Beetlejuice 2 Reveal Makes 1 Anticipated Callback To Alec Baldwin & Geena Davis Characters Impossible
The first trailer for Beetlejuice 2 contains a detail that indicates one hoped-for callback to the original movie’s Adam and Barbara Maitland won’t be possible. Tim Burton’s upcoming 2024 sequel Beetlejuice 2 is bringing back a few key characters from his 1988 horror-comedy, who are already teased to make several callbacks to past ghosts, scenes, and jokes. So far, Beetlejuice 2’s official teaser trailer, extended footage, and cast interviews have revealed that the sequel will reference the original’s shrunken head gag, Beetlejuice’s unseen “scary face,” and the song “Day-O,” with plenty more Easter eggs still expected.
As the sequel arrives after a 36-year gap, it isn’t surprising that only three original characters are confirmed to return for Beetlejuice 2. So far, the returning cast members for Beetlejuice 2 are Winona Ryder as Lydia, Catherine O’Hara as Delia, and Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice. Notably absent from the sequel are Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin’s characters Adam and Barbara Maitland, who died in Beetlejuice’s opening sequence. Since their absences are logical given the actors’ real-world aging, the Maitlands’ presence in Beetlejuice 2 is expected to primarily be accomplished through Easter eggs and references. However, one perfect callback opportunity isn’t likely after an important trailer detail.
Similar to how Disney’s Hocus Pocus 2 repeated the 1993 original movie’s establishing shot of the town in the opening credits, it would have been fitting for Beetlejuice 2 to also do the same opening credits. Tim Burton’s 1988 cult classic began with the camera panning over Winter River and traveling through the town up to the Maitlands’ home throughout the credits, only to cleverly reveal that the camera had actually been moving through Adam’s miniature town model. The town model would prove to be an important piece of Beetlejuice’s story, and the Maitlands’ creation is now confirmed to be back in connection to the title character’s return.
While repeating the original’s opening credits would have been a great callback to Adam and Barbara in Beetlejuice 2, one Jenna Ortega moment from the trailer makes this nearly impossible to happen. In the teaser trailer, Ortega’s Astrid is seen pulling a sheet off the Maitlands’ town model in the attic. With the model having been covered up by the Deetz family members for years, the opening credits wouldn’t be able to pull off the same camera trick to emulate traveling through Winter River. Tim Burton’s sequel could accomplish something similar, but not repeat the same opening that introduced Adam and Barbara.
Tim Burton could still cleverly pay homage to the 1988 movie’s opening credits in a few different ways. One possibility would be to have the opening credits shot actually go through the real Winter River rather than the model, thus flipping expectations from the original film. Alternately, it’s possible that Michael Keaton’s titular character got bored over the past few decades in the afterlife and built himself his own version of the Maitlands’ town model. If so, Beetlejuice 2’s opening credits could travel through a darker and more sinister version of the Winter River model as it re-introduces Keaton’s devious poltergeist.
