This article contains mentions of an actor who has been a registered sex offender since 2003.
Well ahead Beetlejuice 2Upon release, it was confirmed that Jeffrey Jones would not return as Charles Deetz, a character from Tim Burton's 1988 film. Charles was the patriarch of the Deetz family in the original Beetle juicemoving to Winter River with his wife, Delia, and his teenage daughter, Lydia, from a previous marriage. Unless there were business opportunities involved, Charles was basically indifferent to everything that went on in the Maitland household until Beetle juiceThe end of, when the bioexorcist made himself known to Charles and Delia. Ultimately, Beetlejuice was sent back to Nemworld, leaving Adam, Barbara, and the Deetz family alone.
A handful of characters return Beetlejuice 2including Winona Ryder (Lydia), Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice) and Catherine O'Hara (Delia). Although Jones will not be reprising his role as Charles, a new member of the Deetz family will fill the gap with the presence of Jenna Ortega's Astrid, Lydia's daughter and Charles' only grandchild. With the Maitland house still in use by the Deetz family, Beetlejuice 2the setting is still mainly in Winter River. But this time, Charles won't be around for Beetlejuice's big return and whatever chaos comes from the Nowhere World.
Jeffrey Jones ran into legal trouble after Beetlejuice
The Beetlejuice actor was arrested in 2002
During the next decade after Beetle juiceReleased in the late 80s, Jeffrey Jones appeared in notable films such as The Hunt for Red October, Ed Wood, Stuart Littleand Sleepy hollow. However, in 2002, Jones suffered his first serious crime after being arrested for possession of child pornography and soliciting sexually explicit images from a 14-year-old boy. The charges were later dropped, but the incident led to a five-year probation, and Jones was required to register as a sex offender.
Jones' legal troubles didn't stop there. After failing to meet the requirements to update your sex offender status in Florida and California during the six-year period, Jones was arrested in 2010. This time, he pleaded guilty to the charges, resulting in an additional three years of probation and a heavy period of community service. Based on the severity of Jones' crimes, it makes sense why the actor wasn't asked back to play Charles in Beetlejuice 2.
How Beetlejuice 2 explains the absence of Jeffrey Jones and Charles Deetz
Charles' fate was revealed in the first Beetlejuice 2 trailer
Although Jeffrey Jones will not return as Charles in Beetlejuice 2his character is still referenced to explain his absence. As the only other original member of the Deetz family missing in the sequel, it's imperative that the story explains their fate. The first footage of the sequel wasted no time on this mystery, considering Beetlejuice 2 has already confirmed the death of Charles Deetz. The initial Beetlejuice 2 teaser showed Charles' family attending his funeral in Winter Riverbut the exact details surrounding his death will not be revealed until the release of the full film. Still, it's very telling that Burton's sequel decided to kill off the character.
The cast and crew haven't spoken out about Jeffrey Jones not being in Beetlejuice 2
Jeffrey Jones has been active since his arrest in 2002
At the time of writing, the cast of Beetlejuice 2 or director Tim Burton did not comment on the absence of Jeffrey Jones in the sequel. Killing off Charles and referencing the character's fate to tie up any loose ends may be the only response to the actor's situation without directly discussing him or his offenses. Jones has maintained his innocence for his first set of crimes in the early 2000s, but the nature of the charges justifies the decision to leave him off the cast list. Surprisingly, this hasn't been the case with other acting roles.
Shortly after the announcement of Jones' parole order and sex offender status, he appeared on Dead wood season 1. Despite the legal issues, he reprized his role as A.W. Merrick for two more seasons and the Dead wood film in 2019. Additionally, Jones has appeared in several other small projects, but the issues caused by his return in Dead wood the film seemed to have ended his acting career, at least for the time being. Even if your character is mentioned in discussions around Beetlejuice 2the franchise has rightfully moved away from the actor.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice would have been better served without Deetz's character included
A lot of effort went into bringing Charles Deetz back without Jeffrey Jones
Although Jeffrey Jones did not return to Beetle juice Beetle juice, Charles Deetz's death was a key catalyst for the plot of Beetle juice 2. What's more, Charles appeared in the afterlife, with Jones' likeness recreated using several different techniques. Charles Deetz was killed by a shark, and in the afterlife, there was almost nothing left of his upper body. While this helped create a sense of continuity between Beetle juice and the 2024 sequel, the film would have worked just as well without the inclusion of Charles Deetz.
Although Tim Burton's decision to include Charles Deetz in the story of Beetle juice Beetle juice It makes sense from a franchise continuity perspective, the film would have worked just as well without him being so central to the plot.
Charles' death is the catalyst that brings Lydia back to Connecticut, and this ensures that Delia ends up working with Betelgeuse in the Netherworld (with the agreement that Betelgeuse will help Delia find Charles if she helps him find Lydia). At the end of the film, Delia and Charles are reunited. While this definitely serves as a solid and emotional ending to Delia's specific story, the Beetle juice the sequence could have worked just as well without giving more focus to Charles Deetz than his death simply being the reason Lydia and Astrid reunited with Delia.
Compared to the other plots of Beetle juice Beetle juice, the narrative of Delia trying to find her late husband in the afterlife felt somewhat dull. The screen time would have been better focused by focusing more on Lydia or Astrid. What's more, while it's definitely touching that Catherine O'Hara's Delia tried so hard to reunite with her late husband, it also doesn't feel true to her character from the original 1988 film. Beetle juice definitely loved Charles in her own way, but she also seemed like a woman who would move on quickly after being widowed.
Ultimately, Beetle juice Beetle juice It was still a success and a more than worthy continuation of 1988 Beetle juice. However, the issues with Jeffrey Jones and the character of Charles Deetz definitely presented a hurdle. Although Tim Burton's decision to include Charles Deetz in the story of Beetle juice Beetle juice It makes sense from a franchise continuity perspective, the film would have worked just as well without him being so central to the plot.