Summary

Beetlejuice 2will feature many returning elements from the original movie, but there’s one particular Lydia aspect that I can’t wait to get an update on after all of these years. Despite initial discussions surrounding a potentialBeetlejuicesequel, it took decades for the project to come to fruition. I’m sure many were relieved to learn thatBeetlejuice 2’s castwould feature core returning figures like Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, and Catherine O’Hara. And though newcomers like Jenna Ortega and Willem Dafoe are exciting, I would have struggled to be all-in with the sequel unless Tim Burton was the driving force behindBeetlejuice 2’s story.

I must admit that my expectations forBeetlejuice 2might be abittoo high, but each glimpse into the upcoming movie gives me more reasons to be excited. The sequel’s trailer offered a look into Lydia’s reunion with the chaotic “bio-exorcist,” as well as how her teenage daughter, Astrid, will come into play. There have also been teases into Beetlejuice’s wife, the return to the Neitherworld, andCharles Deetz’s confirmed death, which many of us saw coming. Still, the Deetz family will remain a primary focus inBeetlejuice 2, but there’s one relationship I have an extra interest in.

Beetlejuice looking unimpressed in the middle with Barbara and Adam in the background

Beetlejuice 2 Now Has A Bigger Plot Hole To Explain Than Alec Baldwin & Geena Davis' Absences

The absence of Adam and Barbara is a major mystery heading into Beetlejuice 2, but the sequel must explain why another original character is missing.

Lydia & Delia’s Relationship Is An Exciting Element Of Beetlejuice 2

Lydia Wasn’t Very Close With Her Stepmother In Beetlejuice

The fact that Lydia now has a kid is certainly an intriguing change forBeetlejuice 2. Growing up inthe Deetz familylikely wasn’t easy for Astrid, so her introduction significantly alters the dynamic. That said,the family relationship I can’t wait to see inBeetlejuice 2is between Lydia and Delia. As confirmed in the original movie, Delia is Lydia’s stepmother and Charles' second wife. After the family moved into the Maitland home, there was obvious turmoil between Lydia and Delia, implying they didn’t get along as well as Charles had probably hoped.

Lydia and Delia tolerated each other, but there wasn’t much of a loving mother-daughter relationship, leading to some of my favoriteBeetlejuicemoments, like the “Prince Valium” gag. But that relationship could have significantly changed in the past three decades. Considering Delia and Lydia are both still in Winter River inBeetlejuice 2and seemingly living in the same house, hints that they could have a much better relationship than they used to.Lydia had a different outlook on life afterBeetlejuice’s ending, so this could’ve opened the door for a stronger bond with Delia, at least that’s what I hope.

Delia (Catherine O’Hara), Astrid (Jenna Ortega), Lydia (Winona Ryder) and Rory (Justin Theroux) in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, clad in black and standing in a line

Why Delia’s Increased Involvement Is A Great Sign For Beetlejuice 2

Beetlejuice 2 Set Up A Way To Focus On The Deetz Women

Beetlejuice 2seems to be pushing Delia right into the middle of the action alongside Lydia and Astrid

Director Tim Burton had previously teased thatBeetlejuice 2would focus on the three generations of Deetz women through Delia, Lydia, and Astrid, calling them “the anchor to the film” (viaEW). Ortega’s character will be pulled into the madness involving Beetlejuice, but the sequel also promises more fun for Delia, something I’m sure we’ve all been hoping for. After what Delia experienced during the first movie, it would make sense if that led her to build a stronger bond with her stepdaughter. She may never fully understand Lydia’s “strange and unusual” persona, but there’s a better understanding between the two this time around.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Film Poster

Beetlejuice 2’s trailer teased Delia in the Neitherworld, where she will come face-to-face with Keaton’s character.Pulling O’Hara’s character deeper intoBeetlejuice 2’s central narrative is already an excellent signsince Delia’s own eccentric demeanor deserved more interactions with the bio-exorcist in the original movie. Rather than be forced to the sidelines,Beetlejuice 2seems to be pushing Delia right into the middle of the action alongside Lydia and Astrid. Seeing the trio of Deetz women deal with Beetlejuice and whatever chaos he brings is already my favorite aspect of the long-awaited sequel.