11 Original Characters Still Missing From Beetlejuice 2

Includes SPOILERS for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!

Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 brings several original figures back from the dead after 36 years, though there are still some great living and deceased Beetlejuice characters who didn’t return. The highly-anticipated sequel to Tim Burton’s 1988 horror-comedy classic Beetlejuice has been met with acclaim from critics and audiences, using the original movie as a launch-off point and adding to it faithfully. The Beetlejuice 2 ending is arguably even zanier and more comedic than that of the original, really allowing the whacky horror world to run wild.

The returning cast and characters in Beetlejuice 2 are Michael Keaton as Beetlejuice, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz, with Jeffrey Jones’ absence being explained by his character’s death. Additionally, Beetlejuice 2’s cast features Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Bellucci in new roles. Still, there are several characters missing from Beetlejuice 2 that would’ve been exciting to have appear in the realms of the living or dead.

11 Barbara Maitland (Geena Davis)

Barbara Should Still Have Been Haunting The Deetz/Maitland House

One major character surprisingly missing from Beetlejuice 2 is Geena Davis’ Barbara Maitland, who died alongside her husband Adam in the opening scene of Beetlejuice. In the original movie, Barbara conjured Beetlejuice to help scare the Deetz family away from her home, which she and Adam were stuck in for another 125 years after their death. Given the time between the two movies, Barbara and her husband should still be haunting the house for another 89 years after Beetlejuice 2.

However, the original character doesn’t appear in Tim Burton’s upcoming movie, with Davis stating that Barbara’s absence from Beetlejuice 2 actually makes sense. Since the Maitlands died in 1988, Beetlejuice 2 would have a difficult time explaining how Barbara physically aged from being approximately 30 years old to around 65 years old in the afterlife. Although Geena Davis doesn’t appear in Beetlejuice 2, Barbara Maitland having a cameo at the Deetz house would have made for a great continuation of the original movie’s story.

10 Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin)

Adam’s Town Model Returns In Beetlejuice 2, But He Doesn’t

Another main character from Beetlejuice who didn’t return for the 2024 sequel is Adam Maitland, who was portrayed in the original film by Alec Baldwin. Adam and his wife Barbara drowned after their car crashed on a bridge back in 1988, leading to their fates of haunting their home for another century. While they began the film by trying to scare away their house’s new residents, Adam and Barbara became surrogate parents to Winona Ryder’s teenage character Lydia Deetz by Beetlejuice‘s ending.

Considering how close Adam and Barbara became to Lydia, their absence from Beetlejuice 2 is more shocking. Winona Ryder’s Beetlejuice 2 was extremely faithful to her characterization in the original movie, so even though Adam and Barbara are physically absent, it’s surprising that adult Lydia Deetz barely even referenced her ghostly friends. With Lydia and Delia still owning the house after Charles Deetz’s death in Beetlejuice 2, the sequel has a big task of reasonably explaining why the Maitlands are no longer haunting the attic.

The absences of Baldwin and Davis’ Beetlejuice characters are more difficult to ignore after the movie shows their town model and attic space. Beetlejuice 2 sees Jenna Ortega’s character uncovering the miniature town model that Adam built in the attic they inhabited in the 1988 film, which is suggested to be a portal between the afterlife and Earth in the sequel. Additionally, the original movie’s iconic “Day-O” song is played, with the tune having been associated with Adam and Barbara’s famous possession scene.

9 Bernard (Dick Cavett)

Delia’s Agent Could Have Returned

Another character from the world of the living who doesn’t return in Beetlejuice 2 is Dick Cavett’s character Bernard, the agent of Catherine O’Hara’s Delia Deetz. Attending dinner when the Maitlands possessed the guests into dancing around the table, Bernard found the concept of ghosts haunting the house to be exciting, especially when the group felt they could capitalize on it for entertainment. Though Bernard called Delia a flake before the end of Beetlejuice, it wouldn’t have been impossible for them to have reconnected sometime between movies.

