- Warner Bros. is bringing the afterlife to the metaverse with a promo on Roblox hyping its upcoming Beetlejuice Beetlejuice film. In a first for the platform, the experience includes an integrated virtual box office where users can purchase movie tickets.
- The “[Beetlejuice] Escape the Afterlife” experience includes familiar images and locations from the original Beetlejuice movie and new scenes and experiences from the sequel. The game involves rescuing characters from the films from various perilous locations.
- The Beetlejuice experience will also connect with four of the top Roblox community-created experiences – Barry’s Prison Run, Carry a Friend, Escape a Running Head and The Floor is Lava – to connect with the broader Roblox audience. When a user’s journey ends in one of those experiences, they will have the opportunity to portal to the “Afterlife” directly from the other games.
The original Beetlejuice movie came out 36 years ago, and while the franchise has gained new life through a Broadway musical adaptation, the original film may still remain a bit unknown among the younger generations who make up the bulk of movie ticket buyers. Having a presence on Roblox is an easy way to get those younger moviegoers excited about the upcoming release in a way that appeals to them.
“By leveraging the vast Roblox creator community, we are not only able to connect with existing Beetlejuice fans, but also have the opportunity to reach new audiences who are being introduced to him for the first time. And we are thrilled to be the first studio to test ticketing on the platform,” said Cameron Curtis, executive vice president of marketing at Warner Bros, in a release.
Most importantly, the project will look to boost ticket sales via the partnership with Fandango to enable ticket sales in the Metaverse. The experience includes a box office where users can purchase a ticket to see the film in theaters and receive an exclusive Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Roblox avatar.
Roblox has been experimenting with the meshing of virtual and real worlds as it tests commerce opportunities on its platform, according to Stephanie Latham, the company’s vice president of global partnerships. “This is just the beginning as our vision is to enable brands and creators to turn their brand affinity and consumer engagement on Roblox into a seamless shopping experience for their new and existing audiences,” Latham said, in a statement.
