Beetlejuice 2: New & Returning Cast & Character Guide

June 1, 2023, 7:30 p.m.

Movies

Beetlejuice 2: New & Returning Cast & Character Guide

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Summary Beetlejuice 2 brings back Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse alongside a mix of returning and new cast members.

Original characters like Lydia Deetz are revisited in the sequel, with a few missing faces from the first movie.

New additions to the cast include Jenna Ortega, Monica Bellucci, Willem Dafoe, and Justin Theroux in key roles.

Beetlejuice 2 is the long-awaited sequel to Tim Burton’s classic horror comedy, with an exciting cast playing both new and returning characters. Coming 36 years after the 1988 release of the original Beetlejuice, the follow-up revisits some of the central characters as their lives are again turned upside down by the titular "ghost with the most." While a few of the original actors are back for Beetlejuice 2's story, the sequel also keeps things fresh by introducing some recognizable additions to the ensemble. Furthermore, there are still a few missing original Beetlejuice characters who could make surprise appearances in the sequel.

A second Beetlejuice movie has been in the works for a long time, with a rumored sequel project titled Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian marking the first attempt all the way back in 1990. Finally coming to fruition after several deacdes, Beetlejuice 2 brings a few members of the Deetz family tree back to Winter River after the death of a loved one, with a series of events leading Lydia to reluctantly summon the titular poltergeist once more. Though certain original Beetlejuice characters like Adam, Barbara, Otho, and Juno won't be back for the 2024 sequel, the returning and new cast members of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice provide a fitting return to Tim Burton's spooky world.

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Cast of Beetlejuice 2 Picture Actor Character Michael Keaton Betelgeuse Winona Ryder Lydia Deetz Image via Universal Pictures Catherine O'Hara Delia Deetz Image via Universal Pictures Jenna Ortega Astrid Deetz Justin Theroux Rory Willem Dafoe Afterlife Detective Monica Bellucci Betelgeuse's Wife Burn Gorman Winter River Reverend

Michael Keaton As Betelgeuse

Active Since: 1975

Michael Keaton was born in Kennedy Township, Pennsylvania and broke big in 1982's Night Shift as Bill Blazejowski. Keaton has since adopted countless iconic roles throughout his extensive Hollywood career, starting out in comedic projects such as Mr. Mom and Beetlejuice before moving into more dramatic roles. He played Bruce Wayne in Tim Burton’s two Batman movies, Ray Nicolette in both Jackie Brown and Out of Sight, and the titular snowman in Jack Frost before receiving his first Oscar nomination for playing a washed-up actor in the Best Picture-winning Birdman. Keaton has continued his critically acclaimed streak in such projects as The Trial of the Chicago 7, The Founder, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spotlight, which also won the Best Picture Oscar, and the miniseries Dopesick, which garnered him an Emmy.

Notable Michael Keaton Movie/TV Show Character Night Shift (1982) Bill Blazejowski Mr. Mom (1983) Jack Butler Beetlejuice (1988) Betelgeuse Batman (1989) & Batman Returns (1992) Batman/Bruce Wayne Jackie Brown (1997) & Out of Sight (1998) Agent Ray Nicolette Toy Story 3 (2010) Ken (voice) Birdman (2014) Riggan Thomson Spotlight (2015) Walter "Robby" Robinson Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) Vulture/Adrian Toomes Dopesick (2021) Dr. Samuel Finnix

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will be released in theaters on September 6, 2024.

In the original Beetlejuice movie, Betelgeuse (pronounced like Beetlejuice is spelled) is a supernatural "bio-exorcist" who assists a recently-deceased couple in haunting the new owners of their old home in the realm of the living. He’s notorious for his rowdy and immature personality, which often clashes with those he’s trying to work alongside. Despite being introduced as an ally to the film’s protagonists, he causes more problems than he solves when he demands his summoner’s hand in marriage as payment for his assistance. It’s a darkly comedic role, and the original remains one of Michael Keaton’s best movies decades later. Keaton now reprises the part leading the cast of Beetlejuice 2 as his characer is summoned once again.

Winona Ryder As Lydia Deetz

Active Since: 1986

As part of the returning cast in Beetlejuice 2, Lydia is again played by Minnesota native Winona Ryder, who has collaborated with Tim Burton on a number of other projects over the years. After breaking out in the first Beetlejuice, she played the romantic interest Kim in Burton's Edward Scissorhands before reuniting with the filmmaker to voice Elsa Van Helsing in his animated comedy Frankenweenie. Ryder earned Oscar nominations for portraying Jo March in the 1994 adaptation of Little Women and May Welland in Martin Scorsese's adaptation of The Age of Innocence. She is also known for playing Susanna in Girl Interrupted, Veronica Sawyer in Heathers, and Joyce Byers in Stranger Things.

