Why Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis Aren’t in the ‘Beetlejuice’ Sequel

Published August 30, 2024

If you’ve been eagerly awaiting the return of Beetlejuice to the big screen, you might have noticed a couple of familiar faces missing from the 2024 sequel.

While Tim Burton has brought back iconic stars like Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Michael Keaton for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis are notably absent.

A New Focus for a New Film

So why didn’t Baldwin and Davis make an appearance? According to Burton, it wasn’t about simply ticking boxes for the sake of nostalgia. “I think the thing was for me I didn’t want to just tick any boxes,” Burton shared with People. “Even though they were such an amazing integral part of the first one, I was focusing on something else.”

In the original 1988 film, Baldwin and Davis played Adam and Barbara Maitland, a newly deceased couple stuck in their old Connecticut home, haunted by its new residents, the Deetz family. Fans loved the quirky dynamic between the Maitlands and the Deetzes, but it seems Burton’s vision for the sequel took a different turn.

A New Generation of Spookiness

This time around, the story shifts to a younger generation. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice follows Jenna Ortega as Lydia’s teenage daughter, who inadvertently reopens the door to the afterlife. With this fresh plotline, it seems Burton wanted to explore new territory rather than revisit every element of the past.

As for Geena Davis, she had her theory about why her character didn’t make a comeback. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight earlier this year, she speculated that “ghosts don’t age,” which might explain why the Maitlands aren’t haunting the sequel.

Mark Your Calendars!

Even without Baldwin and Davis, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to bring the quirky, spooky fun that fans of the original love. The film hits theatres on September 6th, so get ready to say his name three times and dive back into the afterlife!