BeetleJuice (movie) had developed from a horror movie idea into a supernatural dark humor comedy. This article is for explaining what all differs from the scripts to the final movie.
List[]
Note, most scripts are likely not accounted for. This list only includes scripts that have surfaced fully, or at least enough to confirm them. Principal photography began on March 11, 1987, which while there might be further scripts into production, that likely be the point the production would be moving to daily footage edits and organizing. It must also be noted that Michael Keaton did a lot of ad-libbing for his character Beetlejuice, which would make a lot of his dialog different from the scripts.
June 1, 1985[]
Title:"Beetle Juice" 2nd Draft
Written By: Micheal McDowell
Based on a Story By: Micheal McDowell and Larry Wilson
Page Count: 129 pages
Comparisons/Notes[]
The original script was far less comedic and much darker; the Maitlands' car crash is depicted graphically, with Barbara's arm crushed and the couple screaming for help as they slowly drown. A reference to this remains: Barbara remarks that her arm feels frozen upon returning home as a ghost. Instead of possessing the Deetzes and forcing them to dance during dinner, the Maitlands cause a vine-patterned carpet to come to life and attack them by tangling them to their chairs.
The character of Betelgeuse - envisioned in the first draft as a winged demon who takes on the form of a short man - is also intent on killing the Deetzes rather than scaring them and wants sex from Lydia instead of marriage. In this version of the script, Betelgeuse need only be exhumed from his grave to be summoned, after which he is free to wreck havoc; he can be summoned, but not controlled, by saying his name three times and wanders the world freely, tormenting different characters in different manifestations.
In another version of the script, the film concludes with the Maitlands, Deetzes, and Otho conducting an exorcism ritual that destroys Betelgeuse, and the Maitlands transforming into miniature versions of themselves and moving into Adam's model of their home, which they refurbish to look like their house before the Deetzes moved in.
June 15, 1986[]
Title:"Beetle Juice" First Draft Screenplay-Revised
Written By: Warren Skaaren
Original Screenplay By: Micheal McDowell
Based on a Story By: Micheal McDowell and Larry Wilson
Page Count: 115 pages[1]
Comparisons/Notes[]
August 4, 1986[]
Title:"Beetle Juice" Second Draft
Written By: Warren Skaaren
Original Screenplay By: Micheal McDowell
Based on a Story By: Micheal McDowell and Larry Wilson
Page Count: 135 pages
Comparisons/Notes[]
February 3, 1987[]
Title:"Beetle Juice" Second Draft Screenplay-Revised
Written By: Warren Skaaren
Original Screenplay By: Micheal McDowell
Based on a Story By: Micheal McDowell and Larry Wilson
Page Count: 118 pages