One of the most simple ways for Bernard to return could’ve been to help Delia sell a new sculpture in Beetlejuice 2, similar to his function in the original movie. Furthermore, Dick Cavett could have potentially made a cameo as Bernard in Charles Deetz’s funeral scene at the beginning of the sequel. Having only played a minor role in the 1988 Tim Burton horror-comedy, he wouldn’t have been expected to play a major part in Beetlejuice 2‘s story.

8 Jane Butterfield (Annie McEnroe)

Winter River’s Realtor Could Have Tried To Sell The House Again

She may only have a few minor appearances in Beetlejuice, but Jane is certainly one of the 1988 movie’s most memorable characters. Still in the land of the living in Beetlejuice’s ending, Jane was the real estate agent in town who kept trying to convince Adam and Barbara to sell their house. Jane tragically got her wish upon the Maitlands’ untimely deaths, and still tried to offer her services to the new Deetz family.

Jane’s return could have also fit into Beetlejuice 2‘s story organically, as she could’ve still been working as a real estate agent trying to get Lydia or Delia to sell their home to another family. Jane is another character whose return could’ve consisted of a brief cameo at Charles Deetz’s funeral, as they both lived in the small town of Winter River for some time. Furthermore, Jane’s Beetlejuice 2 role could have seen her handing over her real estate business to her daughter, who was teased to be exactly like her in the original movie.

Jane’s
Beetlejuice 2
role could see her handing over her real estate business to her daughter, who was teased to be exactly like her in the original movie.

Eternally dressed in football gear and filled with team spirit, Beetlejuice’s recently deceased college football team served as one of the funniest gags in the original movie. Keeping close to the caseworker Juno in the Neitherworld, the college football players sadly perished during a crash, though Juno confirms that their coach survived. The football players returned to dance with Lydia on the stairs in Beetlejuice’s ending, so it seems the ghosts could still appear at any point during Beetlejuice 2.

Considering they primarily have their helmets and gear on in Beetlejuice, the football players could have been played by new actors in Beetlejuice 2. This would make more sense considering their actors have aged 36 years since the original film, making it more difficult to justify them playing college-aged football players. Even if the football team were simply to have returned for another musical number with Winona Ryder’s adult Lydia Deetz or Jenna Ortega’s new character, Astrid, having the players cameo would have been a great callback to the 1988 Tim Burton film.

Considering they primarily have their helmets and gear on in
Beetlejuice
, the football players could also be played by new actors in
Beetlejuice 2
.

6 Harry The Hunter

Beetlejuice 2 Replaces Harry With Bob

Perhaps the most memorable ghost in Beetlejuice’s Neitherworld waiting room was Harry the Hunter, who sat next to the Maitlands and later the title poltergeist while awaiting his number to be called. Harry the Hunter was notable for his shrunken head, which was seemingly done after his death from a spell by the deceased Witch Doctor, as Beetlejuice himself was later subject to the same fate. It’s unclear exactly how Harry died, but it’s assumed to be a hunting accident, given his name and the fact that he’s still carrying his rifle.

Michael Keaton revealed that
Beetlejuice 2
has a ”
shrunken head room
,” which implies that there will be a scene featuring Beetlejuice, Harry the Hunter, and other shrunken-head ghosts returning their heads back to normal.

Since Harry the Hunter remained in the waiting room throughout the entirety of Beetlejuice, it wouldn’t have been surprising to see him still sitting on the couch in the Neitherworld during Beetlejuice 2. He was instead replaced by other, similarly designed characters with shrunken heads, such as Bob. Bob and the other Shrinkers are shown in the sequel to be agents of Beetlejuice who work in his call center, and quickly become fan-favorites.

5 Otho

Rory Fills The Void Of Otho In Beetlejuice 2

Otho Fenlock was one of the antagonists of the original Beetlejuice film, known for his connections to Delia’s storyline. He’s an interior designer who presents himself as being more luxurious and prosperous than he truly is and who tries to ride on the coattails of those of higher status. His story ends with embarrassment at the hands of Beetlejuice, and it would’ve been fun to see him returning to the world, having been permanently shaken by this event.

