Winona Ryder’s New Tim Burton Movie Is Fixing A Stranger Things Problem From The Last 8 Years

Summary

• Winona Ryder’s return to Beetlejuice 2 as Lydia Deetz brings her character back to the center stage after moving deeper into the ensemble in Stranger Things.
• Jenna Ortega’s character Astrid in Beetlejuice 2 will play a key role in exploring Lydia’s life since the original film’s ending, adding depth to the story.
• Ryder’s leading role in Beetlejuice 2 helps make up for her absence in the horror subplot of Stranger Things season 4, bringing her back to the horror genre.

New details about Winona Ryder’s role in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 reveal that the highly anticipated movie is fulfilling an oversight of her character from the last few seasons of Stranger Things. Winona Ryder is returning to the spooky world of her 1988 breakout movie as she stars in Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, in which she’ll be reprising her role as the iconic Lydia Deetz. Surprisingly, Beetlejuice 2 marks the first time that Ryder is appearing in a sequel to one of her movies, with the 2024 horror-comedy’s anticipation rivaling that of her return as Joyce Byers in Stranger Things season 5.

While details about Beetlejuice 2 have been sparse, Jenna Ortega recently opened up about her character, Astrid, the teenage daughter of Ryder’s Lydia. Ortega’s teases about Beetlejuice 2 reveal that the relationship between Lydia and Astrid is integral to the story, with the sequel featuring “a lot of catching up and putting the pieces together of what’s gone on in Lydia’s life since [Beetlejuice’s ending].” Though Adam and Barbara Maitland (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) were the main focus of Beetlejuice, Ortega’s comments imply that Ryder’s Lydia is taking center stage in Beetlejuice 2 – an exciting prospect after Stranger Things’ recent outings.

Winona Ryder Being At The Center Of Beetlejuice 2 Is What Stranger Things Has Been Missing Since Season 1

When Stranger Things first premiered on Netflix in 2016, Winona Ryder was the biggest star attached to the project, so it wasn’t surprising that her character Joyce Byers was at the center of the show’s initial mystery. Season 1 was arguably Ryder’s season, with Joyce’s search for her son Will being the overarching narrative that hinged on Ryder’s performance and nostalgic history in the sci-fi/supernatural genre. However, as Stranger Things’ popularity skyrocketed and the younger cast assumed bigger, broader storylines, Ryder became more of a staple in the ensemble than the forefront of the series that she was in season 1.

Though Ryder is still integral to Stranger Things’ narratives and enjoys her own subplot each season, Beetlejuice 2 finally brings her back to the center stage rather than as one part of a main ensemble. Similar to how Stranger Things season 1 was equally Joyce and Eleven’s season, Beetlejuice 2 looks to split the focus more evenly between Lydia and Beetlejuice. Given how incredibly Ryder led Stranger Things season 1’s supernatural story, there’s no doubt that she’ll be able to compellingly take on the primary focus of Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice 2 characters.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
will premiere in theaters on September 6, 2024.
Stranger Things
season 5 has not yet received a release date from Netflix.

Winona Ryder’s Beetlejuice 2 Role Also Fixes A Missed Opportunity From Stranger Things Season 4

Ryder’s original role in 1988’s Beetlejuice and subsequent success in the horror genre was part of the initial underlying appeal of her casting in the ‘80s-set Stranger Things. However, once the show truly dove into its horror aspects in season 4, Ryder was completely uninvolved in that storyline. Stranger Things season 4’s horror was primarily reserved for the Creel House/Hawkins storyline, yet Ryder’s Joyce Byers was only involved in the more sci-fi-heavy California/Russia narratives. Consequently, Ryder’s leading role in the supernatural horror-comedy Beetlejuice 2 helps make up for her absence in Stranger Things’ horror subplot.