The 100 Best Halloween Movies of All Time

Here at PureWow, we pretty much watch classic Halloween movies all year round. But not all October 31st-based films are created equal, and choosing the right one all depends on what kind of mood you're in. For instance, if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can revisit classics like Beetlejuice. If you’re down for a terrifying flick that’ll make you sleep with one eye open, then The Exorcist ought to do the trick. (To each their own.)

To help you decide, I interviewed our team of horror movie-loving editors to create a list of the best Halloween movies ever made, ranging from creepy murder mysteries and psychological thrillers to traditional monster movies, all perfect for celebrating the spooky season. If you get scared easily (ahem, like moi) you’ll find a few funny options that skillfully blend horror elements with humor. And if you prefer a scary movie that’s suitable for all ages, don’t worry—I’ve included some family-friendly options, too, like Halloweentown and Monster House. So, grab your favorite Halloween snacks and prepare to spice up your queue with 100 of the best Halloween movies of all time.

• Cast: Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Dianne Wiest, Stockard Channing
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 25% | IMDb 6.3/10
• Run time: 104 minutes

Bullock and Kidman are primo on their own. Together? Playing non-practicing witches who try to use their hereditary gift for magic to fix their love lives? Solid gold. (Same goes for the Stevie Nicks soundtrack.) FYI, Kidman and Bullock are set to reprise their roles in the sequel, Practical Magic 2, which will drop in 2026. As if that news wasn’t exciting enough, we kinda freaked out when Kidman shared a behind-the-scenes sneak peek video with Bullock from on-set.

• Cast: Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 40% | IMDb 6.9/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

More witches! The Sanderson sisters are resurrected after three centuries, and just in time for trick-or-treaters. But can Max stop them from carrying out their evil plan? While I find Max seriously problematic, I love the film’s quirky tone and the funny sister dynamics between the Sanderson trio. Although it wasn’t a critical success, it became a fan favorite and even spawned a franchise. Just ask our editor Abby Hepworth about it: “Hocus Pocus might just be one of my top three favorite movies ever, not just Halloween movies. It’s exactly the right level of camp and the cast is just spectacular. Truly such a fun movie for people of all ages.” FWIW, part two came out in 2022 (see below) and the third installment is now in development.

• Cast: Kathy Najimy, Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 65% | IMDb 6/10
• Run time: 103 minutes

In the highly anticipated sequel, the Sanderson sisters return to Salem after 29 years. (*Cue “The Witches Are Back.”*) And according to former PureWow editor Joel Calfee, it’s just as entertaining as the original. In his rave review, he wrote, “While it may tread the same ground as the first installment, it provides enough laughs to keep viewers entertained, thanks to its winning leading ladies and a few surprises along the way.” It’s no wonder part three is in the works.

• Cast: Isabelle Fuhrman, Vera Farmiga, Peter Sarsgaard
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 59% | IMDb 7/10
• Run time: 123 minutes

Married couple Kate (Farmiga) and John (Sarsgaard) adopt a sweet, young girl named Esther. After a series of unfortunate events start to occur, the couple begins to suspect their new daughter is far from innocent. It’s safe to say that Furhman’s chilling portrayal of Esther is what nightmares are made of. She reprised her role in the prequel, Orphan: First Kill, which was released in 2022.

• Cast: Richard O'Brien, Tim Curry, Patricia Quinn
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 80% | IMDb 7.4/10
• Run time: 98 minutes

This cult musical about a couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) forced to rap on the door of a wacky scientist (Tim Curry) after their car breaks down is a must-watch for the soundtrack and costumes alone. You’ll appreciate the catchy musical numbers and clever commentary on stereotypes, but it’s Curry’s standout performance that makes this movie shine. “I dare you not to watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show without singing along. It’s nearly impossible,” says Candace Davison, PureWow’s VP of Editorial Content. “Yes, it’s an unhinged storyline, but if Halloween isn’t the time to explore darker, wilder themes, when can you?!” Also, fun fact: It’s still in limited release, making it the longest-running theatrical release in film history.