Notable Winona Ryder Movie/TV Show Character Beetlejuice (1988) Lydia Deetz Heathers (1989) Veronica Sawyer Edward Scissorhands (1990) Kim Boggs Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) Mina Murray The Age of Innocence (1993) May Welland Little Women (1994) Jo March Girl, Interrupted (1999) Susanna Kaysen Star Trek (2009) Amanda Grayson Black Swan (2010) Beth MacIntyre Stranger Things (2016–present) Joyce Byers

In the original Beetlejuice, Lydia was the teenage daughter of the Deetz family, who moved into a recently vacated home that turned out to be haunted by the ghosts of its previous occupants. But unlike her parents, she had the ability to see these spirits and quickly befriended them despite their attempts to scare the family away from their property. Back then, Lydia was known for her gothic style and general distaste for the rest of the world, with Beetlejuice 2 now seeing her grown up with a teenage daughter of her own. However, Lydia hasn't lost her fashion style over the decades since last battling Michael Keaton's character.

Ryder earned Oscar nominations for portraying Jo March in the 1994 adaptation of Little Women and May Welland in Martin Scorsese's adaptation of The Age of Innocence.

Related Beetlejuice 2 Kills A Huge Part Of Winona Ryder's Character From The Original Movie Tim Burton's new comments about Lydia Deetz changes in Beetlejuice 2 reveal a huge difference from Winona Ryder's character in the 1988 movie.

Catherine O’Hara As Delia Deetz

Active Since: 1974

Catherine O’Hara was born in Toronto, Canada and broke out in 1988's Beetlejuice after gaining recognition for being in the original cast of Second City Television in the 1970s. She’s perhaps best known for playing Kevin’s mother in the Home Alone movies and the eccentric Moira Rose in the acclaimed comedy series Schitt's Creek, the latter of which won her an Emmy. O'Hara has also famously collaborated with filmmaker Christopher Guest for such roles as Cookie Fleck in Best in Show, Mickey Crabbe in A Mighty Wind, and Sheila Albertson in Waiting for Guffman. She also voiced characters in Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and The Nightmare Before Christmas before reuniting with him in Beetlejuice 2.

Notable Catherine O'Hara Movie/TV Show Character SCTV (1976-1984) Various Beetlejuice (1988) Delia Deetz Home Alone (1990) & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) Kate McCallister The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) Sally/Shock (voice) Waiting for Guffman (1996) Sheila Albertson Best in Show (2000) Cookie Fleck For Your Consideration (2006) Marilyn Heck Penelope (2006) Jessica Wilhern Frankenweenie (2012) Susan Frankenstein Schitt's Creek (2015-2020) Moira Rose

O'Hara is among the returning cast of Beetlejuice 2, reprising her role as Delia Deetz, the matriarch of the family that finds itself haunted in the original. Delia was introduced in the first movie as a self-proclaimed sculptor looking to transform the house into a postmodern style, which sparks much of the conflict with the deceased protagonists. In Beetlejuice 2, she returns to Winter River alongside her stepdaughter Lydia and granddaughter Astrid after the unexpected death of Charles Deetz, her husband from the 1988 movie.

Jenna Ortega As Astrid Deetz

Active since: 2012

Born in Palm Desert, California, Jenna Ortega is one of the major new additions to the cast for Beetlejuice 2. Ortega broke out as the star of the Disney series Stuck in the Middle but is now best known as Tara Carpenter in the Scream sequels, Lorraine in the horror film X, and Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday, which was created by Beetlejuice 2 writer Alfred Gough and helmed by its director, Tim Burton. She also had notable roles in more dramatic movies and shows like Miller's Girl, Finestkind, The Fallout, and Netflix's You.

Notable Jenna Ortega Movie/TV Show Character Stuck in the Middle (2016-2018) Harley Diaz You season 2 (2019) Ellie Alves The Fallout (2021) Vada Cavell Scream (2022) & Scream VI (2023) Tara Carpenter X (2022) Lorraine Day Wednesday (2022-present) Wednesday Addams Miller's Girl (2024) Cairo Sweet

In Beetlejuice 2, Jenna Ortega stars as Astrid, the teenage daughter of Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz. In the sequel, Astrid stumbles upon Adam and Barbara Maitland's town model in the attic and happens to open a portal to the afterlife, leading to trouble in both realms. While the full extent of Astrid's role in the sequel is still vague, it's been excitingly revealed that Jenna Ortega has a scene with sandworms in Beetlejuice 2.

Ortega broke out as the star of the Disney series Stuck in the Middle but is now best known as Tara Carpenter in the Scream sequels, Lorraine in the horror film X, and Wednesday Addams in the Netflix series Wednesday.

Monica Belluci As Beetlejuice’s Wife

Active Since: 1990

Cast in the Beetlejuice 2 role of the titular character's wife is Italian actress Monica Bellucci, who had her breakout role in Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992, which also starred Beetlejuice's Winona Ryder. Bellucci's most famous roles include Persephone in The Matrix: Revolutions and The Matrix Reloaded, Lucia in the James Bond movie Spectre, and Donna Quintano in the action comedy Shoot 'Em Up. The actress also notably portrayed the title character in the classic Italian drama Malena.

