Beetlejuice 2 is finally bringing some of the classic characters back to the screen, but Tim Burton has teased a crucial way that the sequel will be different from the original. Arriving 36 years after the 1988 Beetlejuice film, Beetlejuice 2’s story will find Lydia and Delia Deetz at very different points in their lives when facing Michael Keaton’s poltergeist again, especially considering Winona Ryder’s character now has a teenage daughter (played by Jenna Ortega). However, while more specific details on what the new conflict between the Deetzes and Beetlejuice will entail are being kept under wraps, Tim Burton’s reasons for making the sequel hint at a significant focal point change.
In September 2023, director Tim Burton revealed the questions that inspired him to make Beetlejuice 2 after such a long delay, which were entirely character-based. The questions that Burton asked himself included, “What happened to Lydia, what happened to the Deetz family? What happened to the living people? What happens to people we see at one stage in their life, then you see them many years later?” Interestingly, these queries weren’t aimed at any of the original deceased characters like Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice, Geena Davis’ Barbara, and Alec Baldwin’s Adam, which teases that Beetlejuice 2 will tell its story quite differently from the 1988 horror-comedy.
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Tim Burton Reveals Beetlejuice 2 Is Focusing More On The Living Than The Dead
By leaving out Adam, Barbara, and Beetlejuice himself from the line of questioning that made him interested in making the sequel, it’s implied that Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 will focus much more on the living than the dead. This comes as a big change from the original movie, which was primarily centered on the experiences of recently deceased ghosts Adam and Barbara Maitland. While Lydia and her parents also played big roles in Beetlejuice, it was Adam and Barbara who received the greatest attention and character-building amid their conflicts in adjusting to the afterlife.
However, Burton seems to be more absorbed in the character development of the living compared to the dead in Beetlejuice 2, suggesting that Lydia, her daughter, and Delia will be featured more prominently than Keaton’s poltergeist and other deceased characters. This could also make for some clever world-building twists in Beetlejuice 2 that continue to reverse the circumstances of the original film. For instance, focusing more heavily on the Deetz family could lead to the living exploring the world of the afterlife rather than Beetlejuice’s story in which the ghosts are inhabiting the world of the living.
Tim Burton’s Living Focus Helps Explain Why Adam & Barbara Are Missing From Beetlejuice 2
One of the most curious aspects of the upcoming sequel is that Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin’s Barbara and Adam are missing from Beetlejuice 2’s confirmed list of returning characters. Considering the recently deceased couple was the primary focus of the original film and the ghosts were still forced to stay in their home with the Deetzes for another 125 years after Beetlejuice‘s original ending, their sequel absences made little sense. However, Beetlejuice 2’s approach being more focused on the living than the dead helps explain why Adam and Barbara aren’t returning, as their story and perspective on the spooky world were already told.
Beetlejuice 2 wouldn’t need to rehash Adam and Barbara’s novelty to the afterlife getting them into trouble with poltergeists like Beetlejuice, as they’ve already been well accustomed to its rules by the time the sequel’s story picks up. While the Maitlands played an important role in Lydia’s life as surrogate parents who understood her better than Charles and Delia, the ghosts are likely prioritizing spending the remainder of their afterlives in peace rather than battling Beetlejuice again. Michael Keaton’s character will always be out for mischief, but Beetlejuice 2 may be better off letting Adam and Barbara maintain a more peaceful afterlife.
Beetlejuice 2
Beetlejuice 2 is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
- Release Date
- September 6, 2024
- Director
- Tim Burton
- Cast
- Michael Keaton , Jenna Ortega , Winona Ryder , Monica Bellucci , Willem Dafoe , Justin Theroux , Catherine O’Hara
- Rating
- Not Yet Rated