• Cast: Tamara Smart, Oona Laurence, Ian Ho, Troy Leigh-Anne Johnson
• Rating: TV-PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 65% | IMDb 5.4/10
• Run time: 98 minutes

In this dark fantasy, a high school student named Kelly is recruited by a secret society of babysitters, who are battling a Boogeyman slash kidnapper. The movie was written by Joe Ballarini, who authored the book trilogy that the film is based on. He told Daily Dead, “The tone is very funny, and I do feel like it captures the book's essence and action. For the sake of the movie, we age it up...which I think is a pretty cool move. It’s a little different, but we got away with a little bit more in the movie.”

• Cast: Bill Murray, Casey Kasem, Dan Aykroyd
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 95% | IMDb 7.8/10
• Run time: 105 minutes

If there’s something strange in your neighborhood…Who you gonna call? If you loved the 2016 version, you will definitely love the hilarious 1984 classic, which revolves around a group of professors turned ghost exterminators. Thanks to a stellar cast and its blend of comedy and horror elements, the film became a massive success and kick-started a successful franchise, including an animated series, comic books, video games and multiple sequels.

• Cast: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 90% | IMDb 7.9/10
• Run time: 105 minutes

This is a must-watch for anyone who thinks Johnny Depp’s kooky character acting began with Pirates of the Caribbean. In the film, he plays a kind man named Edward. Unfortunately, the scientist who created him passes away before he can replace Edward’s scissorhands with real ones, and he’s instantly labeled an outcast by humans. The movie earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Depp was nominated for the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. PureWow’s editor-in-chief supports these accolades: “Is it a Halloween movie? Is it a Christmas movie? Who can say! All I know is it’s Tim Burton at his best, with a creepy/funny vibe that paved the way for The Nightmare Before Christmas. I watched it with my (then) 8 and 9 year-old last year, and found it wasn’t too scary.”

• Cast: Megan Suri, Neeru Bajwa, Mohana Krishnan, Betty Gabriel
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 64% | IMDb 5.2/10
• Run time: 99 minutes

From the producers of Get Out comes the 2023 horror flick, It Lives Inside. This tells the story of an Indian-American teenager named Samidha (Suri). After having a big fight with her best friend, she releases a vengeful demon that feeds on her loneliness. The film taps into Indian traditions and mythology, which is rarely seen in the horror genre. Director Bishal Dutta has opened up about merging both Eastern and Western sensibilities. He told Script Magazine, “This film felt like an opportunity to bridge the two because I really love American horror. I love the experience I had with The Conjuring...I really love that visceral, pulse-pounding type of horror. I felt like there was a way to do both.”

• Cast: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 52% | IMDb 5.3/10
• Run time: 103 minutes

The movie takes place on Halloween night in Salem, Massachusetts. When a man suddenly finds himself in the middle of a real murder investigation, he’s forced to get creative as he tries to convince the police that monsters actually do exist. With so many famous cameos (like Kenan Thompson, Shaquille O'Neal and Maya Rudolph) and Sandler’s unique brand of comedy, it’s impossible to not enjoy this comedy horror.

• Cast: Raul Julia, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Lloyd
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 67% | IMDb 6.9/10
• Run time: 101 minutes

Anjelica Huston was nominated for an Oscar for her role in this film about a group of con artists who try to pull a fast one on the famously eccentric family. Despite a rather stressful filming process, which included multiple delays, the film turned out to be a massive success, earning nearly seven times its overall production budget. Watch for Wednesday's iconic one-liners, not to mention Morticia’s feminist energy.

• Cast: Logan Miller, Deborah Woll, Taylor Russell
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 50% | IMDb 6.4/10
• Run time: 99 minutes

Loved Squid Game? Then you’ll get a kick out of this one. When six strangers are thrown into a deceiving maze, they must work together to find the exit before time runs out. Directed by Adam Robitel, the psychological horror is packed with suspense and hair-raising moments. Plus, it was followed by a 2021 sequel called Escape Room: Tournament of Champions.

• Cast: Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 52% | IMDb 6.2/10
• Run time: 100 minutes

Christina Ricci is back at it when a friendly ghost falls in love with her. Too bad Casper’s also-transparent relatives don’t approve. This film marked Brad Silberling’s feature directorial debut and it was all inspired by a Harvey Comics cartoon character. Davison says there’s a reason to still prioritize it 30 years after its release: “Did you even grow up in the ‘90s if you didn’t have a crush on Devon Sawa as Casper?” she laughs. “Bill Pullman and Christina Ricci are superb, and it strikes just the right balance of spooky and funny so it provides thrills without terrifying kids. Still, it might be best for ages 6 and up.”

