With the characters played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis from Beetlejuice not returning for the recent sequel, fans have been awash with theories as to how their characters ‘moved on’.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice landed in cinemas last week, seeing the return of the original movie's star cast - such as Michael Keaton as the titular demon and Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz - as well as up and coming star Jenna Ortega as Lydia's daughter.
But Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis were nowhere to be seen.
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Davis and Baldwin played Adam and Barbara Maitland in the 1988 dark comedy, who both die at the beginning of the film. Without realising they’ve died they return home, to find out they are ghosts.
They enlist the help of 'bio exorcist' Beetlejuice to help them get rid of the new owners of their house - but as anyone who's seen the film will know, this goes absolutely t*ts up.
With the pair being such a huge part of the first film, many fans have been left wondering what happened to them after noticing their absence from the sequel.
Tim Burton has already confirmed the reason for the two actors themselves not making a return for the film, shutting down rumours it was due to Baldwin’s involvement in the death of Haylna Hutchins, saying: “I think the thing was for me I didn't want to just tick any boxes.
"So even though they were such an amazing integral part of the first one, I was focusing on something else.”
And as for the Maitlands' story - with many entries into ghost media, it is considered that those with ‘unfinished business’ haunt places, leaving many fans to believe the deceased couple must have had unfinished business in their own home in the first film.
In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Ryder's character explains that the Maitlands simply found a ‘loophole’ which allowed them to move on and leave into the afterlife - explaining their absence within the plot nicely.
This theory though, shared on Reddit with the title ‘Theory about how they moved on’, has many fans feeling they’ve figured it out.
They posted: “In a lot of ghost media the ghosts are haunting a place because of unfinished business, and it’s never explicitly said why the Maitlands are haunting their place.
“I believe it’s because their 'unfinished business' was how they were never able to become parents. And after they did sort of achieve that with Lydia at the end of the first movie, they moved on once Lydia became an adult.”
One fan commented: “I think you nailed it on the head. Their loophole was to finish their business.
“Could be said to have a child or, like you say, the child like relationship with Lydia.
“Or simply by them coming to terms with the people in their home and changes as well they accepted it and were able to move in because that was also another point of their stresses.”
They went on to finish by saying: “Regardless, I do wish they talked on the point a bit more. Since I am sure Lydia was in touch with them as much as she could be.”
Another comment read: "Love this so sweet," whilst another said: "I love this theory and it makes perfect sense."
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is in cinemas now
Topics: Alec Baldwin, Film and TV, Reddit
Michael Slavin