Beetlejuice 2 ending explained: Is [SPOILER] really gone?

The juice is loose! The Ghost with the most is back! Beetlejuice has returned!

Michael Keaton reprised his role as the legendary bio-exorcist in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the long-awaited 2024 sequel to the 1988 classic. He wasn't alone, either, as Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara returned along with director Tim Burton and Danny Elfman for a truly glorious, off-the-wall, campy, and horrifying outing worthy of its outlandish predecessor.

The sequel is an interesting one as it captures much of the '80s charm of the original while also appealing to modern audiences, thanks in no small part to Wednesday's Jenna Ortega, who appeared as the daughter of Lydia Deetz, Astrid.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was a harrowing experience for the Deetzes once again, but what does it all mean?

*** This article contains major SPOILERS from Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Don't read on if you haven't seen it yet. ***

Lydia's dream proves that Beetlejuice is never too far away

Part of the central premise of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice was Lydia Deetz's attempts to move on from the residual trauma she still felt after her run-in with Betelgeuse in the '80s as a teenager. She couldn't move on until she confronted him, but after doing so, she realized that she needed his help. And as a result, that meant that she had to enter into another contract of marriage with him. The good news is that her daughter Astrid helped free her, finding a loophole that explained she didn't have to go through with it if he took her into the afterlife.

Lydia was able to ensure that he was officially exorcised this time by saying his name three times, resulting in Betelgeuse popping like a balloon. It certainly appeared that this was the end of the goofy nightmare, as Lydia decided it was time to start spending time with the living instead, taking Astrid to all the places in the world she had planned to see with her father Richard before his death. However, when Astrid gave birth to her child, she was confronted by a violent, infant Beetlejuice that attacked the doctors. Lydia woke up then, realizing that it was just a dream. Or was it...? Beetlejuice was beside her for a moment, until she woke up again, unsure of what was real or fantasy as the credits rolled.

This is a not-so-subtle reminder that she still harbors this strange connection with Betelgeuse, who may well still be sending her messages (much like he revealed he was early on in the sequel). Yes, Lydia was able to say his name three times and banish him, but as both movies have reminded us, that just sends him back to where he came from. And in the Beetlejuice lore, no one is ever truly gone (that is, unless you're soul-sucked by Betelgeuse's ex-wife Delores or sent to Hell like Jeremy).

It's possible that this is just the film's way of having its cake and eating it. It's a satisfying conclusion to Lydia's character arc in that she has finally decided to live life instead of focusing on her interactions with the dead. However, it's also open-ended, suggesting that Betelgeuse is still out there should the need for a sequel ever come up.

One of the film's writers, Alfred Gough, discussed the open-ending with Forbes, calling it "a happy ending" that services the characters but also stays true to the movie's wacky tone.

"It’s a Beetlejuice ending, but it's a happy ending. So, I think for us, that's what we really wanted — that emotional mother-daughter story that really played through all the bonkers and sanity of the movie. And Beetlejuice, interestingly — for being an agent of chaos and being selfish and only really in it for himself — helps put this family back together."

It's true that Betelgeuse does play a role in uniting the Deetzes and that's why it was pretty apt that it was only them teaming up that eventually sent him away. A very clever twist indeed, but does it allow for a sequel in the future? Honestly, yes, as the ending is pretty open-ended. But that doesn't mean there will be one.

In an interview with Total Film (via Games Radar), director Tim Burton was asked about a potential Beetlejuice 3 and the publication notes that he "noticeably squirms at the suggestion of a Beetlejuice franchise". He did, however, say that he hopes the movie does well (which it would have to if they wanted to make a third one) and that he had a great time making the sequel.

"I hope for the best, really. I just feel good this was done in the spirit and feeling of the original. However the movie does, it was a very good experience for me in that way."

With that in mind, it's quite possible that a Beetlejuice 3 could come up in the future, especially given how well the second installment has performed, but it would likely be down to whether Burton wanted to make a third one rather than any kind of attempt to franchise it. And it goes without saying that any film series as unusual and bizarre as this one needs the visionary director to be a part of it.

But that's where the ending of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice serves the film series well. Sure, it's open-ended enough that it could pave the way for a sequel (Lydia still hasn't fully exorcized Betelgeuse from her life), but it's also tongue-in-cheek and satisfying enough in a very Beetlejuice kind of way to work as a definitive ending to the story as well.

Yes, the Juice is gone for now, but there is always the possibility that he might not be gone for good.