• Cast: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Kathy Steinberg, Bill Melendez
• Rating: TV-PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 95% | IMDb 8.1/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

Another family favorite: Linus patiently awaits the arrival of the Great Pumpkin despite relentless teasing from Lucy, Sally and the rest of the Peanuts gang. Based on Charles M. Schulz’s classic comic strip, the TV special explores themes like religion, faith and evangelicalism. It was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Children’s Program, and fans were so touched by the story that they sent packages of candy to Schulz.

• Cast: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Bradley Whitford
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 98% | IMDb 7.8/10
• Run time: 104 minutes

Chris is finally ready to meet his girlfriend’s parents. They seem overly accommodating at first, but things take a horrifying turn when he discovers the family’s haunting past. Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, which explores topics like racism and slavery, earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor (for Kaluuya).

• Cast: Gillian Anderson, Rob Brydon, Timothy Spall, Martin Clunes
• Rating: NR
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 81% | IMDb 7.5/10
• Run time: 30 minutes

Based on Julia Donaldson’s best-selling book, this film introduces children to a generous witch, who invites several animals to ride on her broom (despite the large crowd). Oh, and did I mention Room on the Broom is only 27 minutes long, making it the perfect pre-bedtime flick? I’ll admit this is one that my now 7-year-old looks forward to watching every year. (He was introduced to it when he was in kindergarten.)

• Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Emily Watson
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 84% | IMDb 7.4/10
• Run time: 77 minutes

The other animated Halloween movie from Tim Burton, this one is about a shy groom (voiced by Depp) practicing his wedding vows in front of a dead woman (Carter) who, confused, assumes she’s now his bride. This marked Mike Johnson’s directorial debut with the movie ultimately being nominated for an Oscar for Best Animated Feature. It made history as one of the first two stop-motion films to be included in that category.

• Cast: Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Curtis, Tony Moran
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 96% | IMDb 7.7/10
• Run time: 91 minutes

As the first movie in the Halloween franchise, it introduces viewers to serial killer Michael Myers (Nick Castle) as he terrorizes the innocent residents of Haddonfield, Illinois. His main victim? Teen babysitter Laurie Strode. “It’s the ultimate slasher classic and features the most iconic Halloween villain of all time,” Stephanie Maida, PureWow’s senior commerce editor, says. “The theme song still gives me goosebumps no matter how many times I hear it. Jamie Lee Curtis also sets the tone for the decades of ‘final girls’ who follow in her horror footsteps. More than anything, I’m obsessed with the distinct ‘70s-ness of it all.” Halloween sparked a successful film franchise that includes 13 sequels. Curtis has reprised her iconic character in six of them, and each time, she doesn’t disappoint.

• Cast: Debbie Reynolds, Kimberly J. Brown, Joey Zimmerman
• Rating: TV-G
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 83% | IMDb 6.5/10
• Run time: 84 minutes

On her 13th birthday, Marnie (Kimberly J. Brown) learns she’s a witch. Join her as she follows her grandma to Halloweentown, a magical city where warlocks, trolls and zombies reside year-round. Beauty and Cultures Editor Chelsea Candelario raves, “I ranked Halloweentown very highly in my best Disney Channel Original Movies [list] and I still stand by my stance on the ‘90s flick. I watch it every year and I still wish Halloweentown was an actual place.”

• Cast: Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Robert Englund
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 93% | IMDb 7.4/10
• Run time: 91 minutes

Director Wes Craven incited fear with this classic slasher film, which follows Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund) as he stalks teenagers in their dreams. One of his victims, high schooler Nancy Thompson, enlists the help of her friends to investigate this terrifying killing spree. The film spawned a franchise that includes six sequels and a crossover with Friday the 13th.

• Cast: Billy Zane, William Sadler, Jada Pinkett Smith
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 42% | IMDb 6.7/10
• Run time: 92 minutes

An ex-soldier holds the power to unlock a tremendous evil. Although he’s been on the run for 90 years, he’s finally ready to face off against the Collector. Inspired by the horror comic anthology series, Tales from the Crypt, the film was followed up by the 1996 film, Bordello of Blood.

