Summary

• Despite being key characters in the original movie, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis likely won't appear in Beetlejuice 2.
• Adam and Barbara's absence in the sequel's trailer suggests their roles won't be significant, with no confirmation of their return.
• Other original characters are still missing from Beetlejuice 2, including Jane Butterfield.

With a few original stars already confirmed to return for Beetlejuice 2, there have been questions regarding the possibility that Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin will reprise their roles. In the critically and commercially successful 1988 Tim Burton classic Beetlejuice, Davis and Baldwin play Barbara and Adam Maitland, who die in the opening sequence during a tragic car accident. Upon learning they are ghosts, they try to scare away the Deetz family who have moved into their home, leading them to recruit Michael Keaton's mischievous title character for help before Beetlejuice's climactic ending.

Despite playing the two main characters of the original movie, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis have yet to be confirmed for Beetlejuice 2's returning cast. So far, the only actors confirmed to reprise their roles in Beetlejuice 2 are Winona Ryder (Lydia Deetz), Catherine O'Hara (Delia Deetz), and Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice), with Jenna Ortega, Justin Theroux, and Willem Dafoe joining the cast in new roles. Though Beetlejuice 2's first trailer confirms the death of Jeffrey Jones' original Beetlejuice character Charles Deetz, there's still no sign of Baldwin or Davis ahead of the sequel's 2024 premiere.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will premiere in theaters on September 6, 2024. Beetlejuice (1988) is available to rent or purchase from digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

Alec Baldwin & Geena Davis Likely Won't Appear In Beetlejuice 2

The characters are entirely absent from Beetlejuice 2's trailer

Given Beetlejuice 2's first trailer has already accounted for the presence of the entire original Deetz family and Beetlejuice himself, Adam and Barbara's absences from the teaser indicate their actors won't appear in the sequel. Following the sequel's confirmation, Geena Davis made a good point about the Maitlands' absence, suggesting that it would be difficult to explain why Adam and Barbara aged 35 years despite being ghosts. Meanwhile, Michael Keaton was already made to appear much older than his real age to play the long-dead Beetlejuice in the 1988 movie, making his return after over three decades more believable.

Following the sequel's confirmation, Geena Davis made a good point about the Maitlands' absence, suggesting that it would be difficult to explain why Adam and Barbara aged 35 years despite being ghosts.

Furthermore, the Maitlands' story in Beetlejuice about coming to terms with their deaths has already been told. Consequently, while Baldwin and Davis could perhaps make cameos in Beetlejuice 2, it’s unlikely that they would be significant characters. Still, the sequel's trailer indicates that Baldwin and Davis' Beetlejuice characters won't be entirely ignored, as iconic pieces of the original movie associated with them are confimed to be back.

Which Other Missing Beetlejuice Characters Can Return In The Sequel

Otho, Jane, and Juno are still unconfirmed for Beetlejuice 2

While Baldwin and Davis are unlikely to return, there are plenty of other unconfirmed characters for the Beetlejuice sequel to bring back. Fan-favorite Beetlejuice characters like Otho, Juno, and Miss Argentina could return, but the roles would need to be taken on by new actors as the original stars – Glenn Shadix, Sylvia Sidney, and Patrice Martinez – have sadly passed away since Beetlejuice's 1988 release. Of the significant characters introduced in the original movie, the most likely to appear in Beetlejuice 2 are Annie McEnroe's Jane Butterfield or Dick Cavett's Bernard.

Jane Butterfield is arguably the original figure who makes the most sense to bring back alongside Ryder, Keaton, and O'Hara's characters. Jane was the realtor and investigator who sold the Maitlands' house to the Deetzes, and proved to be a nuisance for both families throughout the 1988 movie. Still, as a business staple in the small town, it would make sense for Jane and her daughter to return in Beetlejuice 2's story, potentially trying to convince Lydia and Delia Deetz to sell their home.

Beetlejuice 2's Trailer Confirms Adam & Barbara Are Still Important In The Sequel (Despite Not Appearing)

The town model & attic return

The first Beetlejuice 2 trailer confirms that the town model and attic are back in the sequel, both of which are heavily associated with the Maitlands. Adam had built the model of Winter River, with the creation becoming a hideout for Michael Keaton's Beetlejuice as somewhat of a portal between the realms of the living and dead. Additionally, the Maitlands had spent the afterlife inhabiting the attic space, with the sequel revealing that the room has been left virtually untouched since Beetlejuice's original ending.

The official synopsis for Beetlejuice 2 also explains that Jenna Ortega's character finding the town model is the catalyst for the title character's return, meaning the Deetz family members will have to explain to her who built the model and its history. Not to mention, the original movie's iconic "Day-O" song is back for Beetlejuice 2, which calls back to the singing and dancing possession scene orchestrated by Adam and Barbara. Despite not physically appearing, it's clear that Adam and Barbara still play a significant role in Beetlejuice 2.

How Beetlejuice 2 Can Explain Adam & Barbara's Absences

The ghosts should technically still be in the house

One of the first rules of the afterlife that Adam and Barbara learned in the 1988 horror-comedy was that they would be stuck in their house for 125 years. Consequently, the Maitlands should still have another 89 years left of haunting the attic in Beetlejuice 2's timeline. This means that the sequel will require a believable explanation for how they were able to leave the Deetz/Maitland Winter River house.

Consequently, the Maitlands should still have another 89 years left of haunting the attic in Beetlejuice 2's timeline.

It seems likely that the Maitlands will have found some type of loophole in the 125-year rule, which could be solved by the pair wasting away much of that time in the Neitherworld. The original Beetlejuice revealed that time moves much faster in the realm of the dead than the living, so they reasonably could have spent a few years in the Neitherworld waiting room. However, it seems Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis' Beetlejuice 2 absences will be given a much more complex answer, though it's still likely to be related to a portal between the afterlife and Earth as well as the time dilation differences.