Do you need to watch Beetlejuice before the sequel?

Here we are. It’s the movie of the year that we’ve all been waiting for. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now out in theaters.

This is a great movie to watch with the whole family. It brings a mixture of horror, comedy, and everything in between. While there are some scarier moments that may be a bit too much for some younger kids, the comedy and Tim Burton’s knack for hilarious gothic antics make up for it.

You may not have time to watch the original movie with the kids, though. Do they need to see it first? My kids say no.

The important parts of Beetlejuice are explained

The 2024 sequel has been written in a way that makes it accessible for all. My kids have made it clear that they don’t feel like they missed out on the story because they haven’t seen Beetlejuice yet. Don’t worry! I’ve taken them to see it at a free outdoor showing this weekend! They will watch it, and maybe their opinions will change then.

However, they understood the important parts of the movie without knowing the first movie at all. The storyline of our favorite demonic spirit and his love for Lydia Deetz is explained. We don’t need to see the first movie to understand why Lydia is so afraid of this demonic spirit coming back.

Much of the story is new to Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

The sequel doesn’t take too much from the original movie. There are a couple of nostalgic moments, such as one particular song that is sung at a funeral, but other than that, this is a fresh story.

We get to meet Lydia’s daughter Astrid, and there’s a chance to learn a little about their relationship and the relationship with Astrid’s dad. When past relationships are mentioned, they are more in the line of offering a storyline for this particular sequel, such as the death of Charles. You don’t need to know who he is to just find him warning around the afterlife without his head absolutely hilariously.

Willem Dafoe and Monica Bellucci’s characters aren’t connected to the first movie at all. While Bob and the others like him are in the first film, knowing who they are isn’t important for the overall storytelling. The kids will just find them as another humorous part of the afterlife.

Is it good to watch the first movie first? Of course, it is. You get a better knowledge of who Betelgeuse is. But do you need to watch it? I can tell you from those who haven’t that they still thoroughly enjoyed Beetlejuice Beetlejuice and they want another movie—and yes, they want to watch the first one now.