Beetlejuice vs. Betelgeuse: What The Real Name Of Michael Keaton’s Poltergeist Is & What It Means

Summary Betelgeuse's real name, "Betelgeuse," was simplified to "Beetlejuice" for easier pronunciation.

The star Betelgeuse in the night sky could hold a hidden meaning for Michael Keaton's character in the movie.

There is potential for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice to explore Betelgeuse's backstory, reveal his original name, and reveal how he became a poltergeist.

Michael Keaton will once again don the striped suit of one of his most iconic characters in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which could further explore the character's real name and what it truly means. The long-awaited sequel will see several characters return for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Tim Burton's beloved 1988 comedy, and the story will pick up many years after the original ended. Keaton's mischievous poltergeist is sure to return to cause more chaos, and it's possible that the movie goes deeper into his backstory after the original only revealed a few scant details.

One of the key details that the original never addressed was the origins of Beetlejuice, or Betelgeuse's name. While he is familiarly known as "Beetlejuice" in popular culture, there is an alternative spelling featured on multiple occasions in the original movie. That name could provide some insight into the character's history, and potentially the story of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

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Betelgeuse Is Technically The Correct Name Of Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice Character

That's how his name is written

While Michael Keaton's self-proclaimed bio-exorcist is known in popular culture as "Beetlejuice", that is not the character's true name. As seen on his tombstone in Adam Maitland's model town, the poltergeist's real name is "Betelgeuse" when written out. That spelling is still pronounced as "Beetlejuice", and given the importance of the name being spoken, it makes sense that the peculiar spelling is simplified.

Warner Bros. supposedly hated the movie's title, and seriously considered several other options, including House Ghosts and Burton's sarcastic suggestion Scared Sheetless.

Alec Baldwin's Adam Maitland even pronounces it incorrectly at first, invalidating it as one of the three mentions that summons him from the afterlife. The simpler pronunciation, along with the anglicized spelling, made the movie more digestible for the English-speaking audience. From a marketing perspective, the "Betelgeuse" spelling could be pronounced several ways phonetically, so simplifying it into the sillier, easier-to-pronounce "Beetlejuice" was a benefit in that regard as well, even if it not actually correct.

"Betelgeuse" Is The Name Of The Night Sky's Brightest Star – What It Means For Michael Keaton's Character

The name could carry a hidden meaning

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Per the Encyclopedia Brittanica, Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star that is the second-brightest star in the famous Orion constellation. The name itself is derived from an Arabic term meaning "the giant's shoulder", which coincides with its position in the Orion constellation. It is considered one of the brightest stars in the night sky from Earth's viewpoint. As but a small but significant part of a larger whole, the star could actually be a clue as to how and why Betelgeuse got his name.

The star Betelgeuse is part of a larger constellation, and the ghostly Betelgeuse could therefore be part of a larger whole as well. He may be no more than the top of the spear when it comes to supernatural chaos and "bio-exorcism", as he calls it, and while summoning him had consequences for the Maitlands and the Deetzes, the powers that granted him his ability to return to the mortal world could have something far more sinister and significant in mind.

Beetlejuice 2 Can Finally Reveal The Real Name Of Michael Keaton's Character Before Death

It's unlikely that was his name while alive

Image via Universal Pictures

Tim Burton's 1988 original was famous for how well-conceived and well-developed the afterlife of the Beetlejuice universe is, but its eponymous character remained largely mysterious. If Betelgeuse's backstory is explored, his former name will be one of the first questions addressed. It's safe to assume that in life, he wasn't simply known as Betelgeuse. As a living person, Betelgeuse likely had a full name and personality aside from the trouble-making entity that he evolved into in the afterlife. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has the opportunity to not only reveal what Betelgeuse's original name was, but also explore how he became a poltergeist.

As well-fleshed-out as Burton's afterlife concept is, there is still a ton to explore, and Betelgeuse is the perfect vessel through which to do so. One of the biggest question marks after the original movie is how individuals fall into their different roles; for example, what separates the Maitlands from Juno, or the receptionist, or Betelgeuse himself. By exploring Betelgeuse's former life, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice can address how someone progresses from a living person to a poltergeist like Betelgeuse, which would not only provide some retroactive strength to the character, but also open up the Beetlejuice universe at large.

Source: Encyclopedia Brittanica