Warner Bros. recently dropped the official trailer for the highly-anticipated Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. As the release draws closer, we’ve been curious about whether original star Alec Baldwin will return for the movie.
Released in 1988, Beetlejuice follows Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Baldwin), a deceased couple who want to scare away a new family, the Deetzes, from moving into their home, so they summon the poltergeist Betelgeuse (Michael Keaton) to aid their cause. But Barbara and Adam regret their decision when the miscreant tries to force the Deetzes’ young daughter, Lydia (Winona Ryder), to marry him.
36 years later, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is on the way to continue the story of Lydia, who now has a teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega). In addition to Ryder, Keaton is returning to reprise his role as the iconic Betelgeuse, while Catherine O’Hara will reprise her role as Lydia’s mother, Delia Deetz. From the onset, it was safe to assume Jeffrey Jones would not return as Lydia’s father, Charles, given that Jones is now a registered sex offender. However, many are curious about Baldwin and Davis’ absence from the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer.
Will the Maitlands appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
As of now, there has been no indication that either Baldwin or Davis will appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The only confirmed returning characters are Ryder, Keaton, and O’Hara. Meanwhile, the trailer explains Charles’ absence by revealing that he has passed away since the last film. Interestingly, it does not mention Barbara or Adam whatsoever.
It’s strange because, in addition to being the main characters in Beetlejuice, the original film ends with the Deetzes and Maitlands deciding to live in harmony. The couple forms an especially close bond with Lydia, who seems to enjoy her ghost friends. Given the incredibly long wait to make it into the afterlife, the couple should also technically be stuck in their house for many more years beyond the sequel. Hence, it’s surprising that the couple wouldn’t appear, although there is a chance the Deetzes moved away from the old home where the Maitlands were stuck.
So far, the absence of Baldwin and O’Hara has not been addressed by Burton or the rest of the cast and crew. It’s possible that their appearance in the film is being kept a secret. However, Davis commented on the Beetlejuice sequel back when it was rumored to be in development. Davis explained to PEOPLE that she was interested in returning to the franchise but pointed out one small problem: ghosts don’t age. So, Davis questioned how exactly the movie would explain why the Maitlands appear so much older despite being ghosts. It’s an issue that affects the Maitlands but not Betelgeuse since the latter is meant to look older and requires such heavy makeup and prosthetics that Keaton is practically unrecognizable either way.
Although the Maitlands will surely warrant a mention in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to explain their whereabouts, their story largely concluded in the first film. They accepted their fate, chose to live in peace with the Deetzes, and were presumably content to wait for their turn in the afterlife. Given their situation, their stories are fairly limited. Lydia and her daughter will provide the sequel with a more interesting story than the Maitlands ever could.
Ultimately, there’s little evidence either Baldwin or Davis will appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, and their absence is understandable.
