So, you just walked out of the theater after seeing Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, or maybe you finally sat down to watch the 1988 original for the hundredth time. You're probably craving more of that specific, scratchy, neon-gothic itch that only Tim Burton seems to scratch. Finding similar movies to Beetlejuice isn't actually as easy as just looking for "ghost movies."
It’s about the texture. It’s that weird, sticky middle ground where things are gross but hilarious, and death is just a bureaucratic nightmare with a better color palette. People usually point toward anything with a pumpkin or a skeleton, but there’s a nuance to the "Ghost with the Most" vibe that many lists totally miss.
Why Most Similar Movies to Beetlejuice Lists Fail
Most recommendations are lazy. They’ll tell you to watch The Nightmare Before Christmas just because Tim Burton’s name is on the box. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a masterpiece. But if you’re looking for the chaotic, anarchic energy of Michael Keaton’s Betelgeuse, a stop-motion musical about a skeleton discovering Christmas might not hit the spot.
You need the attitude. Beetlejuice is a "bio-exorcist" who is essentially a sleazy used-car salesman from hell. To find something that feels the same, you have to look for movies that treat the supernatural like a nuisance rather than a tragedy.
1. The Frighteners (1996)
If you haven't seen this Peter Jackson gem, stop everything. Honestly. Before he was the Lord of the Rings guy, Jackson made this wild, high-energy horror comedy starring Michael J. Fox. Fox plays Frank Bannister, a conman who can actually see ghosts. He uses his ghostly buddies to haunt houses so he can "clear" them for a fee.
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It’s basically the inverse of Beetlejuice. Instead of ghosts hiring a bio-exorcist, you have a living guy running a ghost-busting scam with spirits who are just as tired of the afterlife as the Maitlands were. The visual effects were way ahead of their time, and it captures that manic, dark-slapstick energy perfectly.
2. Death Becomes Her (1992)
This is the one people forget. It’s got Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn, and Bruce Willis, but it’s easily one of the most "Burton-esque" movies not made by Burton. It deals with immortality and the absolute gross-out horror of what happens to a body when it’s dead but still moving.
The special effects are delightfully ghoulish. Necks are twisted 180 degrees, shovel-sized holes are blown through stomachs, and the characters just keep bickering. It’s cynical. It’s colorful. It’s obsessed with the macabre. If you loved the "Neitherworld" waiting room scenes, you’ll love the vanity-driven purgatory of this movie.
Breaking Down the "New Wave" of Quirky Macabre
Lately, we’ve seen a bit of a revival in this genre. It’s not just 80s nostalgia; it’s a specific aesthetic that Gen Z has dubbed "Goth-Pomp" or "Dark Whimsy."
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Lisa Frankenstein (2024)
Basically, if Lydia Deetz had a crush on a Victorian corpse instead of just being friends with ghosts, you’d get Lisa Frankenstein. Written by Diablo Cody, it’s a neon-soaked, 80s-themed horror comedy that feels like a spiritual successor to the original Beetlejuice. It’s campy, weird, and deeply empathetic toward the "strange and unusual" kids. It doesn't take itself seriously, which is the secret sauce for any movie trying to stand next to Keaton's performance.
Addams Family Values (1993)
While the first Addams Family movie is great, the sequel is where the "Beetlejuice-ness" really shines. Christina Ricci’s Wednesday Addams at summer camp is the peak of deadpan comedy. The way the Addams family views the "normal" world as a terrifying, bright-colored nightmare is exactly how the Deetz family should have been handled in a perfect world. It’s the gold standard for movies where the "monsters" are the most relatable people in the room.
The Misunderstood Classics
Sometimes you have to look at the movies that influenced the vibe in the first place. You’ve probably heard of Edward Scissorhands, but that’s more of a tragic fairytale. If you want the chaos, you look elsewhere.
- Little Shop of Horrors (1986): A singing, man-eating plant from outer space? It’s got the same practical-effect charm and "deal with the devil" plot points.
- Gremlins 2: The New Batch: Forget the first one for a second. The sequel is pure, unadulterated madness. It’s a live-action cartoon where everything goes wrong in a high-tech skyscraper. It shares that "anything can happen" DNA that makes the Beetlejuice dinner party scene so iconic.
How to Find Your Next Spooky Favorite
When you're hunting for similar movies to Beetlejuice, don't just search for "horror." Search for "dark fantasy comedy." You're looking for films where the production design is a character itself.
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Think about the stripes, the jagged architecture, and the sense that the world is just slightly tilted. If a movie feels like it was filmed inside an abandoned carnival, you're on the right track.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to curate the perfect "Beetlejuice Vibe" marathon, don't just wing it. Start with The Frighteners to get the ghost-mechanics down. Move into Death Becomes Her for the dark social satire. Wrap it up with Lisa Frankenstein for that modern, neon-goth finish.
If you really want to go deep, look into the works of Terry Gilliam—specifically Time Bandits or The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. They aren't "ghost stories," but the visual language is so weird and cluttered that any Burton fan will feel right at home. Skip the generic streaming recommendations and look for the movies that feel like they have dirt under their fingernails.