• Cast: Neve Campbell, David Arquette, Courteney Cox, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 78% | IMDb 7.4/10
• Run time: 111 minutes

A small town is on edge after someone commits a series of murders while wearing a Ghostface costume. The slightly comical horror scenes make it the perfect introduction to slasher films. Scream became a successful horror franchise, with the latest installment, Scream VI, getting released in 2023. In his review of the film, PureWow’s VP of News and Entertainment, Philip Mutz, wrote, “They’re funny, they’re smart, they’re scary. And unlike a lot of other horror films that feature a masked killer such as Jason Voorhees, each Scream is also a whodunnit—which makes them so much fun to watch.”

• Cast: Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers, Danny Lloyd
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 83% | IMDb 8.4/10
• Run time: 144 minutes

When a struggling writer becomes a caretaker at an isolated hotel, he uncovers secrets about the property’s dark past. (Creepy children included.) Fun fact: In that famous scene where Nicholson’s character breaks down the bathroom door, the props department built a fake door that could be easily destroyed. However, he tore it apart a little too easily, and the props team had to make a stronger door.

• Cast: Andre Gower, Robby Kiger, Stephen Macht
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 56% | IMDb 6.9/10
• Run time: 82 minutes

In The Monster Squad, five kids are tasked with protecting their small town from the ultimate Halloween foursome: Dracula, the Mummy, the Gill Man and Frankenstein’s Monster. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, the movie became a cult classic, and in 2008, the film’s producer, Rob Cohen, confirmed there were plans to remake the movie. But in 2014, it was announced that the remake was no longer in development.

• Cast: Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Amy Irving, Nancy Allen
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 94% | IMDb 7.4/10
• Run time: 98 minutes

Based on Stephen King’s namesake horror novel, the movie follows Carrie, a social outcast who gets bullied at school and lives with an abusive mother. When she attends a school dance, her bullies play a cruel joke on her, and she begins to discover her supernatural powers. BTW, did you know Nancy Allen initially thought her character was included for comic relief?

• Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Max von Sydow, Lee J. Cobb, Kitty Winn
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 78% | IMDb 8.1/10
• Run time: 122 minutes

When Regan starts acting bizarre, her parents seek medical attention, only to realize she’s been seized by the devil. Aside from the jump scares, this film explores a wealth of important themes, from faith and puberty challenges to parenting and mental health. Understandably, The Exorcist was the first horror film to ever be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

• Cast: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Fran Drescher
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 44% | IMDb 7/10
• Run time: 91 minutes

If you’re up for a wholesome, family-friendly film that features likable characters and keeps the scares to a minimum, you’ll enjoy this monster comedy. It takes place at Hotel Transylvania, a lavish resort run by Count Dracula that serves as a vacation-like escape for monsters. But complications arise when an ordinary human crashes their weekend party.

• Cast: Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Marilyn Eastman
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 95% | IMDb 7.8/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

This is the O.G. zombie movie. It’s filmed in grainy black-and-white, which automatically makes everything 100 times scarier. To protect themselves from flesh-eating monsters, a group of Pennsylvania natives find shelter in an old farmhouse. (P.S. The actors portraying the zombies going ham on corpse meat are actually eating ham covered in chocolate sauce.)

• Cast: Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 13% | IMDb 5.2/10
• Run time: 86 minutes

Jim and his family are in for quite the surprise when they visit a scary mansion that’s unknowingly haunted by Master Gracey. Although it received negative reviews from critics, it was a hit at the box office. And a reboot adaptation of the film, starring Tiffany Haddish, Lakeith Stanfield and Owen Wilson, was released in 2023 to ever-so-slightly improved critical acclaim (this time, it scored a 38 percent on Rotten Tomatoes).

• Cast: Hal Havins, Allison Barron, Alvin Alexis
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 43% | IMDb 6.1/10
• Run time: 90 minutes

In an attempt to scare their friends, two teenage girls host a Halloween seance in an old funeral parlor. However, they get more than they bargained for when they accidentally free a trapped demon. The film has led to two sequels and a remake of the same title. Another sequel, called Night of the Demons: After-Party, was announced in 2013, but the project has since been in development limbo.

• Cast: Katie Featherston, Micah Sloat
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 83% | IMDb 6.3/10
• Run time: 85 minutes

Katie (Featherston) and Micah (Sloat) are excited to get settled in their new home. That is, until they discover that they’re not the only residents. I saw this movie in the theaters when it first came out and screamed pretty much the entire time. There’s a mundaneness to the “found footage” filming format, which makes the horror all the more terrifying. And thanks to Paranormal Activity, that trope quickly became a horror movie trend, inspiring other titles like The Last Exorcism and The Devil Inside.

• Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman, Daniel Henshall
• Rating: NR
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 98% | IMDb 6.8/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

In Jennifer Kent’s phenomenal directorial debut, a single mom is trying to help her son get over his fear of monsters—that is, until she comes face-to-face with the sinister presence itself. According to ScreenRant, Kent isn’t eager to make a sequel. She said, “If there suddenly became some desperate urge to tell a story related to that, I would probably say, ‘Okay, all bets are off. I’m going to go and make the sequel.’ But I just can’t see that happening. I feel that the idea has really been explored.”

• Cast: Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 75% | IMDb 6.7/10
• Run time: 90 minutes

Three kids are convinced that there’s a creature living in the house next door...but no adults will believe them. The kid-friendly film features compelling main characters with redemptive qualities, and it explores important topics like bullying, growing up, letting go and the power of teamwork. (In general, I’d say this film is most appropriate for kids ages 8 and up.)

• Cast: Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 57% | IMDb 6.4/10
• Run time: 100 minutes

Think the Heathers, but with witchcraft in the mix. When Sarah (Robin Tunney) transfers to a new school, she meets a coven of witches who are keen on taking advantage of her telekinetic powers. Andrew Fleming's feminist horror developed a cult following, and the sequel, The Craft: Legacy, was released in October 2020. Back to the original though: Maida says this film inspires her to this day. “‘We are the weirdos, mister!’ I can’t help but quote that iconic line,” she laughs. “This film inspired me to buy a ‘Wicca for Teens’ book and influenced my taste in fashion to this day. The whimsigoth looks! The truly chilling nightmare sequences! Fairuza Balk! It’s a defining film for any angsty, would-be teenage witch complete with its fair share of jump-in-your-seat moments.”

• Cast: JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O'Rourke
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 88% | IMDb 7.3/10
• Run time: 114 minutes

The members of the Freeling family are in for a scare when they learn ghosts can access the house via their television set. The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, including Best Original Score, Best Sound Effects Editing and Best Visual Effects. It was also followed by two sequels (Poltergeist II: The Other Side and Poltergeist III), and there was a 2015 remake, starring Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt and Jared Harris.

• Cast: Katie Stevens, Will Brittain, Lauryn McClain
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 70% | IMDb 6.3/10
• Run time: 92 minutes

Join a group of friends as they visit a legendary haunted house. The problem? The spooky tales they’ve been told are no match for the horrors that await them. Fun fact: When the filmmakers, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, worked on the script, they were also writing the screenplay for A Quiet Place. And get this—they were genuinely convinced that neither of these films would get made.

• Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard, Michiel Huisman
• Rating: NR
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 90% | IMDb 6.6/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

When a man attends a dinner party with his girlfriend, he soon learns that his ex-wife is planning revenge against the guests (including himself). The movie is packed with tension and suspense, and it tackles themes like loss, grief and depression. The films Let the Right One In and Festen were big inspirations for director Karyn Kusama.

• Cast: Barry Watson, Emily Deschanel, Lucy Lawless, Aaron Murphy
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 13% | IMDb 4.2/10
• Run time: 89 minutes

As a child, Tim (Aaron Murphy) is haunted by the memory of his father being dragged away by the boogeyman. Years later, he’s forced to face his fears as an adult (Barry Watson). Stephen Kay’s supernatural horror led to two direct-to-video sequels: Boogeyman 2 and Boogeyman 3.

• Who’s in it: Shannyn Sossamon, Edward Burns, Ariel Winter, Meagan Good
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 0% | IMDb 4/10
• Runtime: 87 minutes

Serving as a remake of the 2003 Japanese film directed by Takashi Miike, One Missed Call is about a young woman named Beth Raymond (Sossamon), who witnesses the death of two friends. They both received a phone call from—get this—their own phone number, detailing how they’re going to die. With the help of detective Jack Andrews (Ed Burns), Beth tries to uncover the mystery behind the phone calls before she suffers the same fate. And don’t even get us started on that creepy ringtone.

