WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Beetlejuice 2!While Beetlejuice Beetlejuice includes plenty of nostalgic nods to the original movie, there’s one major character from the 1988 horror-comedy who shockingly didn’t even receive a mention. Since 36 years have passed since the first Beetlejuice, it was inevitable that there would only be a few returning cast members in Beetlejuice 2, with Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, and Michael Keaton being the only actors to reprise their roles. However, despite how many original characters are missing from Beetlejuice 2, a few do get some fitting references.
In addition to Lydia revealing that Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis’ ghost characters Adam and Barbara Maitland “moved on” from the Winter River house, Delia makes a direct reference to Charles Deetz’s former boss, Maxie Dean. With a slew of beloved characters in the 1988 movie, it wouldn’t have been reasonable to expect an update on every figure in the sequel, so some are understandably left out. However, although Beetlejuice 2 has a much stronger focus on the Deetz family and their loved ones, the sequel surprisingly omits any reference to their closest colleague from the original movie.
Beetlejuice 2 Doesn’t Even Mention Otho From The Original Movie
Glenn Shadix’s Otho Doesn’t Receive Any Callbacks In The Sequel
Quite shockingly, given how unique and beloved of a character he is in the 1988 Beetlejuice, Glenn Shadix’s Otho isn’t referenced once in the sequel. There are plenty of callbacks and Easter eggs in Beetlejuice 2 related to the original movie, but Delia’s friend and interior designer Otho isn’t among them. While omitting a nod to Otho would have been justified had the sequel ignored nods to all other missing original characters, Tim Burton’s sequel makes a point of mentioning Beetlejuice’s Maxie Dean, who had a far less prominent role than Otho.
The absence of Otho is explained by actor Glenn Shadix passing away in 2010, but it does seem odd that Delia wouldn’t have mentioned him once in Beetlejuice 2. It’s possible that the two characters had a falling out at some point after Beetlejuice’s original ending, or that Otho predeceased Charles between the films. Still, Otho was around in Beetlejuice almost as much as Delia and Charles, so the lack of any reference to him as the Deetzes return to Winter River feels strange.
Beetlejuice 2
also brings back the original character Little Jane Butterfield, who was still a child in the 1988 movie.
Why Otho’s Character Deserved A Tribute In The Beetlejuice Sequel
Otho Was Arguably Just As Important As Delia & Charles In Beetlejuice
It’s difficult to go back and imagine Beetlejuice’s plot unfolding without Otho, as his meddling, dual skepticism and faith in the paranormal, and comedic foil to Delia helped to establish the 1988 movie’s unique horror-comedy tone. For a living person, he had a surprising understanding of the dead and how Beetlejuice’s supernatural elements worked, making his interactions with the Deetzes, Maitlands, and Betelgeuse himself all the more intriguing. Otho was crucial to balancing the many story elements and character approaches to the afterlife, so he was the supporting character most deserving of a tribute from the Deetzes in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.