Warning: This post contains spoilers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
The jury is out on the highly anticipated and just-released sequel to the much-lovedBeetlejuice. It’s hard to believe that it’s 36 years since this kooky character from the land of the recently deceased burst from his grave to bio-exorcise the Deetz’s. As is usually the case with high-profile sequels, the reception has been mixed-to-positive, with some really appreciating the synergy between the old and new characters and others finding the multiple story arcs a bit of overkill.
Regardless, anyone who was a fan of the original is going to see the aptly titled follow-up,Beetlejuice Beetlejuiceand, despite the missing Maitlands, will still enjoy the nostalgic feelings triggered by Betelgeuse’s resurrection. Since his first shot at directing inPee-Wee’s Big Adventure, the moviesTim Burtonhas added to his repertoire have garnered a loyal cult following, and this latest offering is destined to do the same. The characters from the original may be a little older, but they are still as entertaining as ever, and some of the newbies are just fantastic, making the afterlife well worth waiting for. Butwho is the best character inBeetlejuice Beetlejuice? We’re about to find out.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
10Father Damien
Played by Burn Gorman
Father Damien is the local priest of Winter River, the small town in Connecticut where the Deetz first muscled in on the Maitlands' home in the originalBeetlejuicemovie. This odd little man of God, who oversees Charles Deetz’s funeral and is later called on to officiate a wedding, is a rather mild-mannered character compared to Gorman’s previous roles inThe Dark Knight RisesandGame of Thrones, but a great casting call nonetheless.
Gorman is one of those actors who creeps out the audience with nothing more than a look or a gesture, andhis character makes the living world just as bizarre as the afterlife world, an underlying theme ofBeetlejuice. When dealing with life and death, the inclusion of the priest is an obvious move, but there is a heavy tone of irony here, such as giving the character the name Damien, an obvious connection to the demon child inThe Omen. Luckily,Beetlejuice Beetlejuicelaughs in the face of death rather than trying to make people terrified by it.
9Bob-Shrinker
Played by Nick Kellington
The final joke of the originalBeetlejuiceis the title character having his head shrunk by a deceased voodoo shaman, and this gag is carried through to the sequel in the form of Bob and his look-alike call center colleagues. Bob is Betelgeuse’s long-suffering assistant and a classic Burtonesque character who isthe embodiment of the wonderfully weird afterlife. His shrunken head is horribly gruesome yet oddly cute, making him instantly likable.
Kellington, who plays Bob, is no stranger to odd characters with a communication quirk, having played Dipsy in the 2015 reboot of the well-known andsometimes controversial UK kids' TV showTeletubbies. Some have drawn comparisons to Bob and his buddies to theMinions, and while that is up for debate, there is no denying that this unique signature look will almost certainly be the inspiration behind many costumes this Halloween.
Played by Arthur Conti
Jeremy first appears as the lonely boy next door who strikes an instant rapport with Astrid after her bicycle accidentally crashes through his garden fence. But rather than trying to steal her heart, it turns out Jeremy is after Astrid’s soul, and he lures her into the afterlife with promises of meeting her dead father.
Conti, who made his television debut inHouse of the Dragonplaying the Queen’s Page, is pretty impressive in his first feature role.He is the picture of innocence until he’s suddenly not, and even when his true nature is revealed, it’s difficult not to be sucked in by his boyish charm. Conti is no stranger to the celebrity world, as his mother,Nina Conti, is a well-known British actress, comedian, and ventriloquist. Still, he has managed to carve a path of his own, landing a prominent role in such a blockbuster movie, which is a fantastic start to what promises to be a very successful career.
7Delores LaVerge
Played by Monica Bellucci
Delores is Belegeuse’s former wife and a soul-sucking demon to boot. Betelgeuse himself tells the backstory of how the couple met during his living life as a 14th-century grave robber in an old Italian film-style flashback. Belucci brings her A-game into this pivotal role, coming across as one ofBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’s best characters.
Not since Sally inA Nightmare Before Christmashas a character quite literally pulled herself together so well.
It’s unfortunate that Delores doesn’t feature more in the film, as the character is full of possibilities.She is a great antagonist, and her beauty and voice are almost hypnotic. Nonetheless, the impression that she made inBeetlejuice Beetlejuiceensures the film’s inclusion in any futureMonica Bellucci’s best movieslist. Delores' entrance into the film is spectacular, and not since Sally inA Nightmare Before Christmashas a character quite literally pulled herself together so well.
Played by Justin Theroux
Rory is Lydia’s manager and love interest, and while many have labeled him as the replacement for Otho from the original movie, his character plays a much more pivotal role as Betelgeuse’s adversary. Betelgeuse needs Lydia’s hand in marriage to escape the afterlife, and while Rory’s proposal might appear heartfelt, his intentions are just self-serving, confirmingTheroux’s explanation that his character is in his own soap opera.
