In his new movie Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's cast, there is the return of Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, and Catherine O'Hara, alongside newcomer Jenna Ortega.

Because it is a sequel, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice includes all sorts of references to the original movie. There is the return of old beloved characters like Bob and Delia Deetz, and reworkings of previous set pieces, such as the moons of Saturn. Yet, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also has ties to other movies and series. For example, Burton uses stop-motion to recreate Charles' death, which is a reference to Burton's previous stop-motion work in Corpse Bride and The Nightmare Before Christmas. There is one reference though, that is much more subtle and ingrained in Burton's cinematic history.

Beetlejuice 2's Burnt Mall Santa Is A Reference To Kate's Tragic Backstory In Gremlins

Tim Burton's Connection To Gremlins Explained

In Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, there is a scene where Delia enters the afterlife's waiting room and sees a dead man who was presumably burned to death while wearing a Santa Claus suit. As it turns out, this creative customer of the afterlife is not just a random addition, but is a reference to the movie Gremlins. In the 1984 horror comedy, the character Kate reveals that her father was killed after trying to surprise her as Santa Claus and breaking his neck in the chimney, which is why she has no Christmas spirit.

What is especially interesting about this Easter egg is that it doesn't come out of nowhere either. It would be one thing if Burton just randomly referenced Gremlins, however, he presumably did it because he was almost chosen to direct the movie. According to Slash Film, Spielberg was interested in Burton after seeing some of his short films, including a stop-motion animated film called Vincent, and a short live-action version of Frankenweenie. However, the job eventually went to Joe Dante.

Why Tim Burton Ended Up Not Directing Gremlins In The 1980s

What Gremlins Would Have Been Like With Tim Burton

The main reason why Tim Burton was not chosen to direct Gremlins was because he had never made a feature film before. At the time Gremlins was being developed, Burton was working for Disney as a concept artist. He was still a year or two away from directing his first film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure, and many years from his 1988 horror comedy, Beetlejuice. Thus, it was the wiser decision to go with Dante, who had already proven his horror chops on the big screen.

Joe Dante also directed movies like The 'Burbs, Piranha, and The Howling.

If Gremlins had been directed by Tim Burton, it might have looked like a very different movie. Although Burton and Dante are alike in their love of the creepy and gory, Burton has a very specific style that permeates almost all of his movies. If Gremlins had been his first movie, it might have had a taste of the classic Burton deadpan strangeness. On the other hand, it might have been a flop, as Burton lacked enough experience at that time. Regardless, the Gremlins reference in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is a clever nod to Tim Burton's iconic career.