Wes Craven was attached to direct the film at one time, when it was set as a morbid, supernatural drama, but the studio later took the film in a more comedic direction.

Tim Burton wanted his childhood hero, Sammy Davis, Jr., to play the title character in Beetlejuice. Studio execs shot him down.

Producers originally thought of Kinison for the role of Beetlejuice, but Kinison's agent never told him of the project.

Juliette Lewis was up for the pivotal role of Lydia Deetz.