 Beetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy fantasy film directed by Tim Burton , produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros. The plot revolves around a recently deceased young couple ( Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis ) who become ghosts haunting their former home , and an obnoxious , devious ghost named Betelgeuse ( pronounced Beetlejuice , portrayed by Michael Keaton ) from the Netherworld who tries to scare away the new inhabitants ( Catherine O 'Hara , Jeffrey Jones , and Winona Ryder ) permanently . 