• Cast: Johnny Depp, Christina Ricci, Miranda Richardson
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 70% | IMDb 7.3/10
• Run time: 105 minutes

Based on Washington Irving’s classic tale, it follows Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) as he investigates a series of murders in the small village of Sleepy Hollow. Tim Burton’s visually stunning gothic horror film won the Academy Award for Best Art Direction, and it grossed about $207 million worldwide. The story was inspired by Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.

• Cast: Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby, Fred Gwynne
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 58% | IMDb 6.5/10
• Run time: 102 minutes

We all know this list wouldn’t feel complete without a few Stephen King adaptations. The movie is a modern-day take on the fictional story about a couple who discovers a haunted burial ground near their home. The follow-up, Pet Sematary Two, was released in 1992, and another remake was released in 2019, starring Jason Clarke and Amy Seimetz.  

• Cast: Anna Paquin, Brian Cox, Dylan Baker
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 83% | IMDb 6.7/10
• Run time: 82 minutes

The lives of several strangers become intertwined on Halloween in this anthology horror film. The common thread? A terrifying Jack-o-Lantern demon in footie pajamas. Can they extinguish the trick-or-treating demon before midnight? Michael Dougherty, who wrote and directed the movie, announced in 2023 that a sequel is in the works. He told ScreenRant, “I want it to be as good if not better than the original.”

• Cast: Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Natasha Liu Bordizzo
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 57% | IMDb 6.1/10
• Run time: 113 minutes

While working as a pool cleaner pays the bills, this father’s secret job—vampire hunting—may be the only answer to paying for his daughter’s tuition before it’s too late. Foxx steals every scene that he’s in, and there’s just enough silly humor to offset the more intense moments. “Jamie Foxx and Dave Franco’s chemistry shines through in this fun vampire comedy, and die-hard fans of the vampire genre will appreciate the gory fight scenes,” says former PureWow associate editor Nakeisha Campbell.

• Cast: Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 24% | IMDb 5.3/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

When a nun takes her own life, the case is sent to the Vatican for investigation, where they uncover an unholy secret. The Corin Hardy film is a spin-off of The Conjuring 2 and the fifth installment in The Conjuring universe. Though it received mixed reviews, it grossed $366 million and became the highest-grossing film in the series.

• Cast: Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 31% | IMDb 5.6/10
• Run time: 92 minutes

In this adaptation of Robb White’s book, Stephen Price (Geoffrey Rush) is offering a million dollars to anyone who can stay the night in a former insane asylum. However, he soon learns the haunted tales are more fact than fiction. The film led to a direct-to-DVD sequel called Return to House on Haunted Hill, directed by Víctor Garcia.

• Cast: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Olivia Williams
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 86% | IMDb 8.2/10
• Run time: 107 minutes

Cole (Haley Joel Osment) is too scared to tell anyone about his supernatural abilities. That is, until he meets Dr. Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), who uncovers a disturbing truth. This chilling psychological thriller is filled with suspense and solid performances—which explains why it became the second-highest-grossing film of 1999. The film was also nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

• Cast: Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, Michael C. Williams
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 86% | IMDb 6.5/10
• Run time: 80 minutes

Through archived footage, three film students embark on a wild journey as they search for answers about a local murderer named Blair Witch. They conduct several interviews with locals and search for clues, but things take a terrifying turn. It’s one of the most profitable horror films of all time, and it revived the found-footage trend. (See above entry about Paranormal Activity.)

• Cast: Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Jasen Fisher
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 94% | IMDb 6.8/10
• Run time: 91 minutes

When Luke (Fisher) accidentally eavesdrops on a convention of witches, he’s forced to flee before they turn him into a test subject. The story was adapted from Roald Dahl’s The Witches, and though he reportedly disliked the movie, it received a lot of praise from critics. Huston delivers a standout performance, and there are so many memorable scenes—like when the witches take off their wigs.

• Cast: Jonathan Lipnicki, Richard E. Grant, Jim Carter
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 55% | IMDb 5.7/10
• Run time: 95 minutes

Inspired by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg’s children’s book series, the film follows Tony, a young boy who struggles to make friends at his new school. Fortunately, things start to look up when he befriends Rudolph, a kid vampire who indirectly teaches him about bravery. (Think of it as the Dracula version of Casper.)

