Warning: Spoilers ahead for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice!The Deetz family looked drastically different by the end of Beetlejuice 2's character list included three generations of Deetz women, all of whom had pivotal roles in Tim Burton's sequel. Delia, Lydia, and Astrid reunited after Charles' unexpected death, but the addition of Lydia's teenage daughter and the subtraction of Charles wasn't the only family change for the long-awaited sequel.

Aside from explaining Beetlejuice 2's ending when a recently deceased Delia found Charles by the Soul Train, which helped pave the way for a new Beetlejuice 3 character.

Beetlejuice 3 Can Introduce Lydia's Mother After Confirming She's Alive In Beetlejuice 2

Tim Burton's Sequel Solved A Major Deetz Family Mystery

Jenna Ortega as Astrid and Winona Ryder as Lydia in the attic, looking at an old photo album in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Among the biggest twists in Beetlejuice 2 was the reveal that Lydia's birth mother was actually alive. Lydia struggled due to her strained relationship with Astrid for much of the sequel, leading to Delia providing and encouragement. At one point, Delia claimed that Lydia blamed her for her real mom's death, to which Lydia countered that her mother wasn't even dead. The big Deetz family reveal means that Lydia's biological mom can appear as a character for Beetlejuice 3 if another sequel comes to fruition.

In Beetlejuice the Musical, Lydia has a mother named Emily Deetz, who ed away.

Leading into Beetlejuice 2, Lydia's mom remained a mystery, considering no details surrounding the figure were revealed in the original movie. 1988's Beetlejuice followed the Deetz family as they relocated to Winter River, with the family only consisting of Charles, Lydia, and Delia, Charles' second wife and Lydia's stepmother. Without a mention of Lydia's biological mom and the insinuation that Lydia had no options to live elsewhere, the assumption pointed to Lydia's mom being dead. Beetlejuice 2 proved that was not the case at all, but by avoiding any further details about the character, the mystery surrounding Lydia's mom keeps growing.

Tim Burton Is Already Linked To The Perfect Actress To Play Lydia's Mom In Another Beetlejuice Sequel

Burton Can Turn To A Frequent Collaborator

If Beetlejuice 3 is greenlit, introducing Lydia's mom as a direct character would greatly pay off the reveal surrounding her fate. Granted, the payoff would also stem from who the movie could cast to play Lydia's biological mom. Depending on whether Burton is onboard for Beetlejuice 3, the filmmaker already has the perfect actress for the role, who also happens to be his ex: Helena Bonham Carter.

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Not only is Carter one of Tim Burton's frequent collaborators, having worked on seven of his movies to date, but she was in a relationship with the filmmaker for over a decade. The couple share two children but split amicably, with Carter revealing that she would be open to working with Burton again despite their breakup in 2014. It would be great to see the actress one of his most popular franchises with a role in Beetlejuice 3. She already has plenty of experience with eccentric roles, so the Beetlejuice universe is undoubtedly something Carter can tackle.

Helena Bonham Carter's Tim Burton Movie

Release Year

Character

Planet of the Apes

2001

Ari

Big Fish

2003

Jennifer Hill/The Witch

Corpse Bride

2005

Emily

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

2005

Mrs. Bucket

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

2007

Mrs. Lovett

Alice in Wonderland

2010

Red Queen

Dark Shadows

2012

Julia Hoffman

It would be fun to learn that Lydia's goth aesthetic was influenced by her birth mother, giving Carter an opportunity to play another offbeat figure. Many of Carter's past roles, like Bellatrix Lestrange in the Harry Potter movies or Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd, had appearances in tune with what one might expect Lydia's mom to look like. Despite being only six years older than Winona Ryder, who'd be playing her on-screen daughter, Carter has experience playing an older version of herself, as seen in Burton's Big Fish.

Why Lydia's Mom Makes Sense For Beetlejuice 3 (If It Happens)

Delia's Fate In Beetlejuice 2 Paves The Way For Lydia's Mother

Delia, Astrid, and Lydia looking at the ground in Beetlejuice 2
Warner Bros. Pictures
 

Though Beetlejuice 3 would still need to be officially announced, chances are looking good based on Beetlejuice 2's successful box office run. The sequel's story also paves the way for Lydia's mom to finally the movie franchise. Aside from the brief mention of the character, Beetlejuice 3 has plenty of opportunities for new characters, especially when it comes to the Deetz family. With Delia getting killed off in Beetlejuice 2, it's unclear if another sequel would feature Catherine O'Hara's character even if wacky Neitherworld rules allowed it.

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Catherine O’Hara’s Dark Original Plan For Delia’s Beetlejuice 2 Ending Would’ve Betrayed The 1988 Movie

Catherine O'Hara pitched a different ending for Delia Deetz in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, but this plan would have gone against the 1988 film's themes.

Ironically, Lydia and Delia's relationship evolved in Beetlejuice 2, but the death meant that all four of Lydia's parental figures from the first Beetlejuice–Charles, Delia, Adam, and Barbara–were no longer around. This twist of fate opens the door for another parental figure to reenter her life in a larger capacity. It would also help Astrid to have another grandmother around, considering how much loss she had experienced so far in her life. An introduction of Lydia's mom would also answer some major questions related to both Beetlejuice entries.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Film Poster
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
PG-13
Comedy
Supernatural
Fantasy
Horror
Release Date
September 6, 2024

Cast
Danny DeVito, Sami Slimane, Amy Nuttall, Mark Heenehan, Charlie Hopkinson, Liv Spencer, Skylar Park, Matthew Lyons, Jane Leaney, David Ayres, Sophie Holland, Walles Hamonde
Runtime
104 Minutes
Director
Tim Burton
Writers
Alfred Gough, Miles Millar, Mike Vukadinovich, Seth Grahame-Smith, Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson
Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures