The iconic characters from Tim Burton's 1988 comedy-horror returned in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, including Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara. The sequel to Burton's hit film also welcomed new faces like Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci, Justin Theroux, and Wednesday star Jenna Ortega.
However, the absence of Lydia's dad, Charlez Deetz, might have led fans to speculate about the character's fate. Actor Jeffrey Jones joined the cast of Beetlejuice to play Deetz's character in the film but didn't return to the new film Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.
Deetz is revealed to have died in the sequel, but his death isn't the reason why Tim Burton didn't bring him back. This goes back to 2002 when Jeffrey Jones made headlines over alleged involvement in child p**nography followed by his arrest.
According to The Mirror, Jeffrey Jones reportedly opened up about his actions at that time and said:
"This concludes a really painful chapter in my life. I am sorry that this incident was allowed to occur. Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again."
It was revealed Jones urged a minor to pose inappropriately and was arrested by the Los Angeles Police in 2002. The actor was ordered five years probation along with counseling and was asked to register himself as a s*x offender.
However, the actor failed to update his name under the s*x offender and was later arrested and charged with community service. Jeffrey Jones is known for his distinct roles in films, including The Devil's Advocate, Amadeus, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and many others.
How did Charles Deetz die in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice?
Though Jeffrey Jones continued acting in films after his arrest, he couldn't make it to Burton's highly anticipated Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, a film fans waited for decades. As seen in the sequel, the Deetz family lost Charles, and Delia explained to Lydia how her father died.
The sequel revealed Charles's death on a vacation using stop-motion animation. Despite surviving a plane crash, Charles ends up being bitten by a shark, losing almost half of his body.
As seen in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the Deetz family is mourning over Charles' funeral, with a gravestone shaped like a shark's dorsal fin with a picture of him. There's another scene in which Ortega's Astrid says, "I can't believe grandpa's dead," and acknowledges that life's harder than death.
Charles Deetz's death in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was Tim Burton's nightmare
Charles Deetz's death was a nightmare Tim Burton had about his own life. This interesting revelation came from his co-writer Alfred Gough in an interview with Entertainment Weekly on September 6, 2024, as he shared what inspired Burton while crafting Charles's death.
Before Gough explained why Charles' death was important for Lydia, Delia, and Beetlejuice, the co-writer said:
"The way Charles dies in that animated piece is Tim's nightmare of dying. He literally pitched that: 'My nightmare is, I'm in a plane crash, I survive the plane crash, I almost drown, and then a shark eats me."
Alfred Gough called it a "genius" idea to write off the character in the most unexpected and Beetlejuice way. The Afterlife scene in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has Charles appearing without half his body and head, spraying blood everywhere he goes.
Charles's death helped advance Lydia, Delia, and Beetlejuice's story in the sequel, showing how these family members handled crises. The sequel is receiving positive reviews from fans and is performing well at the box office.
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Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is in theatres now.
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