Costumes optional, but encouraged.
I’m going to be honest here: Finding something to watch as a family that will get my kids into the Halloween spirit — but won’t send them creeping into my room at 2 a.m. trembling from a nightmare — is one of my greatest challenges. It takes just the right mix to get that perfect spooky (but not too spooky) feel so that everyone is left ready to hit the neighborhood, pillowcases in hand, for a festive Halloween.
So grab your costumes and a bucket of fun-sized candy and dive into these 13 films and shows that will do just the trick (or treat) — including a few slightly scarier options for those who might want to be a little more daring this season.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting
My teenage daughter recommended this one, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s the story of a very precocious teen babysitter, Kelly Ferguson (Tamara Smart), who discovers that there are boogeymen and monsters who set out to terrorize children at night. And as the title suggests, she learns to hunt them. The monsters are scary, but a little wacky at the same time. What my kids loved the most, particularly my two daughters, is that they were left with this feeling that, with enough gumption, they could give the monsters of this world a run for their money.
Chickenhare and the Hamster of Darkness
The whole family was a little blindsided by how fun this movie was, my teenagers included. It has this wholesome Indiana Jones adventure vibe, with a creepy evil uncle and the true Halloween hook: the green, glowing Hamsters of Darkness. It’s the story of Chickenhare, living a fish-out-of-water life, longing to be a treasure-seeking adventurer like his adoptive father but never fitting in as a chicken or a hare. There’s a lively skunk, Meg, who had all of us giggling, particularly when she skunked out a tavern during a brawl. Every time the Hamsters of Darkness made an appearance, my two youngest snuggled a little closer to me on the sofa, but by the end they couldn’t stop talking about how much they enjoyed watching.
The Curse of Bridge Hollow
Conjure this film on your screens for a night of family-friendly Halloween fun. The story follows teenager Sydney (Priah Ferguson) who moves with her parents, Howard (Marlon Wayans) and Emily (Kelly Rowland), from Brooklyn to the Halloween-obsessed town of Bridge Hollow. But adjusting to their new home becomes the least of Sydney’s problems when she accidentally frees an evil spirit and has to team up with her skeptical dad to prevent it from wreaking supernatural havoc on the small town. If you have kids in your life who like a few bumps in the night but aren’t ready for more grown-up spooky fare, this could be their perfect brew.
Goosebumps
Parents who grew up in the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, this is your chance to introduce your kids to the awesomeness that is Goosebumps. There seemed to be 800 million of these books at the school library when I was a kid, and this series stays true to R.L. Stine’s delightfully creepy source material. It’s just like you remember: eerie, but never too frightening. One of the fun things my family did was flip through episodes that I remembered, talked about haunted villains that were popular (the mummy, the dummy … ), and just soaked in the Goosebumps vibes as we ate some skeleton-shaped gummy candy.
Mr. Harrigan’s Phone
This film is based on a haunting novella from the horror master himself, Stephen King. If you have older kids, particularly teens who spend a lot of time on their phones, this movie is almost too perfect. Here’s the premise: Craig (Jaeden Martell) is a teen who befriends Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland), a curmudgeonly local billionaire. As a gift, Craig gives Mr. Harrigan his first smartphone. When Mr. Harrigan dies, Craig discovers that he can still communicate with his deceased friend via his phone — and then, in the most Stephen King way possible, chilling things begin happening to people who happen to cross Craig. My teenagers loved the movie, and while it didn’t keep them up at night, at one point I caught both of them looking at their phones with the same sort of wide-eyed caution they once saved for a dark bedroom closet. And then — brace yourself — they actually put their phones away. For a father with phone-obsessed teens, this was extremely satisfying to see.
Hubie Halloween
I watched Hubie Halloween last year with my teenage son, and we laughed — sure, because Adam Sandler. And yes, I understood twice as many jokes as he did, seeing as how the movie seems to be perpetually winking and nodding at previous Adam Sandler characters (cue Ben Stiller as Hal the Orderly). But what really makes this a great Halloween family movie is the wacky mixed with creepy, as Sandler’s goofy and charming Hubie saves his town on Halloween night. It’s also loaded with offbeat jokes and characters that will leave the whole family giggling and excited for spooky season.
Nightbooks
My family really loved this movie. But I will say, if you have kids who are easily frightened, you might want to hold off on this one. It’s a modern retelling of Hansel and Gretel, but there’s also a hint of Baba Yaga, with a dash of The Shining. It’s the story of Alex Mosher, a young boy who loves writing scary stories. He ends up trapped in a magical apartment controlled by a witch who makes him write her stories each day. The film is produced by famed Evil Dead and Army of Darkness director Sam Raimi, and anyone who loves horror films will see a number of winks and nods to the classics, making this a wonderful gateway for kids who might be interested in scarier movies.
