Tim Burton’s rule for continuing his 1988 classic cemented the success ofBeetlejuice Beetlejuice. The sequel follows up on beloved characters from the original, exploring their lives 36 years after their first contact with the crude bio-exorcist. While some key absences are felt,Beetlejuice 2features the return of starsWinona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz, and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice. The movie centers around Lydia’s troubled relationship with her daughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) and sees them being pulled into the Neitherworld by not one, but two cheating dead entities.
A lot of thought went intoBeetlejuice’s legacy sequel, which theWednesdaydirector has delayed creating since the early 1990s. Talking toEW,Burton mentioned having discussed manyBeetlejuicesequel possibilities with Keaton over the years, before both agreed they had"no burning desire to do it"unless it felt right.WhileBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’s ending could lead toBeetlejuice 3, Burton’s rules for the legacy sequel complicate a third movie. To avoid common criticisms that come with making sequels,the director had to be very stern in his conditions forBeetlejuice 2.
Tim Burton Didn’t Want To Recast Any Original Characters in Beetlejuice 2
Burton’s No-Recast Rule Explains The Absence Of The Maitlands In Beetlejuice 2
In his 39-year career,Beetlejuice 2marks Burton’s second sequel. Notably, theBatman Returnsproducer rejects unnecessary continuations that exploit an idea’s success. On top of not wantingBeetlejuice 2to lack"an emotional hook,“Burton would not agree to a sequel if Ryder, O’Hara, and Keaton did not reprise their roles.Early in the development process, he warned that he would not recast any original characters. Burton’s determined stance was the right one, asBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’s success is largely due to the return of the actors that made the original so special.
As for the rest of the legacy characters, Burton found a way to explain their absence without inviting other actors into the project. Out of all themissing originalBeetlejuicecharacters,Barbara and Adam Maitland’s absence is felt the most. The ghostly couple is at the heart of the first movie, as their desperate and funny efforts to rid their home of the extravagant Deetzes open the door to their heartfelt relationship with the neglected and misunderstood Lydia. While their presence would have certainly elevatedBeetlejuice 2, there is one main reason why Burton decided against it.
The director knew age didn’t play a role in whether the Maitlands returned sinceBeetlejuiceestablished that Adam and Barbara influenced their physical form.
Even if Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin’s ages caused discrepancies with common ghost rules, this is not the reason why Burton chose not to bring their characters back. The director knew age didn’t play a role in whether the Maitlands returned sinceBeetlejuicehad established that Adam and Barbara influenced their physical form. As death is"very personal,“the couple looking older could have been the result of their personal experience of the afterlife. Instead,Burton didn’t bring the Maitlands back because he wanted to focus on other charactersfor the sequel, mainly “the three generations of mother, daughter, granddaughter."(viaPEOPLE)
Tim Burton’s Recast Rule Explains Charles Deetz’s Brutal Beetlejuice 2 Death
Tim Burton Kept Charles Deetz' Character In Beetlejuice 2 Without Recasting The Actor
If not for the director’s recast rule, the character of Charles Deetz might not have had an essential role in the sequel. Arguably, the Deetz patriarch would have been pushed to the background to give the relationship between Lydia, Delia, and Astrid the spotlight. Due to legal charges being brought against him,Jeffrey Jones did not return forBeetlejuice 2. However, Burton came up with a brilliant alternative to having to recast the actor. Using one of hisnightmares as inspiration for Charles' death inBeetlejuice, Burton turned the actor’s absence into a key beat for the story.
Tim Burton Has A Hidden Cameo In Beetlejuice 2 & It’s The Weirdest Of His Entire Career
Director Tim Burton has confirmed that he makes a surprise hidden cameo in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and it’s his most bizarre acting role yet.
Not only did Burton get to fall back into his love for stop-motion for the character’s death sequence, butCharles' death serves as an inciting incidentforBeetlejuice Beetlejuice.His funeral forces the women of the Deetz family to return to their Winter River home, where Beetlejuice can once more reach them. Additionally, following the rules of Burton’s Neitherworld, Charles can appear in a gory physical form, having no head of shoulders for the entirety of the film, successfully avoiding the recasting of the character.
Why Recasting Beetlejuice’s Original Characters Wouldn’t Have Worked For Beetlejuice 2
Beetlejuice 2 Honors Its Legacy Characters & Maintains Its Original Magic
Burton’s recasting rule proves his determination to honor the originalBeetlejuice’s charming characters and its iconic magic system. Despite notable absences,Beetlejuice Beetlejuicemaintains a nostalgic sentiment through the return of Keaton, Ryder, and O’Hara.Additionally, the movie successfully preserves the rules of the dead established by the original, turning it into an epic legacy sequel that encourages audiences to continue to exploreBeetlejuice’s unique and beloved world.
The only actress recast forBeetlejuice Beetlejuicewas Rachel Mittelman, who played Jane Butterfield’s daughter, in the 1988 movie. As Mittelman didn’t pursue any other acting roles, inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, the grown-up character is played by actress Amy Nuttall.
Burton also avoided common sequel complaints that have hurt other franchisesin the past. Movies likeThe Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,The Twilight Saga, and evenBack to the Future Part II, recast main and supporting characters and, as a result, received substantial negative reactions. This, and maintaining the magic, is the reason whyBeetlejuice Beetlejuicedoesn’t bring certain characters back by casting different performers.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice 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.
