Includes SPOILERS for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Beetlejuice Beetlejuicepresents a dilemma whereLydia can’t see the ghost of Astrid’s father, raising questions about why. Tim Burton returns with the long-awaited sequel to his classic 1988 horror/comedy. Winona Ryder, who reprises her role as Lydia from the original movie, and Jenna Ortega, who plays Astrid, lead theBeetlejuice Beetlejuicecast, playing a mother-daughter duo that begins the movie with a rift between them. Astrid is a troubled loner, not too dissimilar from Lydia in the first film.

At some point between the two movies, Lydia has Astrid with a man named Richard, who dies on a boating trip in Brazil.Lydia has become a famous entertainment personality for her ability to commune with ghosts, following the events of the originalBeetlejuicemovie. This aggravates Astrid, who’s embarrassed by her mother’s fame, and who doesn’t believe in the supernatural. She’s particularly frustrated by Lydia for being able to commune with ghosts but not her father. This is rectified by theBeetlejuice 2ending, but not everything is answered.

Beetlejuice and Charles Deetz with funeral from sequel in background

Richard May Not Be Tied Down To One Location To Haunt, Making Him Difficult To Commune With

From what’s known about Richard’s fate, he wasin Brazil fighting for climate justice when tragedy struck, leaving him to die in the river. His body was never recovered.Astrid notes that Richard was a “free spirit,” praising her father for traveling the worldand fighting for noble causes. This could have something to do with why Richard’s ghost is in the afterlife instead of being bound to a location on earth likethe Maitlands in the original movie.

The Maitlands had to stay in their Winter River house for 125 years, but Richard is working in the afterlife. The film doesn’t offer a real explanation for why this is, butit could be because of his free spirit nature, meaning he likely wasn’t bound to a certain location on Earth to haunt for that period of time. So he can’t visit Earth, which would allow Lydia to communicate with him, but he can at least keep an eye on Lydia & Astrid from the afterlife.

Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) catching fire after promising something by his mother in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

How Charles Deetz Died In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Charles Deetz’s death was confirmed in the Beetlejuice 2 trailers, but the sequel reveals wild details surrounding the character’s demise.

Beetlejuice 2 Makes The Afterlife’s Ghost Rules Much More Confusing

Beetlejuice’s Afterlife Rules Are Messy, But It Doesn’t Detract From The Movie

The afterlife rules inBeetlejuice Beetlejuicearen’t very clear, and the sequel doesn’t seem to put much effort into providing explanations.Some ghosts seem to be able to visit Earth while some can’t, and there’s little reasoning behind either situation. Honestly, the film works better this way, as the rambunctious, loose nature allows for its humor and entertainment to take precedence without being interrupted by boring exposition.Beetlejuice 2is simply a fun ride, and the mechanics of the afterlife are better left unexplained.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

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 Beetlejuice Film Poster