Beetlejuice Beetlejuice writer explains why they killed Charles Deetz

As a fan who has grown up with Tim Burton’s whimsical world of darkness, I must say that the decision to bring back Beetlejuice feels like a long-awaited reunion with an old friend. The twist of Charles Deetz‘s untimely demise serves as the catalyst for the story, bringing together three generations of Deetz women under one roof, and that’s where the real magic happens.


Beetlejuice Beetlejuice spoilers follow.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice writer Alfred Gough has explained the decision to kill off Charles Deetz.

The eagerly anticipated follow-up to Tim Burton’s 1988 dark fantasy begins by depicting the death of Charles, prompting his daughter Delia (Catherine O’Hara), wife Lydia (Winona Ryder), and granddaughter Astrid (Jenna Ortega) to journey back to Winter River for his funeral.

In a conversation with Entertainment Weekly, Gough revealed that the death of Charles served as the catalyst to unite the three generations of the Deetz women.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice writer explains why they killed Charles Deetz

He mentioned that during tough times within a family, such as periods of crisis, it’s comforting for most people to feel like the family becomes more resilient and closer together.

“A family doesn’t. Whatever fissures are in your family, in a way, get magnified.

It involved the concept of gathering three generations of females within a single household, experiencing an intense circumstance, and observing their coping mechanisms as well as the influences exerted by those circumstances.

Previously, it had been verified that the actor Jeffrey Jones, who portrayed Charles in the initial movie, wouldn’t be featured in the sequel.

In the year 2002, Jones was detained under the suspicion that he possessed illegal child erotica and had employed a 14-year-old boy to model nude for pictures.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice writer explains why they killed Charles Deetz

In a court case, Jones admitted guilt without contesting the charges against him for attempting to entice a minor. As a result, he received a sentence of five years’ probation and was mandated to be listed on the sex offender registry. The charge related to his possession was dismissed.

In the sequel, even though I wasn’t there as Jones, I made a cameo appearance during a captivating stop-motion scene. This sequence skillfully depicted the tragic event of Charles’ plane crashing into the ocean and being devoured by a ravenous shark.

“The way Charles dies in that animated piece is Tim’s nightmare of dying,” Gough explained.

He proposed this scenario: ‘My worst fear is I survive a plane crash, nearly drown, and then a shark attacks and kills me.’ We responded, ‘That’s quite imaginative. That seems to be the manner of his demise.’

In the film, the character is occasionally depicted as a spectral figure without a name or head, appearing frequently in the Neitherworld. Later on, Delia recognizes this mysterious entity as none other than Charles.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now out in cinemas.

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2024-09-10 15:48

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