Aside from the mysterious fates of Adam and Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice 2, another original character’s absence could result in a glaring plot hole. Despite being prominent figures in Tim Burton’s 1988 movie, Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis aren’t expected to be among Beetlejuice 2‘s cast, which features a handful of returning actors. With Baldwin and Davis not reprising their roles as Adam and Barbara, the sequel will need to explain their absence, especially when it comes to Beetlejuice‘s rules in the Handbook for the Recently Deceased.

Adam and Barbara’s untimely deaths jumpstarted the events of the original Beetlejuice, allowing the Deetz family to move into their vacant home even though they were still trapped there. The couple faced challenges dealing with their new situation, including the presence of Michael Keaton’s Beetlejuice, who ended up doing more harm than good. Thankfully, Adam and Barbara had an ally in Lydia (Winona Ryder). Seeing as the original Maitland home and the Deetz family are still front and center of Beetlejuice 2‘s story, it’s very odd Adam and Barbara are missing. But they won’t be the only ones.

The Absence Of Charles Deetz’s Ghost Sets Up A Plot Hole For Beetlejuice 2

The Beetlejuice 2 Trailer Isn’t Playing By The Ghost Rules

While several members of the Deetz family will be present in Beetlejuice 2, one original character won’t be around. The Beetlejuice 2 trailer confirmed Charles Deetz’s death, meaning there won’t be any chance of Jeffrey Jones’ return for the sequel. While it makes sense for the sequel to leave out the actor based on his history of criminal offenses, killing off Charles won’t fully explain the character’s absence in Beetlejuice 2. One of the biggest rules for ghosts presented in the original movie was the fact that the recently deceased would be trapped inside their home for 125 years, meaning Charles’ ghost should technically be stuck in the Maitland/Deetz home.

Considering Lydia’s “strange and unusual” sense allowed her to see ghosts in the original movie, her presence in Beetlejuice 2 would allow her to see Charles’ ghost. In fact, everything that Delia has probably witnessed may have also allowed her to have the ability to permanently see the dead. Instead, the absence of Charles and his ghostly presence sets up an interesting plot hole in Beetlejuice 2 based on the rules outlined for the recently deceased. So far, Charles’ only involvement seems to be his funeral scene teased in the Beetlejuice 2 trailer.

Beetlejuice 2 Now Has To Satisfyingly Explain 3 OG Character Absences (Due To Its Own Rules)

Beetlejuice 2 Has A Few Plot Holes To Avoid

Beetlejuice 2 will now need to properly explain what happened to Adam, Barbara, and the Deetz patriarch. It had been implied that time moves differently for the deceased, so the 125-year rule would likely move much faster than in the world of the living. This would explain Adam and Barbara’s Beetlejuice 2 absence if they were allowed to move on from the home once their time limit ended. Still, it would be nice for the sequel to satisfyingly explain rather than leave their absence a lingering plot thread throughout the movie. As for Charles, there will likely be a tougher challenge explaining his absence.

Even if Beetlejuice 2 chose not to bring Charles back, the franchise’s ghost rules make the character’s absence more complicated. His death was clearly recent compared to the events of the rest of the sequel, so it’s possible the rules for ghosts have changed despite being too convenient. Perhaps Charles wasn’t living at the Deetz home at the time of his death, but that would question why his funeral is seemingly held in Winter River. If he were still in town, surely his own daughter would seek out his ghost, right?