Geena Davis’ Beetlejuice 2 Update Confirms Our Worst Fears About Adam & Barbara

Summary Geena Davis confirms no Barbara and Adam cameos in Beetlejuice 2, which she theorizes is due to aging concerns for the characters.

Tim Burton's sequel features Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton returning, alongside new Deetz family members.

Though absent, Barbara and Adam Maitland could potentially still appear via Tim Burton's signature stop-motion animation style.

Geena Davis recently gave an update on her involvement with Beetlejuice 2, which confirms a disappointing reality about Adam and Barbara Maitland’s return in the sequel. Arriving 36 years after the original movie, Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 is finally being released on September 6, 2024, bringing back a few key characters and actors from his 1988 cult classic. Primarily centered around new and returning members of Beetlejuice’s Deetz family tree and the titular “bio-exorcist,” Beetlejuice 2 still stands as one of the most anticipated movies of the year as it provides a huge theatrical comeback for Tim Burton.

Though plenty of casting details and possible character appearances are still being kept under wraps, the confirmed returning cast members in Beetlejuice 2 so far include Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, Catherina O’Hara as Delia Deetz, and Michael Keaton as the mischievous Beetlejuice. Meanwhile, Beetlejuice 2’s teaser trailer confirmed the death of Jeffrey Jones’ Charles Deetz; while his image appears for the funeral, Jones is not returning for the sequel alongside his former costars. With the Deetz family members and Keaton’s poltergeist accounted for, there were still two major original characters whose potential Beetlejuice 2 returns were left unresolved – but now their roles appear to have a solid answer.

Related Beetlejuice 2: Release Date, Cast, Story, Trailer & Everything We Know Beetlejuice 2 is arriving in 2024, and Michael Keaton is back as Beetlejucie alongside Jenna Ortega. Here's all the Beetlejuice 2 news.

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The Maitlands won't be back alongside the Deetzes in Beetlejuice 2

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Since the movie was officially announced back in May 2023, mystery has shrouded the possibility of Beetlejuice's Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin reprising their roles as the deceased Barbara and Adam Maitland in the 2024 sequel. The two actors starred in the lead roles of Tim Burton’s 1988 horror-comedy, as the plot centered around the two adjusting to the afterlife as ghosts while attempting to scare away the new family that moved into their house. However, when Beetlejuice 2 was officially confirmed last year, there was no mention of Baldwin and Davis’ characters.

Beetlejuice (1988) is available to rent or purchase from digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

In the time since, which has included a Beetlejuice Beetlejuice teaser trailer and first-look images, the two actors have still been missing from the sequel's marketing. Considering how the Maitlands became parental figures to teenage Lydia in Beetlejuice’s original ending, there was still hope that Adam and Barbara could potentially make cameos in the 2024 sequel. Furthermore, it was clear that ignoring Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis’ characters entirely wouldn’t be an option, as Beetlejuice 2’s promotional materials have revealed that the Maitlands’ attic space and town model of Winter River play integral roles in the sequel.

Beetlejuice 2’s promotional materials have revealed that the Maitlands’ attic space and town model of Winter River play integral roles in the sequel.

Sadly, however, Geena Davis has officially confirmed that she’s not in Beetlejuice 2. Though Alec Baldwin hasn’t made any comments on his role, Davis’ absence all but confirms that he won’t be involved in the Tim Burton sequel either. Considering the original movie revealed that the Maitlands were destined to spend 125 years in their Winter River house after their deaths, the couple should technically still be haunting the attic in Beetlejuice 2’s timeline. Consequently, Davis and Baldwin’s confirmed absences mean the sequel has to provide some convincing explanations for where the Maitlands went.

Why Adam & Barbara's Absence In Beetlejuice 2 Makes Sense

Adam & Barbara's returns would raise more questions than provide answers

While announcing that she wouldn’t be in the upcoming film, Geena Davis gave her theory as to why Beetlejuice’s Maitland actors weren’t brought back. The Thelma & Louise star explained that “ghosts don’t age… Our characters were stuck the way they looked when they died forever, so it’s been a while.” Davis is right regarding this reasoning, as the Maitlands’ actors have aged 35 years in the time since Beetlejuice while their characters should look exactly the same. If they returned for Beetlejuice 2, questions would arise about why Adam and Barbara’s ghosts physically aged to be in their 60s rather than their late 20s and early 30s.

Furthermore, though the Maitlands could hypothetically return by de-ageing Baldwin and Davis with CGI, this isn’t a reality given the fact that Tim Burton and Michael Keaton avoided CGI use in Beetlejuice 2. The first trailer and images for Beetlejuice 2 confirm that Michael Keaton’s return as the titular ghost is being accomplished through practical effects and makeup, which is how his deadly appearance was created for the 1988 movie. Considering Beetlejuice had already been in the grave for over 600 years in the original, Michael Keaton’s look in Beetlejuice 2 makes sense as he had always been heavily-coated in makeup and designed to appear more advanced in age.

If they returned for Beetlejuice 2, questions would arise about why Adam and Barbara’s ghosts physically aged to be in their 60s rather than their late 20s and early 30s.

Tim Burton Has The Perfect Way To Still Include Barbara & Adam (Despite Davis & Baldwin's Absences)

A returning Tim Burton movie trademark provides the answer

Despite the fact that Davis and Baldwin won’t be reprising their roles as Barbara and Adam Maitland, the two original Beetlejuice characters could still find their way into the sequel. Tim Burton has teased that Beetlejuice 2 will utilize various stop-motion animation sequences, a trademark of his films from the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early ‘00s. It’s unclear exactly what these stop-motion sequences will entail, but – based on the original movie’s use of the technique – it’s likely that it will be used to bring to life certain inanimate objects, create creatures in the town model or afterlife realm, or potentially catch audiences up on what has happened in the three decades since Beetlejuice.

Related Beetlejuice 2 Ignoring Geena Davis & Alec Baldwin Just Got Way More Difficult The first trailer and images for Beetlejuice 2 include subtle details that make the sequel ignoring Adam and Barbara Maitland impossible.

If the latter proves true, then stop-motion animation could be utilized for a flashback sequence for Barbara and Adam, explaining where they went and how they managed to break their 125-year sentence in the Winter River house. The characters from the 1988 movie could be replicated in miniature sculptures for a stop-motion segment, thus giving Beetlejuice a bit of Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride treatment. Regardless, paying homage to Adam and Barbara as they were in the 1988 movie is crucial when returning to the Deetzes' story in Beetlejuice 2, even if that sadly doesn’t include Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis.