Jeffrey Jones is not part of the star-studded cast in the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel.
After the trailer for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice dropped on Thursday, fans were left wondering if the 77-year-old actor’s character of Charles Deetz would be featured in it.
Deetz’s image appeared only briefly on screen via a headstone in the clip, despite the character having a prominent role as father to Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz and husband to Catherine O’Hara’s Delia Deetz in the 1988 original.
On Friday, Jones’ rep confirmed the actor would not be appearing in the film, per The Hollywood Reporter.
Original cast members Ryder, O’Hara, and Michael Keaton, however, are back for more supernatural hijinks, along with newcomers Justin Theroux, Willem Dafoe and Jenna Ortega.
Jeffrey Jones is not part of the star-studded cast in the upcoming Beetlejuice sequel; pictured 2008
After the trailer for Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice dropped on Thursday, fans were left wondering if the 77-year-old actor’s character of Charles Deetz would be featured in it
Burton’s real-life girlfriend Monica Bellucci also has a role in the movie.
In the original blockbuster, Jones’ Deetz was an ambitious but clueless real estate developer. He moves with his family, including his wife Delia and stepdaughter Lydia, to the haunted house they purchased in the small town of Winter River, Connecticut.
Charles is preoccupied with renovating the house into a profitable project, unaware of its supernatural inhabitants, leading to comedic clashes with the ghostly couple, Adam and Barbara Maitland, played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, and their nemesis, Beetlejuice.
Baldwin and Davis are not expected to appear in the sequel either.
An official Beetlejuice Beetlejuice synopsis reads: ‘After an unexpected family tragedy, three generations of the Deetz family return home to Winter River. Still haunted by Beetlejuice, Lydia’s life is turned upside down when her rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, discovers the mysterious model of the town in the attic and the portal to the Afterlife is accidentally opened.’
After his role in Beetlejuice, Jones continued to build a successful acting career, appearing in numerous films and television shows throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including 1994’s Ed Wood and 1999’s Sleepy Hollow.
However, the Ferris Bueller star’s trajectory took a significant turn when he faced legal troubles. In 2002, Jones was arrested for possession of child pornography and soliciting a 14-year-old boy to pose for explicit photographs.
He pleaded no contest to a felony charge of employing a minor for purposes of taking sexually explicit photos and was required to register as a sex offender.
Deetz’s image appeared only briefly on screen via a headstone in the clip, despite the character having a prominent role in the 1988 original
Eagle-eyed fans caught Jones’ image in the trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
In the original blockbuster, Jones’ Deetz was an ambitious but clueless real estate developer. He moves with his family, including his wife Delia and stepdaughter Lydia, to the haunted house they purchased in the small town of Winter River, Connecticut
Original cast members Ryder, O’Hara, and Michael Keaton , however, are back for more supernatural hijinks, along with newcomers Justin Theroux , Willem Dafoe and Jenna Ortega
Confirmation of Jones’ omission from Beetlejuice BeetleJuice comes after star Keaton revealed he has seen a cut of the new film, calling it both ‘beautiful’ and ’emotional’
Warner Bros. Pictures is set to release the sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, theatrically on September 6
Jenna Ortega plays Winona’s daughter in the forthcoming film
Consequently, his acting career suffered, receiving fewer roles following the events, though he did appear in HBO’s Deadwood.
Confirmation of Jones’ omission from Beetlejuice BeetleJuice comes after star Keaton revealed he has seen a cut of the new film, calling it both ‘beautiful’ and ’emotional.’
‘Tim and I would talk over the years about would we ever do it, and if we did it how would we do it,’ Keaton said on SiriusXM’s The Jess Cagle Show. ‘It’s just so fun and I’ve seen it now. ‘I’m going to see it again after a couple of little tweaks in the editing room, and I confidently say this thing is great.’
‘It’s like a piece of art, you know what I mean? It’s almost like you want to take it and put it in a museum. There’s just nothing like it,’ he continued. ‘To do it again was a little, I guess intimidating, and I was nervous about it.’
He went on to call the sequel ‘beautiful, physically,’ before adding, ‘The other one was so fun and exciting visually, it’s all that but really beautiful and interestingly emotional here and there. I wasn’t ready for that. It’s great.’
In the original Beetlejuice film, Burton directed the production from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar, based on a story by Seth Grahame-Smith.
Jones first came to prominence as the principal in 1986’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
After his role in Beetlejuice, Jones continued to build a successful acting career, appearing in numerous films and television shows throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, including 1999’s Sleepy Hollow
In 2002, Jones was arrested for possession of child pornography and soliciting a 14-year-old boy to pose for explicit photographs
He pleaded no contest to a felony charge of employing a minor for purposes of taking sexually explicit photos and was required to register as a sex offender
Consequently, his acting career suffered, receiving fewer roles following the events, though he did appear in HBO’s Deadwood
The film achieved both critical acclaim and commercial success, grossing $74.7 million worldwide against a budget of $15 million.
It received accolades including an Academy Award for Best Makeup and three Saturn Awards: Best Horror Film, Best Makeup, and Best Supporting Actress for the late Sylvia Sidney.
The film’s popularity led to the creation of an animated television series, various video games, and a stage musical in 2018.
Warner Bros. Pictures is set to release the sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, theatrically on September 6.