Given that Delia returns and plays a significant role in Beetlejuice 2, Otho would’ve been great to have in the cast. Sadly, actor Glenn Shadix passed away in 2010 following an astounding career in film, including other Tim Burton collaborations like The Nightmare Before Christmas and Planet of the Apes. The movie sequel was right to not try and recast Otho, as Shadix’s singular screen presence was essential to the character. Ultimately, Justin Theroux’s Rory ends up fulfilling a similar purpose, though his character is connected more with Lydia.

4 Maxie Dean

Maxie Dean Is Mentioned But Doesn’t Appear

Maxie Dean is another supporting character from Beetlejuice who left a significant imprint on the film. He was the Chairman of Botco Industries and Charles’ boss, making him a potential financial ally for the Deetz family in their hopes of capitalizing on the ghosts in their home. Later in the film, he and his wife, Sarah, end up launched into the air by Beetlejuice, and many presumed the character had died from this event. This might have presented the opportunity to show him in the afterlife, but actor Robert Goulet passed away in 2007.

While Maxie Dean doesn’t return in the 2024 sequel, the movie honors the late movie star’s memory by mentioning his character. Delia Deetz confirms that Maxie Dean is alive in the Beetlejuice world by mentioning his presence at Charles Deetz’s funeral. Delia had supposedly invited him to attend the event and wonders to herself regarding his whereabouts. Beetlejuice 2 doesn’t really have a replacement character for Maxie, though the Deetz family seems to have capitalized on the events of 1988’s Beetlejuice.

3 Juno

Different Characters Work In The Afterlife In Beetlejuice 2

In Beetlejuice, Juno is the caseworker the Maitlands meet with when hoping to remove the Deetz family from their house. Juno provides some exposition on Beetlejuice and the world of the afterlife, including warning the Maitlands not to trust the demon. Legendary actress Sylvia Sidney is hilarious in the classic movie, serving as the voice of reason in the film that the Maitlands, of course, don’t listen to. The actress passed away in 1999, and her personality was irreplaceable in the 2024 sequel.

Beetlejuice 2 still makes an effort to incorporate many of the common elements of the original film, though it cycles in new quirky characters to fill its positions. For example, Santiago Cabrera plays Richard, Astrid’s dead father, who works in the afterlife. Neither Juno nor the football players she shares scenes with in the original movie have roles in the sequel. Willem Dafoe’s Wolf Jackson ends up fulfilling a similar role, however, as the force of law within the afterlife who’s going after Beetlejuice.

2 Miss Argentina

Miss Argentina Was The Waiting Room’s Receptionist

Miss Argentina appears in the original Beetlejuice as a receptionist in the Waiting Room, also providing the Maitlands with some information about how their world works. Much of her story is implied by her costume and makeup, suggesting the cause of her death. She was presumably a beauty pageant contestant who lost and then died by suicide. In the original movie, characters who take their own lives are selected to work in the Waiting Room, like Juno. This is likely one of the reasons why both characters were omitted from the second film.

As for Miss Argentina, actress Patrice Martinez sadly passed away in 2018, so she couldn’t have appeared in the sequel. The idea that afterlife workers are only those who have taken their own lives is pretty dark, and it’s possible that they wanted to change this material to fit characters like Richard. As for the aesthetic of Miss Argentina, the hot dog lady is likely the closest comparison.

1 The Witch Doctor

The Witch Doctor Isn’t In Beetlejuice 2, But Plenty Of Heads Have Been Shrunk

Alongside Harry the Hunter, one of the staple ghosts in Beetlejuice’s Neitherworld waiting room was the Witch Doctor. Unwilling to deal with the antics of his fellow ghosts, the Witch Doctor uses a magical powder to shrink the head of anyone who bothers him. This included both Harry and Beetlejuice during the original movie, with the Shrinkers in Beetlejuice 2 implying this has happened to countless others.

To continue the 1988 movie’s hilarious gag, the Witch Doctor’s return in the sequel could’ve seen him shrink the title ghost’s head in the waiting room for the second time. Additionally, the Witch Doctor could’ve returned in the shrunken head room segment of Beetlejuice 2 to see him punished for the many ghosts he afflicted with that fate, as it became so extreme that the Neitherworld dedicated an entire room to them. Instead, the character is removed entirely.