when sitting. Real rooted hair and a weighted body make for added realism, while five points of articulation allow it to sit or stand, raise arms, and turn its head. Tailored clothing and movie-accurate deco — including a weirdly cartoonish resemblance to Michael Keaton — are the sweet green icing on this cake left out in the rain.
(See the movie, and you’ll understand that reference.)
The price tag here is $129.99, which is considerably less than an actual baby costs to have. Payment plans are available in installments of as little as $32.49. He’s expected to start shipping later this month, so it’s not a long wait, but decide soon, as supplies will be limited. As always, to help in your choice, NECA has released several official images. Look once, look twice…three times the charm!
