Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
From critically acclaimed filmmaker and screenwriter, Tim Burton presents the long-awaited sequel to the Halloween classic. Keaton's action-packed comedic demon returns to the silver screen for more mischief than ever before. When the Maitland house EXPLODES, so does the fun, so buckle up. The original cast and crew plus new additions return when Beetlejuice is found homeless in the netherworld. He takes it upon himself to travel back to the mortal world seeking comfort, only to find the Maitland house has blown up due to a gas leak. Leaving our beloved characters without a humble home to share the love. In search of guidance, the crew travels down to the Netherworld only to find there's a new sheriff in these parts, The Jersey Devil (Will Arnett). Through a surprising turn of events, the self-known ladies man, Beetlejuice learns that the Jersey Devil is his long-lost son through one of his numerous love affairs. Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is wood by the enchanting Jersey Devil, despite being married to a struggling real estate agent (David Harbour). Through kooky scenarios and ecstatic characters, the fun near stops. Though entertaining it is also a heart-wrenching tale that shows Beetlejuice is just another man trying to find his way in the world. The story also progresses the idea that a family is never truly ideal. The story continues when you say the release date three times unbroken. Release date TBD.
Despite a substantial budget of $99.0M, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice became a box office success, earning $452.0M worldwide—a 357% return.
9 wins & 48 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) reveals carefully calibrated narrative design, characteristic of Tim Burton's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 45 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Lydia Deetz
Beetlejuice
Astrid Deetz
Delia Deetz
Rory
Delores
Wolf Jackson
Main Cast & Characters
Lydia Deetz
Played by Winona Ryder
Now a mature woman and paranormal TV host, still haunted by her past encounters with the supernatural and struggling to connect with her teenage daughter.
Beetlejuice
Played by Michael Keaton
The mischievous bio-exorcist ghost returns with his chaotic energy, crude humor, and desperate schemes to escape the afterlife.
Astrid Deetz
Played by Jenna Ortega
Lydia's rebellious teenage daughter who is skeptical of her mother's supernatural experiences and feels disconnected from her family.
Delia Deetz
Played by Catherine O'Hara
Lydia's eccentric stepmother, still pursuing her avant-garde artistic endeavors and maintaining her dramatic flair into her later years.
Rory
Played by Justin Theroux
Lydia's manipulative boyfriend and producer of her paranormal show, who has his own agenda regarding their relationship.
Delores
Played by Monica Bellucci
Beetlejuice's vengeful ex-wife from the afterlife, a soul-sucking witch who is hunting him down for past betrayals.
Wolf Jackson
Played by Willem Dafoe
An afterlife detective and action hero actor who patrols the realm between the living and the dead.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Lydia Deetz hosts her paranormal talk show "Ghost House with Lydia Deetz," appearing successful but emotionally disconnected, haunted by her past encounters with Beetlejuice and struggling with her estranged daughter Astrid.. Structural examination shows that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 13 minutes when Charles Deetz's death forces Lydia, Astrid, and Delia back to the haunted house in Winter River for the funeral, disrupting Lydia's carefully controlled life and bringing her back to the site of her supernatural trauma.. At 13% through the film, this Disruption is delayed, allowing extended setup of the story world. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 26 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This shows the protagonist's commitment to Astrid discovers the gateway to the afterlife in the old house and crosses over, becoming trapped in the Netherworld. Lydia realizes she must summon Beetlejuice to save her daughter, accepting she cannot escape her past., moving from reaction to action.
At 53 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False defeat: Astrid is revealed to be in mortal danger from a deceptive ghost boy who plans to steal her life, while Delores grows stronger and closes in on Beetlejuice. The stakes escalate from mere retrieval to life-or-death urgency., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 79 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, All is lost: Astrid is moments from losing her soul permanently, Beetlejuice is cornered by Delores, and Lydia must confront that her years of running from truth have pushed her daughter into mortal peril. The "whiff of death" is literal - Astrid's impending doom., shows the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 84 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The finale: Lydia and Beetlejuice team up to save Astrid; confrontation with Delores leading to her defeat; rescue of Astrid from the soul trap; exposure and expulsion of Rory; and resolution of the family's supernatural crisis through acceptance rather than denial., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs structural analysis methodology used to understand storytelling architecture. By mapping Beetlejuice Beetlejuice against these established plot points, we can identify how Tim Burton utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Beetlejuice Beetlejuice within the comedy genre.
Tim Burton's Structural Approach
Among the 17 Tim Burton films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 6.9, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice represents one of the director's most structurally precise works. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Tim Burton filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, The Bad Guys and Lake Placid. For more Tim Burton analyses, see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sleepy Hollow and Dark Shadows.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Lydia Deetz hosts her paranormal talk show "Ghost House with Lydia Deetz," appearing successful but emotionally disconnected, haunted by her past encounters with Beetlejuice and struggling with her estranged daughter Astrid.
Theme
Rory, Lydia's boyfriend/producer, mentions "You can't run from your past forever" when discussing the Deetz family history, establishing the theme of confronting what haunts you.
Worldbuilding
Introduction to Lydia's current life: her celebrity status, strained relationship with teenage daughter Astrid who doesn't believe in ghosts, her desperate-to-please boyfriend Rory, and the reveal that her father Charles has died, forcing the family back to Winter River.
Disruption
Charles Deetz's death forces Lydia, Astrid, and Delia back to the haunted house in Winter River for the funeral, disrupting Lydia's carefully controlled life and bringing her back to the site of her supernatural trauma.
Resistance
The family arrives in Winter River; Astrid explores and rebels against her mother; Lydia resists returning to the attic and confronting her past; tensions rise between mother and daughter about belief, truth, and their fractured relationship.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Astrid discovers the gateway to the afterlife in the old house and crosses over, becoming trapped in the Netherworld. Lydia realizes she must summon Beetlejuice to save her daughter, accepting she cannot escape her past.
Mirror World
Beetlejuice appears in the Netherworld, working his bureaucratic job and dealing with his own past - his murderous ex-wife Delores who is reassembling herself and hunting him, mirroring Lydia's theme of inescapable history.
Premise
The "fun and games" of navigating the afterlife bureaucracy: Beetlejuice's Netherworld office, the Soul Train, eccentric dead characters, and the visual spectacle of the ghost world. Lydia reluctantly partners with Beetlejuice to find Astrid while Delores hunts them both.
Midpoint
False defeat: Astrid is revealed to be in mortal danger from a deceptive ghost boy who plans to steal her life, while Delores grows stronger and closes in on Beetlejuice. The stakes escalate from mere retrieval to life-or-death urgency.
Opposition
Multiple antagonistic forces converge: Delores hunts Beetlejuice, the ghost boy manipulates Astrid toward soul-swapping, Rory pushes for marriage to Lydia, and the family fragments further. Lydia's control slips as all her avoidances catch up with her simultaneously.
Collapse
All is lost: Astrid is moments from losing her soul permanently, Beetlejuice is cornered by Delores, and Lydia must confront that her years of running from truth have pushed her daughter into mortal peril. The "whiff of death" is literal - Astrid's impending doom.
Crisis
Lydia faces her dark night: she must fully accept Beetlejuice's help and the reality of the supernatural world she's denied. She processes that authenticity - not performance - is what her daughter needs, and what will save them both.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The finale: Lydia and Beetlejuice team up to save Astrid; confrontation with Delores leading to her defeat; rescue of Astrid from the soul trap; exposure and expulsion of Rory; and resolution of the family's supernatural crisis through acceptance rather than denial.