‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ Kills off Jeffrey Jones’ Character After His Conviction for Soliciting a Minor

Three generations of Deetz women may be returning to Winter River, but one member of the family will notably be missing when Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hits theaters on Sept. 6. Jeffrey Jones, who starred as Charles Deetz, the father of Winona Ryder’s Lydia Deetz, in the original 1988 movie, will not appear in Tim Burton’s upcoming Beetlejuice sequel, a representative for the actor confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter.

Jones has largely stepped away from the spotlight in recent years following 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.

Although Jones has not appeared in a film since Deadwood: The Movie in 2019, some Beetlejuice fans began to wonder if he was poised to return to the big screen in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice after a brief moment in the Beetlejuice 2 trailer 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. It has not been confirmed 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 in the afterlife, left open the possibility of Jones’ return as Charles. However, his rep confirmed that this will not happen in the sequel.

Along with O’Hara, Ryder, and Ortega, the upcoming film also stars Michael Keaton (returning as Beetlejuice), Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Arthur Conti, and Willem Dafoe. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice hits theaters on Sept. 6.