Tim Burton Explains Why Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin Aren't in Beetlejuice 2

The ghost couple is invisible in this sequel and there is a good reason for that.

Yesterday, the Venice Film Festival opened in a gothic atmosphere with the screening of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Mother and daughter of this section, Winona Ryder And Jenna Ortega appeared on the red carpet paying tribute with their wardrobe to Lydia Deetz – the actress' scarlet gown Wednesday strongly reminiscent of the one worn by the original actress, married to the bio-exorcist. As for the film, the first feedback has been enthusiastic about the gags and the Tim Burton from the early days. Besides, all the original actors are back, including Catherine O'Hara and Michael Keaton – all or almost all.

Beetlejuice 2 Makes a Splash on the Red Carpet at the 81st Venice Film Festival

Very present in the 1988 film, Geena Davis And Alec Baldwin are the notable absentees of this sequel. They played Barbara and Adam, a newlywed couple, victims of a car accident. Having become ghosts, they were condemned to stay in their house. But it is quickly sold to a new family, that of Lydia (Winona Ryder). Attempts to scare the new arrivals are not successful. Also, the goth teenager, the only person to see them, calls on Beetlejuice to come to their aid. Then, after machinations and devilry caused by the bio-exorcist, ghosts and living beings end up cohabiting in the house.

Also, while Beetlejuice Beetlejuice takes place in the same old building, how can we explain the disappearance of the couple from the plot? Tim Burton gave a reason has People :

“I didn't want to just tick all the boxes. So while that was an incredible and very important part of the first part, I wanted to focus on something else.”

This other thing is certainly the mother-daughter relationship between the two main actresses. For Geena Davis, there is another more pragmatic reason. When she knew that she would not be part of this new adventure, she gave her explanation to Entertainment Tonight :

“Our characters have remained frozen in time. (…) My theory is that ghosts don't age… Not that that's the case for me!”

It must be said that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice takes place years later. Lydia is now the mother of a rebellious teenager, Astrid. While the former is still shaken by her encounter with Beetlejuice, the latter doesn't believe in all that. Her return among the living creates sparks. The film is released in France on September 11.