At DigitalMagazine, we watch classic Halloween movies all year long. Not all films set on October 31st are the same. The right choice depends on your mood. If you’re feeling nostalgic, check out classics like Beetlejuice. If you want a scary movie that keeps you on edge, The Exorcist is the one to watch.
I made a list of my favorite films for the spooky season, including creepy murder mysteries, psychological thrillers, and classic monster movies. If you scare easily, there are some funny choices that mix horror and humor well. If you want a scary movie for everyone, I’ve got family-friendly picks too, like Halloweentown and Monster House. Grab your favorite Halloween snacks and get ready to enjoy 30 of the best Halloween movies to set the mood.
30 Best Halloween Movies
1. Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
Cast: Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker
Run time: 103 minutes
The Sanderson sisters are back in Salem after 29 years in this exciting sequel. (*Cue “The Witches Are Back.”*) Editor Joel Calfee says it’s just as fun as the original. He praised it, saying, “Though it covers similar themes as the first, it offers plenty of laughs to keep viewers engaged, thanks to its great leading ladies and some surprises.” It’s clear why part three is being made.
2. A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting (2020)
Cast: Tamara Smart, Oona Laurence, Ian Ho, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson
Run time: 98 minutes
A high school student named Kelly joins a secret society of babysitters fighting a Boogeyman who kidnaps kids. Joe Ballarini wrote the movie and the book trilogy it’s based on. He told Daily Dead, “The tone is funny, and it captures the book’s essence and action. For the movie, we age it up, which I think is cool. It’s a bit different, but we got away with more in the movie.”
3. It Lives Inside (2023)
Cast: Megan Suri, Neeru Bajwa, Mohana Krishnan, Betty Gabriel
Run time: 99 minutes
From the makers of Get Out comes the 2023 horror movie, It Lives Inside. Samidha (Suri) is an Indian-American teenager. After a big fight with her best friend, she unleashes a vengeful demon that thrives on her loneliness. The film explores Indian traditions and mythology, a rare sight in horror. Director Bishal Dutta has discussed blending Eastern and Western sensibilities. He shared with Script Magazine, “This film seemed like a chance to connect the two because I truly enjoy American horror. My experience with The Conjuring was amazing… I really love that intense, heart-racing kind of horror. I believed there was a way to combine both.”
4. Hubie Halloween (2020)
Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta
Run time: 103 minutes
Set on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts. A man unexpectedly ends up in a murder investigation and must think outside the box to prove to the police that monsters are real. This comedy horror features famous cameos from Kenan Thompson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Maya Rudolph, along with Sandler’s unique humor, making it a must-watch.
5. Escape Room (2019)
Cast: Logan Miller, Deborah Woll, Taylor Russell
Run time: 99 minutes
Enjoyed Squid Game? You’ll really enjoy this. Six strangers are trapped in a tricky maze. They must team up to escape before time runs out. Directed by Adam Robitel, this psychological horror is full of suspense and thrilling moments. A sequel, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions, came out in 2021.
6. Room on the Broom (2012)
Cast: Gillian Anderson, Rob Brydon, Timothy Spall, Martin Clunes
Run time: 30 minutes
Inspired by Julia Donaldson’s popular book, it tells the story of a kind witch who invites animals to join her on her broom, even with a big crowd. By the way, Room on the Broom is just 27 minutes long, so it’s great for a quick pre-bedtime watch!
7. Corpse Bride (2005)
Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson
Run time: 77 minutes
This animated Halloween movie by Tim Burton features a shy groom (voiced by Depp) rehearsing his wedding vows in front of a dead woman (Carter), who mistakenly thinks she’s his bride. Mike Johnson made his directorial debut with this movie, which was nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It was one of the first two stop-motion films to be included in that category.
8. Haunt (2019)
Cast: Katie Stevens, Will Brittain, Lauryn McClain
Run time: 92 minutes
Friends visit a famous haunted house together. What’s the issue? The scary stories they heard can’t compare to the real horrors ahead. Did you know? Scott Beck and Bryan Woods were writing the script for A Quiet Place while working on this film. They really thought that neither of these films would be made.
9. Boogeyman (2005)
Cast: Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Lucy Lawless, Aaron Murphy
Run time: 89 minutes
As a child, Tim (Aaron Murphy) remembers his father being taken away by the boogeyman. Years later, he must confront his fears as an adult (Barry Watson). Stephen Kay’s supernatural horror resulted in two direct-to-video sequels: Boogeyman 2 and Boogeyman 3.
