'Beetlejuice 2' Kills off Jeffrey Jones' Character After His Conviction for Soliciting a Minor

Jeffrey Jones will not appear in Tim Burton's upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The actor, who has largely stepped away from the spotlight following his conviction for soliciting a minor, starred as Charles Deetz, the father of Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz, in the 1988 movie, with fans left wondering if he was poised to return in the sequel. However, a representative for the actor confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Jones does not appear in Beetlejuice 2.

Jones' absence from the film follows his conviction for soliciting a minor. In 2003, the actor pleaded no contest to hiring a 14-year-old boy to pose naked for photos. He was sentenced to five years probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. While Jones has not appeared in a film since Deadwood: The Movie in 2019, some began to wonder if he was poised to return to the big screen in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. A brief moment in the trailer for the film spurned plenty of questions when it showed a headstone for the character amid a funeral scene. A "family tragedy" is what is set to kick off the sequel's story, it was previously confirmed.

The upcoming movie centers around three generations of Deetz women – Catherine O'Hara's Delia Deetz, second wife of Jones' character, Ryder's Lydia, and her daughter Astrid, portrayed by newcomer Jenna Ortega – as they return to Winter River. Following an "unexpected family tragedy." It is unclear if Charles Deetz's passing is that tragedy. Per the official synopsis, "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. With trouble brewing in both realms, it's only a matter of time until someone says Beetlejuice's name three times and the mischievous demon returns to unleash his very own brand of mayhem."

While a character's death would typically write off a return of that character, the Beetlejuice plot, which follows the Maitlands' misadventures of the afterlife, left open the possibility of Jones' return as Charles. However, his rep confirmed that this will not happen in the sequel. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hits theaters on Sept. 6.