Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!

end of Delia Deetz's arc in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is quite surprising, with the Catherine O'Hara twist creating a major problem for a potential third movie in the Beetlejuice franchise.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice saw the return of the original Beetlejuice cast for another afterlife adventure, and while it was nice seeing Michael Keaton and Winona Ryder back, the return of Catherine O'Hara was one of the best parts of the film. Catherine O'Hara is one of the funniest actresses working today, with her role as Moira Rose in Schitt's Creek being one of the funniest sitcom characters in recent memory. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice doubled down on the comedic potential of O'Hara, but it also sets up a scary future in which Delia Deetz isn't in Beetlejuice 3 at all.

Beetlejuice 3 Can't Easily Bring Back Delia Deetz After Her Beetlejuice 2 Death

She Is Stuck In The Great Beyond

Although Delia Deetz is alive at the beginning of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, she dies during the events of the film. While performing a ritual at her deceased husband's grave, Delia gets bitten by two snakes, with the venom immediately killing her. Luckily, the world of Beetlejuice's afterlife meant that Delia could still be around, with her continuing to aid the cast of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice for the rest of the adventure. However, the introduction of one afterlife plot device means that it is impossible for Beetlejuice 3 to bring Delia Deetz back.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice introduces a concept known as the Great Beyond, with it essentially acting as an afterlife for the afterlife. After boarding the Soul Train, spirits are taken to the Great Beyond, with them not being able to return to Earth. This means that the afterlife that is seen throughout Beetlejuice acts more like a purgatory, with the spirits being able to return to Earth. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ends with Delia and Charles Deetz boarding the Soul Train and going to the Great Beyond, meaning that they can't reunite with Lydia and Astrid in Beetlejuice 3.

Beetlejuice 2's Handling Of The Maitlands Has Hurt The Franchise's Potential Delia Solution

Beetlejuice 2 Wrote Itself Into A Corner

Based on the rules of the original Beetlejuice, killing off Delia Deetz would have had no impact on the character's potential to return in the next movie. However, the concept of the Great Beyond makes things incredibly complicated, and it is all thanks to Adam and Barbara Maitland. In order to explain why the Maitlands are absent in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel added the concept of the Great Beyond, as a realm from which it is impossible to return from seems like the ideal solution for getting rid of the Maitlands.

If Beetlejuice 3 comes up with a way for Delia to return from the Great Beyond, audiences will immediately begin to wonder if the Maitlands can as well. It will become even more difficult to explain the Maitlands' absence away if Delia comes back, meaning that it isn't worth the risk. This means that the franchise has written itself into a corner, with one of the funniest actors in the franchise now being out of the franchise for good, as bringing her back could completely break the story.

Lydia's Birth Mother Is The Perfect Delia Replacement In Beetlejuice 3

She Would Be A Perfect New Addition

While Catherine O'Hara's Delia Deetz cannot be fully replaced, there is one opportunity to fill her role as Lydia's mother in Beetlejuice 3. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice reveals that Lydia Deetz's birth mother is actually still alive, opening up a ton of questions about their relationship and while she chose to live with Delia and Charles.

Now that Delia is gone, Beetlejuice 3 can bring Lydia's birth mother into the fold, further fleshing out the Deetz family tree. Giving Tim Burton the chance to craft another new member of the family in Beetlejuice 3 would be a ton of fun, as Astrid was a fantastic addition in the sequel. So, while Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has created a major problem, the film's handling of Lydia's mother means that it may have solved it at the same time.