Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice picks up during the summer before Astrid Deetz, Lydia's daughter, leaves for a four-year college to study environmentalism. Lydia and Astrid, having spent nearly two months globe-trotting and bonding, are now savoring their last bit of time together before Astrid becomes more independent hence why Lydia decides to go back to being a successful and sensitive paranormal investigator on TV.
That is before she is invited by Ryder "Wraith" McCoy, the host of a popular ghost-hunting YouTube channel "PhantomChaserTV". Ryder and his team, who are big fans of Lydia's work, eagerly seek her expertise. Reluctantly, Lydia agrees to join them on an investigation. However, she is horrified by the team's rash, careless, and insensitive methods and leaves the production shoot.
Astrid and Lydia have dinner together at a restaurant, one of their last before she's off to college across the country. They talk about how they have never been so open with each other before. Lydia agrees but her face says the contrary. Lydia hides her PTSD and nightmares from Astrid, Beetlejuice still haunts her nightmares. For one, a dream sequence involving about to be giving birth Astrid and an evil baby turns out to be another one of Beetlejuice's tricks, as he enjoys messing with Lydia's head. Something how a lovesick and mischievous person refuses to be forgotten by the person they love.
Astrid convinces her mom to accept the date of a man who approached them and introduced themselves as a fan of Lydia's show. This makes Beetlejuice jealous thus when the date happened, Beetlejuice made sure that he appears during the date many times and make Lydia distracted and not make a good second impression to her date.
After the date, Lydia becomes lucid and confronts and takes control of her nightmares and reprimands Beetlejuice. Fed up, Lydia harshly tells him she will never return his affections, driving him into a rare bout of sadness. For many nights, Lydia is free from BJ who we see is being a sad sack at his work in the after life government services.
Meanwhile back to the PhantomChaserTV team, their reckless approach leads to a disastrous outcome when they accidentally unleash real, dangerous spirits into New York City with a book they found, of course, the Handbook for the Recently Deceased.
As the chaos unfolds, Lydia and Astrid, with Astrid refusing to leave her mother's side, turn to Beetlejuice for help. They return to Lydia's once childhood home in Winter River, Connecticut, where Beetlejuice lives and summon him despite their complicated history.
Beetlejuice, who has been causing trouble in his own chaotic way, agrees to help in exchange for one real date with Lydia. Their date, set in a miniature town model, becomes a mix of absurdity and misadventure. Lydia acknowledges Beetlejuice's strange affection and his undeniable role in their lives but makes it clear that their relationship will remain as it is.
By the end, Lydia resumes her ghost-hunting show, balancing her professional life with her newfound independence and the lingering chaos of Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice, while still mischievous and in love with Lydia, acknowledges the boundaries she has set. The film closes with Beetlejuice looking at the camera, humorously hinting at future trouble, ensuring he remains the ever-present wild card in Lydia's life.
Tone:
Ryder "Wraith" McCoy, a brash, media-hungry ghost hunter and fan of Lydia's show, accidentally releases malevolent spirits into New York City during a viral stunt gone wrong. During the ensuing chaos, one of Ryder's team members dies. The remaining team members are shocked to discover that they can still communicate with their deceased colleague's ghost. The ghost's continued presence becomes a grim but lucrative addition to their show, with hauntings becoming their new gimmick.
still finds her life intertwined with the chaotic and unpredictable Beetlejuice. Despite having previously rejected Beetlejuice's shotgun wedding proposal, he manages to strike a new deal with Lydia: a formal date at the miniature town model—a setting ripe for Burton's trademark surrealism.