• Cast: Freddie Prinze, Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 32% | IMDb 5.3/10
• Run time: 86 minutes

Meet Mystery Incorporated, a group of four adults (plus one dog) who reunite to investigate a series of mysterious incidents at a popular resort. Based on the iconic animated franchise, this live-action adaptation made $275.7 million at the box office. And the sequel, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, was released in 2004. But, fun fact, did you know that Prinze Jr. originally didn’t want to do the film? He believed it wouldn’t live up to the original Scooby cartoons, but his wife and co-star, Gellar, talked him into it.

• Cast: Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 91% | IMDb 7/10
• Run time: 93 minutes

In 1630 in New England, a religious family encounters a dark force near their home after the youngest son, Samuel, suddenly goes missing. This marked the film debuts of both Anya Taylor-Joy and Sarah Stephens, and the movie was shot in just 25 days.

Regarding his inspiration, director Robert Eggers told The Verge, “There was something about it that was intense for me. I grew up in New England, and the woods behind my house seemed haunted by New England’s past. I was very interested in Salem, and I went to Salem every Halloween. I was interested in witches and the witch trials, though I was disappointed as a kid that the witches weren’t real. Also, in Salem, people were just so over-the-top at Halloween.”

• Cast: Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 93% | IMDb 6.8/10
• Run time: 116 minutes

Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) returns to her childhood home with her family only to be greeted by masked strangers who look exactly like them. Countless fans have theorized about the symbolism in this powerful film. And while speaking with NPR, director Jordan Peele—who also directed Get Out—said, “I think a lot of people are catching onto the fact that there’s a lot of United States/American imagery in this. And the duality of this country and our beliefs and our demons, I think, is on display. But I think ‘us’ is bigger than that. And I think one of the reasons this movie has an expansiveness is because ‘us’ is subjective. Everybody thinks of the term ‘us’ in different ways.”

• Cast: Adam Wylie, Mario Yedidia, Clara Bryant, Ken Campbell
• Rating: G
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 59% | IMDb 6.4/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

Marshall and his best friends, Amy and Gilbert, find themselves in a race against time after they stumble upon a mummy who’s been out of commission for 3,000 years. This Disney Channel Original Movie has laughs, scares and even a bit of romance, so it’s a great choice for the whole family. Plus, Under Wraps 2, starring Malachi Barton and Christian J. Simon, was released in 2021.

• Cast: Alec Baldwin, Geena Davis, Michael Keaton
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 83% | IMDb 7.5/10
• Run time: 92 minutes

Before she was a mom spooked on Stranger Things, Winona Ryder was a teenager spooked by ghosts (Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin) in this comedy about a husband and wife haunting the new owners of their beloved house. FYI, after you revisit this Halloween classic, you might want to see the remake, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which, according to Associate Commerce Strategist Jael Rucker, is “a deep dive into teenage angst and a mysterious afterlife portal.”

• Cast: Kristy Swanson, Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger Hauer, Luke Perry, Hilary Swank
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 36% | IMDb 5.7/10
• Run time: 86 minutes

No, not the TV show. This 1992 teen hit is what inspired the TV show. Kristy Swanson plays a flighty teenager who discovers she’s blessed with vampire butt-kicking powers. (Beverly Hills, 90210 heartthrob Luke Perry also stars.)

• Cast: Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, Cloris Leachman
• Rating: TV-Y7
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 56% | IMDb 5.8/10
• Run time: 93 minutes

In an attempt to save their family home, the Olsen twins team up to outsmart their evil aunt (Cloris Leachman), who’s after a magic moonstone. Little-known fact: The movie’s title is inspired by a famous line in Shakespeare’s Macbeth. In Act IV, Scene I, the three witches say, “Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.”

• Cast: Amy Weber, Minka Kelly, Terrence Evans, Charity Shea
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 24% | IMDb 3.4/10
• Run time: 90 minutes

After a Halloween prank gone awry, Lynn and Jonathan move to an all-new town for a fresh start. However, they soon find themselves reliving a similar version of that fateful Halloween night. The movie includes several references to other horror flicks, like Scream and Jeepers Creepers. And the director, Robert Mann, did the voice of the Pumpkin killer.

• Cast: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Ron Livingston, Lili Taylor
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 86% | IMDb 7.5/10
• Run time: 112 minutes

Two paranormal investigators are enlisted to help a family who recently moved into a new house. The problem? It has a supernatural presence. Cue the nightmares.