10. Day Shift (2022)
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Run time: 113 minutes
This pool cleaner has a secret job: vampire hunting. It’s his only hope to pay for his daughter’s tuition before time runs out. Foxx shines in every scene, and the silly humor balances the intense moments well. In my review, I said, “Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco have great chemistry in this fun vampire comedy, and fans of the genre will enjoy the gory fight scenes.”
11. The Nun (2018)
Cast: Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet
Run time: 96 minutes
A nun’s suicide leads to a Vatican investigation, revealing a dark secret. The Corin Hardy film is a spin-off of The Conjuring 2 and the fifth movie in The Conjuring universe. It got mixed reviews but made $366 million, becoming the highest-grossing film in the series.
12. The Witch (2015)
Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie
Run time: 93 minutes
In 1630 New England, a religious family faces a dark force when their youngest son, Samuel, goes missing. Anya Taylor-Joy and Sarah Stephens made their film debuts, and the movie was filmed in only 25 days.
Director Robert Eggers shared his inspiration with The Verge: “It was intense for me. I grew up in New England, and the woods behind my house felt haunted by its past. I was fascinated by Salem and visited every Halloween. I was curious about witches and the witch trials, but as a kid, I was disappointed that witches weren’t real. In Salem, Halloween was just so over-the-top.”
13. The Conjuring (2013)
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor
Run time: 112 minutes
Two paranormal investigators are called to assist a family that just moved into a new house. What’s the issue? It has an otherworldly vibe. Get ready for the nightmares.
Director James Wan discussed the film’s tone with Collider, saying, “I aimed for a fun, creepy, and somewhat tongue-in-cheek movie. However, since it’s based on real people’s stories, I want to honor that and keep it grounded in reality. It’s also a period film, so I want to stay true to that.”
14. Goosebumps (2015)
Cast: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee
Run time: 103 minutes
Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) is excited to find out that his neighbor’s dad is a famous sci-fi writer. Things change quickly when he accidentally releases the franchise’s fictional monsters. R.L. Stine, the author of the books that inspired the film, said he wasn’t involved in it but loved the final result. He told Slate Magazine, “I like it more each time I see it… The three teenage leads feel so real; they’re funny and sweet. I think they’re the best part of the film.”
15. Hell Fest (2019)
Cast: Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, Bex Taylor-Klaus
Run time: 88 minutes
The movie pays tribute to ’80s slasher films. It follows three couples visiting Hell Fest, a traveling carnival. A masked serial killer makes the theme park a deadly Hunger Games. Gregory Plotkin directed the film, which made $18.2 million at the box office.
16. Tales of Halloween (2015)
Cast: Neil Marshall, Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Lucky McKee, Andrew Kasch, Paul Solet
Run time: 92 minutes
It has ten brief stories about ghosts, ghouls, and monsters, including The Weak and the Wicked and Grim Grinning Ghost. It’s an anthology film, and each story is about the spooky holiday. It has lots of scares but isn’t too dark or gruesome, so grab your popcorn and candy.
17. Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Cast: Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur
Run time: 96 minutes
Young Stella (Zoe Colletti) enjoys sharing scary stories about her eerie home, but things take a turn when they become real in her small town. The movie is inspired by Alvin Schwartz’s short horror stories and directed by André Øvredal. A sequel is in the works. In August 2023, Øvredal shared with IGN, “We have a story. We have a script. We’ve been working on it as recently as last year and a bit into this year. The process paused due to the strike, but it’s definitely alive.”
18. It (2017)
Who’s in it: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard
Runtime: 135 minutes
The modern adaptation of Stephen King’s 1986 novel It follows seven young outcasts who think a creepy clown is responsible for the missing children in their neighborhood. Every 27 years, a supernatural creature comes from the sewers to hunt kids, using their worst fears to trap them.
The story had two parts. The first part was released in 2017, and It Chapter Two came out in 2019. King’s novel was adapted into an ABC miniseries called Stephen King’s It, which aired in 1990.
19. A Quiet Place (2018)
Cast: Emily Blunt John Krasinski
Run time: 90 minutes
A family of four must live in silence in a post-apocalyptic world to hide from alien monsters that hunt by sound. The horror film received great praise and won several awards, including a Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (for Blunt). The film got an Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing.