Scaredy Cats
My daughters had this show on repeat when it was first released. When we went on a family vacation over the summer, they downloaded it for the drive, and anyone who’s ever prepped for a long road trip knows that’s a mark of high praise. It has good and evil, black cats, witches, and magic. It’s imaginative, with quirky kiddos learning about a new world, and last year my youngest daughter abandoned her original Halloween costume to be a witch, simply because of this show.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
This show is dark and just a little spooky, but ultimately, it’s an absurd comedy that is incredibly true to the original books. I don’t know if I could ask for someone more fit to play the wonky and evil Count Olaf than Neil Patrick Harris, living in his gothic, rundown estate. Watching the series together gave me the opportunity to talk about how excellent these books are, and got my kids interested in reading them as a lead-up to Halloween.
Sing: Thriller
The Sing gang’s all here for this spooky animated short. After putting together a performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” at the New Moon Theatre, Buster Moon, Johnny, Meena, Miss Crawly, Ash, and Gunter head to a Halloween party at Clay Calloway’s house. But something is amiss, and everyone’s acting a bit peculiar — as the song goes, something evil’s lurking in the dark. When the guests arrive at the party, they notice a mysterious, multicolored ooze has taken over, and Clay and his party guests begin to dance just like the characters at the theater. This is a fun, family-friendly short that’ll have everyone laughing, singing, and dancing along! The short features many of the original Sing cast members, including Matthew McConaughey, Tori Kelly, Nick Kroll, Scarlett Johansson, Taron Egerton, and Garth Jennings.
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween
I find Captain Underpants hilarious. Maybe it’s because I’m still a preteen at heart. I read the books with my son, and they got him interested in reading. In fact, for a long time, they were the only thing he’d read. We did the same thing with my youngest daughter, and now it’s the only thing she’ll read. Thus, The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-Ween was a huge hit. Yes, it contains a lot of Captain Underpants–style low-brow humor. No surprises there. But if you have young readers who are obsessed with Captain Underpants, this movie is a surefire way to get in the Halloween spirit, while also instigating a lot of snort-laughing in your living room. Trust me, I know.
Troll
This 2022 Norwegian film is one of the best recent introductions to the monster movie genre. It kicks off with a drilling operation tunneling through the Norwegian mountains, which results in an eruption that awakens a monstrous troll, who goes on to wreak havoc on the surrounding communities. The film has a number of winks and nods to monster movie pioneers like Godzilla and King Kong, lots of action, and a wonderful take on the Norwegian troll myth. I will, however, qualify this recommendation by noting the film might just be a little too intense for younger children. But if you have older kids who are fascinated by monsters, Troll is a fun family way to include a new creature feature to your Halloween festivities.
Wednesday
Wednesday is the perfect way to get you and your family in the creepy, kooky spirit. It’s a Tim Burton production at its best, with all that dark imagery and offbeat humor — a show that isn’t too scary, but just haunting enough to fill the room with the perfect Halloween vibe. The cast includes Luis Guzmán and Catherine Zeta-Jones as Gomez and Morticia and Jenna Ortega as the iconic Wednesday. As a father of teenagers, I absolutely loved this show for the interactions between Wednesday and her parents. Yes, it all happens in the most Addams Family kind of way, like when Morticia mentions giving Wednesday her first “grave-robbing kit,” as if that’s a casual coming-of-age milestone. The eye rolls from Wednesday every time she interacts with her absolutely doting parents are familiar to any parent raising a teen who’s ready to leave the nest. When my family watched this together, my wife and I kept giving each other knowing looks that seemed to say, “This show understands the parenting struggle.” At the same time, our two teens were giving each other a similar look, only their eyes seemed to say, “This show understands the teenager’s struggle.” A second season has already been announced, and this Halloween would be a great time to get ready for the next Wednesday adventure.
We Have a Ghost
When the Presley family moves into their new home, they don’t realize someone is already living there. Or, should we say, he “lives” there — Ernest (David Harbour) is the friendly ghost who hangs out in the attic. Teenager Kevin (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) discovers the specter up there one day, and the pair strike up an unlikely friendship. Kevin feels misunderstood by his father and needs a friend, and Ernest has no memory of how he died and needs Kevin’s help working through some unfinished business. But when Kevin’s dad, Frank (Anthony Mackie), finds out about the ghost, all he sees is an opportunity to make some money, so he posts a video of Ernest online that goes viral, which drives a wedge between him and his son. Now everyone wants a piece of Ernest — including the CIA. We Have a Ghost is based on the short story “Ernest” by Geoff Manaugh and features a stellar cast, including Tig Notaro and Jennifer Coolidge.
Wendell & Wild
Why not invite two demons to your movie night to cause a little chaos? Directed by Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas), this stop-motion animated tale features dynamic duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele voicing the titular Wendell and Wild, demon brothers sentenced to a life of boredom and servitude. But when the scheming duo meet an orphaned teen named Kat (voiced by Lyric Ross), they hatch a plan to bust out of the underworld for good. The surreal vibes and darker fantasy elements might be better suited for older kids and teens, but those who watch are in for a devilishly good time.