Theroux’sover-the-top sycophantic pandering has the cringe-worthy stench of daytime soap, but in this case, it’s very deliberately done to raise the comedy stakes, and it works. It’s funny to watch how Lydia, who has the ability to see ghosts, can’t seem to see through Rory when everyone else can read him like a very shady open book. Theroux gives it his all, and he comes out on top as a worthy addition toBeetlejuice Beetlejuice’s cast of great, eccentric characters.
5Astrid Deetz
Played by Jenna Ortega
As if mirroring Lydia in the original movie, Astrid is a loner with parental issues, but her character is much more assertive in expressing her views of the world. Astrid is staunchly independent and very cynical of her mother’s psychic abilities, and it’s not until she takes a trip into the afterlife that she realizes her mother isn’t some crazy kook.
Ryder, who plays Astrid’s on-screen mother, has said thatBeetlejuice Beetlejuicecouldn’t have happened without Jenna Ortega, and many would agree. She providesa much-needed generational link that will attract younger audience membersmore familiar with her role inWednesdaythan with the long history ofBeetlejuice. Despite being one of the youngest cast members, Ortega more than holds her own, and if there is a third movie, her name will almost certainly be at the top of the casting list.
4Wolf Jackson
Played by Willem Dafoe
Wolf Jackson is a deceased B-list movie actor who, in the afterlife, has taken on the persona of his most well-known character, Frank Hardballer, and is playing detective. Wolf’s main objective is to track down Dolores, who has escaped from the afterlife lost and found and is sucking the souls out of any unfortunate creature that crosses her path as she searches for Betelgeuse.
The four-time Oscar nominee is awesome as always, and the set-up of him posing in the mirror, crushing coffee cups, and reading cue cards as he briefs the men under his command is hilarious.Dafoe, who has appeared in some fantastic movies, is best known for more serious roles, and it’s really refreshing to see him take on this parody, which he plays perfectly. Wolf Jackson’s appearance does look a bit comic book-y, but it just adds tothe hamminess character desperate to prove he has what it takes to be a real cop.
3Lydia Deetz
Played by Winona Ryder
A lot has happened to Ryder’s character Lydia in the past 36 years, and her transition from strange and unusual school girl to eccentric TV psychic medium is a bit jarring, butshe plays the role remarkably well. Lydia is also now a mother to Astrid and is caught in the middle of two men (Betelgeuse and her manager, Rory), who are both desperate to win her hand in marriage.
Ryder is right at home with Burton’s trademark sensibilities, and it’s great to see her in one of her most famous roles again.
Revitalizing the role of Lydia was a challenge for Ryder, but she took the right approach. With a committed yet suitably eccentric performance, Ryder shows how her original “obnoxious little goth girl” character has been affected by the major transitions in her life, like becoming a mother, losing a husband, and garnering fame. While at first, she seems a little neurotic, Lydia manages to rediscover her old sassiness, making her showdown with Betelguese and Rory all the more entertaining. Ryder is right at home with Burton’s trademark sensibilities, and it’s great to see her in one of her most famous roles again.
2Delia Deetz
Played by Catherine O’Hara
Catherine O’Hara just keeps getting better and better. While her portrayal of a flaky artist and self-absorbed stepmom in the originalBeetlejuicewas fabulous,she steps it up a notch further in the sequel. The way Delia deals with the death of her husband, Charles, is riotously funny, and her blasé attitude to life and the afterlife is even more brassy. Her take on art is also something that really livens up the movie, and fans will be sure to spot some of her old sculptures scattered around the set.
Inmovies and TV shows, Catherine O’Harahas a magical touch, turning what might otherwise be low-key characters into icons, just as she has done here with Delia Deetz. Although she’s playing a grandma to a 16-year-old, there is nothing fuddy-duddy about Delia or O’Hara. She looks fantastic and still pulls off that unique Delia style, although her dance routine in this movie is a bit more sedate.
1Betelguese (Beetlejuice)
Played by Michael Keaton
Despite playing the titular character, Keaton was shockingly only on-screen for less than 20 minutes in the originalBeetlejuiceyet still managed toleave an indelible imprint on the minds of the audience. In this version, his character is a bit more central to the story, and the audience learns more about his past life and his current afterlife. At 700 years old, Betelgeuse is still looking pretty good, having moved on from freelance bio-exorcist to working for the Dead Man as a call center manager. He still has an obsession with Lydia and is convinced their marriage is his gateway to escaping the afterlife for good.
When they said, “The juice is loose!” they weren’t kidding.Keaton’s character inBeetlejuice, Beetlejuicemight be a tiny bit more politically incorrect, but not enough to blunt his comedic edge. Keaton is nearly twice as old as he was when he first played Betelgeuse, and hehasn’t lost one ounce of the devilish playfulnessaudiences first fell in love with. For those who haven’t seen the sequel yet, “It’s showtime!”
NEXT:Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Ending Explained: Does the Sequel Leave Room for More Ghoulish Fun?