Notable Monica Bellucci Movie/TV Show Character Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) Dracula's Bride The Apartment (1996) Lisa Under Suspicion (2000) Chantal Hearst Malèna (2000) Malèna The Matrix Reloaded & The Matrix Revolutions (2003) Persephone Shoot 'Em Up (2007) Donna Quintano Spectre (2015) Lucia Sciarra

The introduction of Beetlejuice’s wife is hugely exciting for this long-awaited sequel, offering some important hints about the direction that this story could take. It’s been a long time since the Beetlejuice's original ending, and the addition of this character proves that plenty has happened between the two movies for audiences to catch up on. Though her name has still yet to be revealed, it seems that Beetlejuice's wife will play an important role in the sequel's afterlife conflicts.

Related Beetlejuice 2's New Dead Character Can Perfectly Pay Off 1 Disgusting Moment From Tim Burton's Original Movie A confirmed new addition to the cast of Tim Burton's Beetlejuice Beetlejuice can better explain one gross Michael Keaton moment from the 1988 movie.

Willem Dafoe As An Afterlife Law Enforcement Officer

Active Since: 1975

Willem Dafoe was born in Appleton, Wisconsin and broke out in the 1986 Vietnam War movie Platoon. The actor should fit perfectly into Tim Burton’s eccentric style, as he has adopted plenty of quirky roles over the years. Dafoe is best known for playing Green Goblin in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man and Thomas Wake in The Lighthouse. He has also earned Oscar nominations for his supporting performances in Platoon, The Florida Project, and Shadow of the Vampire and a lead nod for his portrayal of Vincent van Gogh in At Eternity's Gate.

Notable Willem Dafoe Movie Character Platoon (1986) Sgt. Elias Grodin Mississippi Burning (1988) FBI Agent Alan Ward The English Patient (1996) David Caravaggio Shadow of the Vampire (2000) Max Schreck/Count Orlock Spider-Man (2002) Norman Osborn/Green Goblin Finding Nemo (2003) Gill Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) Rat The Florida Project (2017) Bobby The Lighthouse (2019) Thomas Wake Poor Things (2023) Dr. Godwin Baxter

In one of the most surprising announcements for Beetlejuice 2, it was confirmed that Willem Dafoe joined the cast as an Afterlife Law Enforcement Officer. However, there are very few details regarding what exactly that means. According to Dafoe, his character was a B-movie action star while still alive, and seeks to fill those thrills in the afterlife through his career as a detective.

According to Dafoe, his character was a B-movie action star while still alive.

Justin Theroux As Rory

Active Since: 1995

Justin Theroux was born in Washington, DC and broke out in David Lynch's 2001 movie Mulholland Drive. He's best known for playing Timothy Bryce in American Psycho, as well as his lead roles in the series The Leftovers, The Mosquito Coast, and White House Plumbers, in which he portrays Watergate burglar G. Gordon Liddy. Justin Theroux is also a filmmaker and a screenwriter, having scripted Iron Man 2 and co-written Tropic Thunder and Zoolander 2.

Notable Justin Theroux Movie/TV Show Character Mulholland Drive (2001) Adam Kesher Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) Seamus O'Grady Wanderlust (2012) Seth The Leftovers (2014-2017) Kevin Garvey Maniac (2019) Dr. James K. Mantleray The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) Drew Thayer The Mosquito Coast (2021-2023) Allie Fox White House Plumbers (2023) G. Gordon Liddy

In the cast of Beetlejuice 2, Justin Theroux has an important role as Rory. Though the specifics of his character are still largely unconfirmed, he joins Lydia and the Deetz family in Winter River for the funeral of Charles Deetz, where he soon encounters the titular character. Based on early teases, it seems that Rory is Beetlejuice 2's replacement for Otho's role from the original Tim Burton movie.

Burn Gorman As Winter River Reverend

Active Since: 1998

The first trailer for Beetlejuice 2 confirmed that Burn Gorman had joined the sequel's cast. English actor Burn Gorman was born in Los Angeles, California before his family returned to England, with his breakout role being in Torchwood as Owen Harper. The actor has also appeared in Game of Thrones, Turn: Washington's Spies, The Expanse, The Dark Knight Rises, and the Pacific Rim movies.

Notable Burn Gorman Movie/TV Show Character Torchwood (2006-2008) Owen Harper The Dark Knight Rises (2012) Phillip Stryver Game of Thrones (2013-2014) Karl Tanner Pacific Rim (2013) & Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) Hermann Gottlieb Turn: Washington's Spies (2014-2017) Major Edmund Hewlett The Expanse (2019) Adolphus Murtry

How extensive the role of the reverend in Beetlejuice 2 will be remains to be seen. However, it's confirmed that the character leads the funeral for Charles Deetz, leading the children's choir in singing "Day-O." With another wedding scene also teased for Beetlejuice 2, it seems Gorman's reverend will make a late-movie return.