Why Does Beetlejuice Have to Be Said Three Times?

The following reveals spoilers for Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, now playing in theaters.

Beetlejuice is one of Tim Burton's most beloved films and a staple of any Halloween fan's collection. The film came out of nowhere to become a surprise hit in 1988, and 2024's sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has proven just as popular. The 1988 supernatural comedy follows a young couple, Adam and Barbara Maitland, who are tragically killed in an accident. However, their time as ghosts becomes more eventful than their actual lives when a new family moves into their home.

Adam and Barbara try scaring them away but to no avail. They end up calling the bio-exorcist Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton) for help, saying his name three times before he appears. The film never thoroughly explains why Beetlejuice must be summoned in this way, nor does the sequel. However, the lore behind the film goes on to clarify this is because Betelgeuse prefers to make doubly — or rather, triply — sure he is being called for. It almost acts like a contract to ensure his services are required.

Updated on September 10, 2024, by Robert Vaux: The success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice has brought renewed attention to the "three times" rule, which plays just as important a role in the story as it did for the first film. The article has been expanded to include a discussion of the use of the number three in traditional and modern storytelling, as well as new details from the hit sequel. The formatting has been updated to match CBR's current guidelines.

The Number Three Carries Important Symbolism

The reasons for using the number three are very old and are embedded in so much of our culture that accepting it as "magic" goes almost without saying. In numerology, it's very closely associated with joy, optimism, creativity, and lofty goals. Astrological traditions connect the number three to Jupiter, which similarly expresses upbeat emotions and powerful creative forces. The Christian faith reflects similar emotions in its Holy Trinity, as does Hinduism with its cosmic Trimurti, Shia Islam with its three principles, and Buddhism with its Three Jewels. More general traditions connect it to the past, the present and the future (comprising the totality of human existence), which the Wiccan faith reflects in its Triple Goddesses.

Myths and fairy tales are rife with the use of the number three: three bears, three pigs, three tests or challenges, and numerous examples of the third time being the literal charm. It's no surprise, then, that the number three can also have strong associations with magic and the supernatural. A genie's three wishes are the most obvious example, but can also encompass specific works of literature. Shakespeare's Macbeth specifies three witches, not one — echoing the Triple Goddesses in many productions — while Mozart's The Magic Flute uses three handmaidens of the Queen of the Night as a central plot conceit.

That connection continues in modern pop culture and beyond. Movie trilogies, for instance, tend to be held in special regard, with The Lord of the Rings, Back to the Future, and The Godfather all notable examples. The undisputed champion on that front is Star Wars, which uses a trio of trilogies as its foundation. More specifically, the long-running TV series Charmed focuses on a trio of sister witches, who draw their abilities from "The Power of Three." On a more general level, countless franchises hinge on a loose team of three protagonists, including Han, Luke and Leia from Star Wars, Kirk, Spock and McCoy from Star Trek, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli in The Lord of the Rings, and central trinities of superheroes in both DC Comics and The Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's so commonplace at this point that it hardly draws notice.

Beetlejuice's Summoning Is a Key Piece of World Building

Beetlejuice's use of the three-times rule is more important than it may initially seem, particularly during the movie's surprising early success. Burton has since become a household name, as well as one of the most visually distinctive directors of the last 50 years. In 1988, however, no one had heard of him and while his feature debut — the charmingly comedic Pee-wee's Big Adventure — had done well, its success was widely attributed to its then-popular star Pee-wee Herman. Beetlejuice was a genuinely strange project made on a comparatively low budget, starring several actors who were not yet exceedingly well-known.

Neither Winona Ryder nor Alec Baldwin had broken out at that point, while Geena Davis was still building on her star-making turn in David Cronenberg's The Fly. Even Keaton, who had been a star for several years, had struggled to find a compelling role after his early breakout. All of that came on top of a movie that was essentially building its own universe from scratch. Its afterlife and the disposition of the dead operate according to their own rules, and indeed a big part of the film's humor is how the recently deceased Maitlands simply have no idea of what life after death is all about. In addition, it includes entirely new elements such as sandworms and the various rules about haunting and exorcisms, most of which were created for the sake of the film's story.

Calling Beetlejuice's Name Coincides With the Film's Internal Logic

The movie's quirks are what make it so memorable

Something simple and evocative like calling a name three times can connect the audience to all of the weird things going on in the rest of the film. It also helps sell the various bits of plot exposition that the film needs to work: thanks to the "three times" rule, the audience accepts them more readily and can stay in the story instead of trying to figure out how it all works. That's to the film's benefit since it flirts with significant plot holes more than once. No one remembers that, but the "three times" rule is still a beloved part of the film's mythology. It helped Beetlejuice become a monster hit — despite its quirky elements and bizarre premise — and sent both Burton and Keaton straight into the waiting arms of the Caped Crusader.

As well as the number of times required for Beetlejuice to be summoned, the number three also follows the rest of the systems in the movie. After summoning Betelgeuse, they are transported into Adam Maitland's model of their town. When the couple realizes he may not be the best choice, Barbara says "home" three times, and they return to their attic. The same can be said for entering the afterlife. However, rather than saying anything three times, the Maitlands have to draw a door and knock three times. Although there's no canon explanation for why the number three plays a significant role in Beetlejuice, certain parallels to the number add a spookier context.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice" Serves as a Contract

The titular character values his trade

Historically speaking, the number three also has had various associations with the Devil. After all, 3 a.m. is said to be the start of the devil's hour, and in the Bible, Jesus was tempted by Satan three times while he was in the desert for 40 days and 40 nights. While there is no evidence to prove that Betelgeuse or this version of the afterlife is demonic in origin, the explanation helps add a creepier layer to the film. What's more, with Beetlejuice spending so much time dealing with the concept of life after death, the satanic connotations of the number three feel like a fitting inclusion to the overall lore.

That follows up in the sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which once again finds Keaton's "ghost with the most" angling to marry Lydia. His ex-wife Delores, who he chopped up with an ax during the Black Plague, has returned seeking revenge, and he's hoping to hide in the mortal world. Meanwhile, Lydia wants to enter the afterlife in pursuit of her still-living daughter Astrid and needs Beetlejuice to help. As in the first film, she summons him by evoking his name three times, then makes a bargain with him that she later comes to regret. Both times, the use of the trope carries with it a huge amount of unspoken symbolism that sells the audience how dangerous it is to summon this particular ghost by name.

No matter the explanation, Betelgeuse is, before anything else, a businessman. To him, saying his name three times is no different than signing multiple papers on a contract. His methods may be questionable, but it speaks to his character that he will always make sure a person is sure of their decision before doing anything. Even when he has to save the Maitlands in Beetlejuice's climax, he explains to Lydia what it will cost to help them. Once his terms were laid out, the only thing left was to utter his name three times.

Beetlejuice is currently streaming on Max. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is now playing in theaters.