Summary
New details about Astrid’s story inBeetlejuice 2indicate that the sequel will avoid repeating the gap of information missing from Lydia Deetz’s familial background in Tim Burton’s 1988 movie. WhileAstrid isn’t a carbon copy of Lydia Deetz, Jenna Ortega’sBeetlejuice 2character does share plenty of story similarities and parallels to the role of Winona Ryder’s teenage character in the original movie. This shouldn’t be too surprising, given Astrid is Lydia’s teenage daughter, and history seems to repeat itself with theDeetz family membersin Winter River.
As the most prominentnew character inBeetlejuice 2, Astrid represents the newest generation of the Deetzes as they return to Winter River following the death of Lydia’s father, Charles Deetz. While much of Astrid’s role was kept under wraps ahead ofBeetlejuice 2, it was later revealed that she holds a lot of resentment towards her mother, similar to Lydia keeping Charles and Delia at arm’s length in the 1988 movie. However, while Lydia’s backstory and reasons for rejecting her parents fostered more unanswered questions,Astrid’s feelings about her family’s issues are explored in greater depth and detail inBeetlejuice 2.
Astrid’s Beetlejuice 2 Story Explains Why She Resents Lydia
Lydia’s Reason For Resenting Charles & Delia Was More Vague
The Deetz family’s life before inhabiting the Winter River house with the Maitlands’ ghosts was left ambiguous inBeetlejuice, with the bulk of knowledge about their past being related to Delia’s art career, Charles’ business pursuits, and Lydia being “miserable” in New York. The explanation of their dynamic is relatively surface, leaving many of thereasons for Lydia disliking Delia, preferring death to living with her father and stepmother, and general angst up to interpretation. However, this isn’t the case for Astrid inBeetlejuice 2, who also resents her parent, is an outcast, and holds plenty of teenage angst.
Beetlejuice 2’s Second Big Confirmed Character Death Also Solves A Jenna Ortega Mystery
Jenna Ortega’s Astrid is an exciting aspect of Beetlejuice 2, but new details linked to her family answer a massive character question.
The cast has revealed some important details about why Astrid is so angry when she’s introduced inBeetlejuice 2, and why she rejects Lydia. As it turns out,Astrid’s father recently died before the sequel, which happened shortly after he and Lydia split up. Therefore, Astrid is not only still contending with her feelings over her parents’ breakup, but is also grieving the death of her father while moving to a new town inBeetlejuice 2– a backstory that the originalBeetlejuicedidn’t dive into for the teenage Lydia.
There always seemed to be a deeper reason for her angst that was never explained, perhaps tying into Beetlejuice’s mystery about Lydia’s mother.
Reading between the lines, it wasimplied that Lydia resented Charles and Delia because of how different she was from them. They embody an up-and-coming egotistical entrepreneurial sensibility of the city, and the goth teen Lydia didn’t fit into that mold or those social expectations. However, this may not be entirely accurate, as Charles and Delia seem to be accepting and inclusive of Lydia, even hoping that she’ll be happier in Winter River than in New York. There always seemed to be a deeper reason for her angst that was never explained, perhaps tying intoBeetlejuice’s mystery about Lydia’s mother.
Astrid’s Father Reveal Is A Reminder Of The Lydia Mystery That Beetlejuice Never Explained
Beetlejuice Never Revealed What Happened To Lydia’s Mother
When Jenna Ortega was confirmed to be playing Lydia Deetz’s daughter, questions abounded regarding the identity of her father. No details about Astrid’s father being included or Lydia having a husband were revealed, with the cast finally explaining that he passed away prior to the movie’s events. His death is part of what drives a wedge between Lydia and Astrid in the sequel, and begs the question whether he could actually appear inBeetlejuice’s afterlife realm. Theconfirmation of his death also avoids giving Astrid a mystery that has always clouded Lydia Deetz’s character.
The fate of Lydia’s mother was arguably the biggest missing piece that could have better explained the Deetz family’s dynamic inBeetlejuice, similar to the fate of Astrid’s father inBeetlejuice 2.
Among thebiggest unanswered questions fromBeetlejuicesurrounds the fate of Lydia’s mother. The original movie never revealed or hinted at what happened to Lydia’s mother and Charles’ first wife. It’s implied that Charles and Delia had been married for a while prior toBeetlejuice’s events, but there’sno mention of whether they got married after Charles and Lydia’s mother divorced or if she died. The fate of Lydia’s mother was arguably the biggest missing piece that could have better explained the Deetz family’s dynamic inBeetlejuice, similar to the fate of Astrid’s father inBeetlejuice 2.
Winona Ryder revealed that Astrid’s father “tragically died in a fishing accident” beforeBeetlejuice 2. However, Lydia is unable to contact him despite her ability to see and speak with the dead.
Beetlejuice 2 Needs To Finally Reveal The Deetz Family Backstory From Before The 1988 Movie
What Really Led To The Deetzes Moving To Winter River?
Several teases for the sequel have revealed thatBeetlejuice 2has a more emotional story than the original, which hints atdigging deeper into the complex relationships and history of the Deetzes. While much of this will be focused on Astrid and Lydia, it’s likely thatCharles Deetz’ deathand Lydia’s struggles with motherhood will lead to more reflection on her relationship with her own mother. Delia has served as Lydia’s primary mother figure, but it’s the perfect time to finally reveal what happened to her biological mother and how her fate impacts Lydia as an adult.
Why Jenna Ortega’s Astrid Resents Winona Ryder’s Lydia So Much In Beetlejuice 2
In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Astrid is skeptical of Lydia’s ability to be a supportive mother and does not believe her mother is a medium.
IfBeetlejuice 2is what officially wraps up the story of the Deetz family, then it’s best to get their bigger history out on the table. to accomplish this, a mention of the fate of Lydia’s mother is crucial, asBeetlejuice 2has positioned the Deetz women as the story’s emotional crux. For Astrid to better understand Lydia, she’ll need to understand Lydia’s relationships with both her mother and Delia, which requires deeper focus in the 2024 horror-comedy movie.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Cast
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the sequel to the original Tim Burton classic that starred Michael Keaton and Wynona Rider in a horror-comedy that involved ghosts trying to scare off new homebuyers from taking their house. The sequel brings back Michael Keaton as the hilarious and sleazy ghost with selfish intentions, now joined by Jenna Ortega in a new role.
Beetlejuice
Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice stars Michael Keaton as the titular “bio-exorcist”, an obnoxious spirit who specializes in driving living occupants out of homes. When Barbara (Geena Davis) and Adam Maitland (Alec Baldwin) die suddenly, they pass into the spirit realm, and must stay in their home. However, in the living world, the Deetz family purchases the house and moves in, prompting the Maitlands to enlist the help of Beetlejuice to drive them away.
