A Complete Guide To Every 'Beetlejuice' Movie And Show

First up is the fantastically bizarre Beetlejuice (1988), directed by Tim Burton. In the movie, a recently deceased couple finds out that a pretentious family from the city has moved into their old home. Hoping to scare them away, the couple (Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis) hire Beetlejuice (portrayed by Michael Keaton in one of the best roles of his career), a “bio-exorcist” who specializes in scaring off humans. 

Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say the plan goes wildly off the rails and absolute chaos ensues. Beetlejuice is a lot of fun and is perfect for anyone who wants to get in the spooky spirit without watching anything too scary. If you’re a fan of other not-too-scary Halloween movies like Hocus Pocus or Haunted Mansion, this is a sure bet. 

Thanks to the success of the film, Beetlejuice got his own spin-off cartoon just one year later. Also titled Beetlejuice, the show ran from 1989 to 1991, producing 94 episodes. This time around, Beetlejuice and Lydia are friends, and in each episode, they find themselves on different adventures, both in the real world and the spirit realm. 

The series took Burton’s already wildly fun style and bonked it up another ten degrees, giving the cartoon the feel of being part-Beetlejuice, part-Killer Klowns from Outer Space, and part-circus. For fans of animated series, the Beetlejuice cartoon has similar dark vibes to other ‘90s and early ‘00s cartoons like Invader Zim, Courage the Cowardly Dog, and The Addams Family.

After the cartoon, the franchise went silent for decades until 2018, when the Beetlejuice musical premiered in DC. It made its way to Broadway the following year and earned eight Tony Award nominations. Then, in 2020, Beetlejuice found himself back on TV, appearing in the Teen Titans Go! Halloween episode “Ghost With the Most” (Season 6, Episode 22). 

In the episode, Beetlejuice (voiced by Alex Brightman, who portrayed the character on Broadway) helps the Titans save Halloween from supernatural entities by using his trademark tricks. The episode even has its own “Day-O” scene, so fans definitely need to check it out for a good laugh. It’s a great watch for hardcore Beetlejuice fans or anyone who appreciates a good pop culture deep cut. 

In 2024, Beetlejuice hit the big screen again with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O’Hara all reprised their roles, with Jenna Ortega joining the cast as Lydia’s daughter, Astrid. In the movie, Astrid accidentally reopens a connection to the spirit world, and the Deetz family finds themselves on a wild ride once again . 

While Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is technically a legacy sequel, it’s also so much more. Yes, nostalgia plays a big part in luring audiences in, but the film also has its own unique story to tell that’s seriously fun, wacky, and even has its own iconic musical number! Come for the nostalgia, but stay for the legitimately great movie. It’s a must-watch for anyone who loves a good spooky legacy sequel, like Hocus Pocus 2, or who just wants a smart, funny take on horror, like Elvira: Mistress of the Dark. That said, you’ll want to watch the original movie to get the most out of its sequel.