Summary:
- Geena Davis confirms Maitlands won’t return in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice due to aging concerns.
- However, Keaton’s Beetlejuice could challenge this theory.
- The Maitlands’ absence is unexplained; perhaps they found a happy ending, avoiding the Lost Souls Room.
Geena Davis confirms that the Maitlands won’t be back in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Michael Keaton‘s ghostly character returns after 36 years, as a new Deetz family tragedy unfolds. Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara are returning, while Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe, Justin Theroux, and Monica Belucci join the cast as new characters.
Despite the first trailer revealing returning faces, Davis told ET Online she won’t be in the sequel. She suggests Barbara and Adam’s absence might be because, as ghosts, they can’t age. Check out Davis’ theory below:
No, I’m not. I’m not in the remake. Oh, you were expecting that I would be? Yeah, no, you know what? Because my theory is that ghosts don’t age… Not that I have. Our characters were stuck in the way they looked when they died forever, so it’s been a while, it’s been a minute.
Missing Maitlands: Their Role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
While Davis’ theory makes sense for why the Maitlands might not appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Keaton’s central role as the titular ghost could challenge her explanation.
It’s hard to picture anyone else but Keaton in Beetlejuice’s iconic striped suit, and his return could simply be because of his unique nature as a spirit.
Being undead for centuries and cursed uniquely, Beetlejuice has existed longer than any other ghost in the film, likely leading to a deeper understanding of his form and showing more wear in his appearance.
Even with these explanations, it’s unclear where the Maitlands are during the events of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. By the end of the original movie, they had escaped being exorcised and had found peace with the Deetz family.
However, their potential exile to the Lost Souls Room hinted at other realms beyond the living and the dead. While the Lost Souls Room is a grim fate for ghosts, perhaps Barbara and Adam found a happier existence to move on to instead.
Even with the excitement surrounding the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice this year, fans are curious about how missing characters will be addressed.
While some absences might be due to real-life circumstances, the Maitlands’ absence would be particularly noticeable since they played such a key role in the original movie.
As viewers wait for answers, Davis’ theory provides an interesting perspective on the possible reasons behind the scenes.