20. Polaroid (2019)
Cast: Kathryn Prescott, Mitch Pileggi, Grace Zabriskie
Run time: 88 minutes
A girl named Bird finds an old Polaroid camera that seems harmless. When she discovers it has a deadly curse, she must find a way to stop it. Critics didn’t love the Lars Klevberg film, but if you enjoy Halloween movies with lots of jump scares and tense moments, this is a good choice for you.
21. Zombieland (2009)
Cast: Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
Run time: 87 minutes
A comedy thriller about four strangers who must survive in a post-apocalyptic world. They go on a road trip across the U.S. while battling zombies. Zombieland earned over $102 million globally and was the top-grossing zombie film in the U.S. until World War Z came out in 2013. There’s a sequel called Zombieland: Double Tap.
22. Cam (2018)
Cast: Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, Melora Walters, Devin Druid
Run time: 95 minutes
Daniel Goldhaber’s directorial debut features Brewer as Alice Ackerman, a cam girl who finds out her account has been hacked and is now run by a doppelgänger. Alice is set on finding the person responsible to regain her identity. This movie will make you reconsider being a webcam model.
23. Gerald’s Game (2017)
Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carel Struycken, Henry Thomas
Run time: 103 minutes
A couple’s romantic trip to a secluded home takes a dark turn when they argue, and the husband suffers a heart attack…leaving the wife handcuffed to the bed. Trapped and with no way out, she has to find a way to survive while facing scary hallucinations. The movie is based on Stephen King’s 1992 novel, which many thought couldn’t be filmed for years.
24. Five Nights at Freddy’s (2023)
Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail
Run time: 110 minutes
Five Nights at Freddy’s is a horror game where a troubled security guard (Hutcherson) takes a night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. While working at the pizza place, he quickly notices a dark presence hiding in the walls. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 is coming out in December 2025.
25. The Nun 2 (2023)
Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid, Bonnie Aarons, Anna Popplewell
Run time: 110 minutes
Sister Irene (Farmiga) is back in this scary sequel to look into a series of murders happening throughout Europe. Is the demonic nun alive again? This is a follow-up to the 2018 film, The Nun, and the eighth movie in The Conjuring Universe series. It made an impressive $269.5 million, even with mixed reviews from critics.
26. No One Will Save You (2023)
Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Zack Duhame, Lauren Murray, Geraldine Singer
Run time: 93 minutes
Brynn (Dever) is a lonely seamstress grieving her mother and best friend. One day, a humanoid alien breaks into her home, and she accidentally kills it. This event leads her down a frightening path to confront her past. This gem has the approval of Stephen King. In 2023, he tweeted, “No One Will Save You: Brilliant, daring, involving, scary. You have to go back over 60 years to a Twilight Zone episode called ‘The Invaders’ (1961) to find anything like it. Truly unique.”
27. The Curse of Bridge Hollow (2022)
Cast: Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson, Kelly Rowland
Run time: 91 minutes
A teenage girl accidentally summons an ancient spirit on Halloween after moving to a new house. To save the town, she joins her father to end the curse for good. Director Jeff Wadlow mentioned that filming had its tough moments. He told ScreenRant, “Prep was intense because we were creating all these monsters. That was the biggest challenge of the movie. It’s one thing to write Clown or Zombie, but what do they look like? How do we make them uniquely ours? That was the biggest challenge.”
28. Disco Inferno (2023)
Cast: Soni Bringas, Stephen Ruffin, Helene Udy
Run time: 18 minutes
The short film is set in the summer of ’73 and follows two expectant parents eager for a fun night at the disco. When they discover an evil demon wants to take their unborn child, they must flee to save themselves. Directed by Matthew Castellanos, known for Yoshua, the film was co-written by Castellanos and Mike Ambs.
29. Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023)
Cast: Jackson White, Natalie Alyn Lind, Forrest Goodluck
Run time: 87 minutes
This film is a prequel to the 2019 Pet Sematary, based on a hidden chapter from Stephen King’s work. Set 50 years before the first movie, it follows a young boy uncovering dark family secrets. It became the most-watched original film on Paramount+ in its first 30 days, surpassing Teen Wolf: The Movie.
30. It: Chapter 2 (2019)
Cast: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa
Run time: 169 minutes
It’s been 27 years since the first Pennywise encounter. Now, when people start to disappear, childhood friends reunite as adults. Can they finally defeat the shape-shifting monster? While it wasn’t as successful as the first, it still made over $473 million worldwide.
