Tim Burton addresses why he didn't cast Alec Baldwin in Beetlejuice 2

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has landed in cinemas with huge success, already outgrossing the original film’s entire run after less than a week.

But the Tim Burton sequel is missing some very familiar faces from the 1988 film, like star Alec Baldwin.

Plenty of fans were a little confused as to where the Maitlands where in Beetlejuice 2, with actor Geena Davis having shared her own theory on why the pair weren’t included.

And now the legendary director himself has addressed it.

Of course, the Maitlands are pretty crucial to the original film’s plot, being the reason we are taken into the world of the dead in the first place.

While David and Baldwin’s ghostly couple might not be in the sequel, some of the film’s biggest stars have returned.

Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara and Michael Keaton are all back for Beetlejuice’s mad antics, with Jenna Ortega joining the family.

During the new film, Lydia (Ryder) explains that the Maitlands found ‘a loophole’ that allowed them to move on.

However, Davis previously told Entertainment Tonight her own theory: “I’m not in the remake. Oh, you were expecting that I would be?

“Yeah, no, you know what? Because my theory is that ghosts don’t age … Not that I have!"

Davis and Baldwin in the original film. (Warner Bros)

However, according to Burton, the exclusion of the couple isn’t anything to do with ghosts not aging – or the controversy surrounding Baldwin and his involvement in the death of Halyna Hutchins.

Instead, he told People the thing was that he ‘didn’t want to just tick any boxes’.

Burton continued: “So even though they were such an amazing integral part of the first one, I was focusing on something else.”

And fans think it’s a pretty fair choice to not have the ghostly couple in the new film as one wrote on X: “Would’ve been nice to see Baldwin and Davis in Beetlejuice 2 but Davis at least has said it wouldn’t make sense because they’re supposed to remain the same age and frankly, thankful we didn’t get de-aged versions of them.”

Burton brought back Beetlejuice. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Having landed in cinemas last Friday (6 September), Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is currently sitting at a very decent 78 percent on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer with 82 percent on the Popcornmeter (formerly the Audience Score).

Fans said they ‘loved it’ and call it ‘just as good as the first’.

One wrote: “I loved how they continued the story but maybe too many plot lines.”

Although, some did say: “Nothing will ever be better than the original.”