beetlejuice-2-movie-trailer-imageThe latest trailer for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice shows that Jenna Ortega’s character has a lot in common with her iconic title role in Netflix’s Wednesday, which could be a bad sign for the movie. Set 36 years after the events of the original movie, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice sees the Deetz family returning to their home in Winter River after Charles’ untimely passing. Tim Burton is back in the director’s chair for the long-awaited sequel, with such returning cast members as Michael Keaton as Betelgeuse, Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, and Catherine O’Hara as her mother, Delia.

Ortega plays Lydia’s rebellious teenage daughter, Astrid, who unwittingly unleashes Betelgeuse after finding a mysterious model town in the attic. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is set to be released in theaters on September 6, 2024. It’s banking on both nostalgia for the classic original film and Ortega’s newfound star power following her breakout success in Wednesday. But it’s looking like Beetlejuice Beetlejuice might skew a little too closely to the tone and characterization of Ortega’s hit Netflix series, playing more like Wednesday lite than an authentic sequel to Burton’s iconic ‘80s horror comedy.

Jenna Ortega’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Character Is A Lot Like Wednesday Addams

She’s a high school outsider, much like Wednesday

Jenna Ortega in a high school hallway in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Based on the new Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer, Astrid’s characterization seems to be almost identical to Wednesday’s. The opening scene of the trailer shows Astrid as an outsider at her high school, being bullied by the other kids. This is similar to Wednesday, who struggled to fit in at her original school and continues to struggle to fit in at her new boarding school, Nevermore Academy. This scene is an instant reminder of Wednesday, which is probably intentional to encourage Wednesday’s massive fan base to buy a ticket to see the movie.

The character is presumably modeled after the misanthropy and social awkwardness of Lydia, since she’s Lydia’s daughter and she’s being framed as this generation’s Lydia in the legacy sequel, but Ortega’s casting makes it impossible not to see Wednesday. This is a bad omen for the long-anticipated legacy sequel. After Beetlejuice fans have waited more than three decades for a sequel, it would be a huge disappointment if it ended up just being an unofficial Wednesday movie.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will open the 81st Venice International Film Festival on August 28, 2024.

Jenna Ortega’s Beetlejuice 2 Character Being Like Wednesday Was Inevitable

Wednesday has a lot in common with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Astrid (Jenna Ortega) looking frightened in Beetlejuice 2 Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz riding her bike in Beetlejuice 2 Astrid (Jenna Ortega) with a look of fright is taken by the arms by two guards in Neverworld in Beetlejuice 2 Delia (Catherine O')Hara, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), Lydia (Winona Ryder) and (Rory) Justin Theroux in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Astrid (Jenna Ortega) and Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) are running through the desert, trying to escape from a strange creature in Beetlejuice 2Astrid (Jenna Ortega) looking frightened in Beetlejuice 2
Jenna Ortega as Astrid Deetz riding her bike in Beetlejuice 2 Astrid (Jenna Ortega) with a look of fright is taken by the arms by two guards in Neverworld in Beetlejuice 2 Delia (Catherine O')Hara, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), Lydia (Winona Ryder) and (Rory) Justin Theroux in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Astrid (Jenna Ortega) and Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) are running through the desert, trying to escape from a strange creature in Beetlejuice 2

It was inevitable that there would be some similarities between Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and Wednesday. They’re both cut from the same cloth, involving a lot of the same talent. Both projects have the same lead actor in Ortega, the same director in Burton, and the same screenwriters in Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. Plus, both stories share a spooky aesthetic and a family-friendly horror vibe. There was no way that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice would be completely distinctive from Wednesday; they have so much in common that they were bound to at least have a similar feel.

There was always going to be some connective tissue between Ortega’s performance in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and her performance in Wednesday. Very few actors have the ability to genuinely disappear into a role and make their characters totally distinct from one another. Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman are in this exclusive club, but most actors have a familiar on-screen persona that they bring to each role. Ortega’s performance in Wednesday is totally unique to that character, but there are certain traits that can also be seen in her work in X, Scream, and, indeed, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Must Avoid Making Jenna Ortega’s Character Too Much Like Wednesday

There has to be something to differentiate this character from Wednesday

Wednesday (Jenna Ortega) looks serious in Wednesday season 1, episode 2.

Ortega’s role in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice can’t just be a rehash of Wednesday or it won’t be satisfying as a follow-up to Beetlejuice or a movie in its own right. Having the same star, director, and writers means that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice will inevitably have a similar creative voice to Wednesday, but it can’t just copy the same character. The sequel has to do something to differentiate Astrid from Wednesday. Wednesday is an outsider by choice; maybe Astrid wants to fit in, but can’t, which would make her more insecure (and, ultimately, more relatable) than Wednesday.

Whatever approach they take, it can’t just be the same shtick as Wednesday. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice needs to make Astrid feel distinct from Wednesday or it’ll be too repetitive. Wednesday is pretty much a lone wolf in her Netflix series, so Beetlejuice Beetlejuice could shake up the formula by focusing on Astrid’s strained relationship with her mother. A macabre mother-daughter story would certainly differentiate Beetlejuice Beetlejuice from Wednesday.