The long-awaited Beetlejuice Beetlejuice saw several original actors return to the sequel. Tim Burton’s 1988 Beetlejuice became a cult classic thanks to its dark humor, quirky characters, and the unforgettable performance by Micheal Keaton as the mischievous ghost Betelgeuse. The 1988 Beetlejuice was a critical and commercial success, grossing $75.1 million at the Box Office against a production budget of $15 million.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice returns as the 36-year-old sequel to one of Tim Burton’s best films. Although the returning cast is a major draw and attraction for Beetlejuice 2, the sequel introduced several exciting new faces and characters to the franchise. While the original film has stood the test of time, much of the excitement surrounding the sequel, especially for older audiences, has been focused on the returning actors. Here’s a detailed look at every actor (and character) who returned for the 2024 Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse
The heart and soul of the Beetlejuice franchise has been Micheal Keaton’s portrayal of the eccentric and mischievous bio-exorcist ghost, Betelgeuse. Keaton’s performance made the character one of the most iconic ghost characters in cinematic history. Known for his wild antics, raspy voice, and fourth-wall-breaking humor, Betelgeuse is one ghost audiences love to hate. Michael Keaton’s energetic period, improvisation skills, and comedic timing were crucial in making the character so beloved.
Unarguably one of Hollywood’s most talented actors of his generation, Keaton returned the next year, in 1989, to portray Bruce Wayne/Batman in Batman, helping to reinvent the superhero genre. In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton returned to portray the titular character—a role he hasn’t reprised since the original. Stepping back into the iconic striped suit and green hair, Keaton was phenomenal in portraying the character a second time. Betelgeuse is just as chaotic, trouble-making, and hilarious as in 1988. He may have been outsmarted into getting his wedding in 1988, but Betelgeuse returns to fulfill his wish, even if it meant waiting 36 long human years.
Catherine O’Hara as Delia Deetz
In the 1988 Beetlejuice, Canadian actress and comedian Catherine O’Hara brought comedic brilliance to her role as Delia Deetz. Lydia’s over-the-top stepmother. Delia was an eccentric sculptor and conceptual artist obsessed with modern art and New Age philosophies. Also, her quirky personality and often clueless behavior added a lot of humor to the movie. Delia’s bizarre sculptures, later possessed by Betelgeuse during the famous dinner party scene with Charles’ boss and wife, are forever etched into audiences’ memories.
Catherine O’Hara is one of the original cast members returning in Beetlejuice 2. Delia’s character may have evolved, but her sense of style and over-dramatic tendencies only grew stronger. Delia may have been introduced as a widow in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, but her love for family shows how far the character has grown. Catherine O’Hara was three weeks shy of her 34th birthday when the 1988 Beetlejuice was released. She returns to the sequel at age 70 as a veteran actress.
Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz
Winona Ryder’s portrayal of Lydia Deetz, the Gothic teen with a morbid fascination with the afterlife, became a fan favorite. Lydia’s unique bond with the ghostly couple, the Maitlands, and their reluctant friendship with Betelgeuse formed the emotional core of the original film. Winona Ryder was 16 years old when the 1988 Beetlejuice movie was released. Ryder returns to the sequel, reprising her role as a 52-year-old Lydia Deetz. While she’s far from being the Deetz’s teenage goth daughter in her 50s, Lydia still shares a fascination for the afterlife.
In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Lydia is introduced as a celebrity talk show host of a supernatural TV show, Ghost House. Lydia is a single mother looking to get married to her producer boyfriend, Rory. While her eccentricities remain intact, Beetlejuice 2 offers a more motherly and mature Lydia Deetz. As expected, her reunion and interaction with Betelgeuse is one of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’s highlights.
Charles Deetz & Little Jane Butterfield
Following his legal issues and being listed as a sex offender, Jeffrey Jones‘ involvement in Beetlejuice 2 was largely in doubt. Jones had played the patriarch of the Deetz family, Charles Deetz, in 1988. Although Jeffrey Jones does not reprise his role, the Charles Deetz character appears in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. However, the character’s story arc not only has it as a ghost (after a shark bite following a plane crash), but the shark bit Charles Deetz’s head off. As a convenient way to include the character in the sequel, an uncredited actor voiced Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice 2.
Another character that is introduced in the sequel is Little Jane Butterfield. Although only appearing in a minor role in the 1988 Beetlejuice, Little Jane Butterfield (Rachel Mittelman) stands out as Jane Butterfield’s (Annie McEnroe) young daughter. For clarity, Jane Butterfield was the realtor who sold Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland’s (Alec Baldwin) Winter River home to the Deetz family. A major highlight of Jane Butterfield’s and her daughter’s appearance was that they dressed exactly the same. It inadvertently set up a story arc to have Little Jane Butterfield appear in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
English actress and singer Amy Nuttall portrays the grown Little Jane Butterfield, who, unsurprisingly, is a realtor like her mother. As a running gag in the Beetlejuice franchise, the now-grown Little Jane Butterfield is a mother whose daughter is named “Littler.” While the Beetlejuice Beetlejuice returning cast adds to the thrill of the sequel, there are a few things about the 1998 Beetlejuice to know.
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