WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Beetlejuice 2!WhileBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceincludes plenty of nostalgic nods to the original movie, there’s one major character from the 1988 horror-comedy who shockingly didn’t even receive a mention. Since 36 years have passed since the firstBeetlejuice, it was inevitable that there would only be a fewreturning cast members inBeetlejuice 2, withWinona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Michael Keaton being the only actors to reprise their roles. However, despite how many original characters are missing fromBeetlejuice 2, a few do get some fitting references.
In addition to Lydia revealing that Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis’ ghost charactersAdam and Barbara Maitland “moved on” from the Winter River house, Delia makes a direct reference to Charles Deetz’s former boss, Maxie Dean. With a slew of beloved characters in the 1988 movie, it wouldn’t have been reasonable to expect an update on every figure in the sequel, so some are understandably left out. However, althoughBeetlejuice 2has a much stronger focus on the Deetz family and their loved ones,the sequel surprisingly omits any reference to their closest colleague from the original movie.
Beetlejuice 2 Doesn’t Even Mention Otho From The Original Movie
Glenn Shadix’s Otho Doesn’t Receive Any Callbacks In The Sequel
Quite shockingly, given how unique and beloved of a character he is in the 1988Beetlejuice, Glenn Shadix’s Otho isn’t referenced once in the sequel. There are plenty of callbacks andEaster eggs inBeetlejuice 2related to the original movie, but Delia’s friend and interior designer Otho isn’t among them. While omitting a nod to Otho would have been justified had the sequel ignored nods to all other missing original characters,Tim Burton’s sequel makes a point of mentioningBeetlejuice’s Maxie Dean, who had a far less prominent role than Otho.
11 Original Characters Still Missing From Beetlejuice 2
In addition to Beetlejuice, Lydia, and Delia, there are some great missing original characters who still must return for Beetlejuice 2.
Theabsence of Otho is explained by actor Glenn Shadix passing away in 2010, but it does seem odd that Delia wouldn’t have mentioned him once inBeetlejuice 2. It’s possible that the two characters had a falling out at some point afterBeetlejuice’s original ending, or that Otho predeceased Charles between the films. Still, Otho was around inBeetlejuicealmost as much as Delia and Charles, so the lack of any reference to him as the Deetzes return to Winter River feels strange.
Beetlejuice 2also brings back the original character Little Jane Butterfield, who was still a child in the 1988 movie.
Why Otho’s Character Deserved A Tribute In The Beetlejuice Sequel
Otho Was Arguably Just As Important As Delia & Charles In Beetlejuice
It’s difficult to go back and imagineBeetlejuice’s plot unfolding without Otho, as his meddling, dual skepticism and faith in the paranormal, and comedic foil to Delia helped to establish the 1988 movie’s unique horror-comedy tone. For a living person, he had a surprising understanding of the dead and howBeetlejuice’s supernatural elements worked, making his interactions with the Deetzes, Maitlands, and Betelgeuse himself all the more intriguing.Otho was crucial to balancing the many story elements and character approaches to the afterlife, so he was the supporting character most deserving of a tribute from the Deetzes inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
Beetlejuice
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist”, an obnoxious spirit who specializes in driving living occupants out of homes. When Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die suddenly, they pass into the spirit realm, and must stay in their home. However, in the living world, the Deetz family purchases the house and moves in, prompting the Maitlands to enlist the help of Beetlejuice to drive them away.