While chatting with Collider about the film’s tone, director James Wan said, “I wanted to make that a fun, creepy, sort of tongue-in-cheek movie, to some degree. But just the nature of what this film is, and the fact that it’s based on people’s stories, I want to honor that as much as I possibly can and ground it in reality as much as I possibly could. And also, it’s a period film, as well, and I want to stay true to all of that.”

• Cast: Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes, Ruth Gordon
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 96% | IMDb 8/10
• Run time: 136 minutes

A young couple is desperate to conceive a baby. When they finally do, strange occurrences cause the young mother to suspect an evil cult is plotting to steal the newborn. The movie explores themes like religion, the occult, domesticity and bodily autonomy. It received two Academy Award nominations, and Ruth Gordon won the trophy for Best Supporting Actress.

60. Spooky Buddies (2011)

• Cast: Harland Williams, Sierra McCormick, Elisa Donovan
• Rating: G
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 52% | IMDb 4.5/10
• Run time: 88 minutes

Air Bud meets Halloween in this family-friendly flick about a group of dogs, who must stop Warwick the Warlock before he opens a portal to ghosts. The scares aren’t too intense, and the puppies are sure to appeal to younger crowds. The movie was directed by Robert Vince and produced by Anna McRoberts.

• Cast: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Amy Ryan, Ryan Lee
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 78% | IMDb 6.3/10
• Run time: 103 minutes

Zach Cooper (Dylan Minnette) is thrilled when he learns that his neighbor’s dad is a renowned sci-fi author. Things take a dramatic turn when he accidentally unleashes the franchise’s fictional monsters. Author R.L. Stine, who wrote the books the film is based on, revealed that while he wasn’t involved in the film at all, he loved how it turned out. He told Slate Magazine, “I like it better every time I see it...The three teenage leads are so real and they’re funny and they’re sweet, and I just think they’re the best thing in the film.”

• Cast: Allison Williams, Logan Browning, Steven Weber
• Rating: TV-MA
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 70% | IMDb 6.2/10
• Run time: 90 minutes

Charlotte (Allison Williams) is a talented young cellist, who’s forced to drop out of her prestigious music school to care for her ill mother. Years later, she heads down a sinister path after becoming reacquainted with the girl who replaced her. While chatting with Nightmare on Film Street about his treatment of sensitive subject matters, the film’s director Richard Shepard said, “There was an enormous amount of care and thought given by all of us to make sure that what we were doing was not being exploitative, but at the time using what was in the zeitgeist to make [The Perfection] an elevated film. Hopefully, people watch and feel uncomfortable in a good way!”

• Cast: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 95% | IMDb 7.9/10
• Run time: 76 minutes

It’s one of Tim Burton’s best: When Jack Skellington, the king of Halloween Town, gets bored scaring people every year, he moves on to Christmas Town—and his plan goes awry. PureWow Executive Editor Dara Katz says, “I understand that maybe my 3-year-old shouldn’t have been shown The Nightmare Before Christmas just yet...but the girl loves scary things and can’t get enough of Jack Skellington as well as the music. ‘This Is Halloween!’ is chanted regularly throughout our house.”

• Cast: Amy Forsyth, Reign Edwards, Bex Taylor-Klaus
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 40% | IMDb 5.5/10
• Run time: 88 minutes

Paying tribute to ‘80s slasher flicks, this movie follows three couples as they visit Hell Fest (a traveling carnival). The night turns deadly when a masked serial killer transforms the theme park into a real-life Hunger Games. Directed by Gregory Plotkin, the film grossed $18.2 million at the box office.

• Cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 97% | IMDb 8.1/10
• Run time: 124 minutes

A New England tourist town called Amity Island finds itself feeling pretty spooked after a young woman is killed by a shark just a few days before the Fourth of July. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) becomes a man on a mission—closing beaches and heading out to sea with a risk-taking ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) and ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) in an effort to kill the menacing Great White Shark himself. While it’s not your typical horror movie, we can guarantee plenty of jump scares throughout.

• Cast: Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Cloris Leachman
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 95% | IMDb 8/10
• Run time: 106 minutes

If you love parodies, you need to check out Mel Brooks’s masterpiece. In it, Dr. Frankenstein (Gene Wilder) inherits his grandfather’s estate in Transylvania and resumes his monster-making experiments with the help of servants Igor (Marty Feldman), Inga (Teri Garr) and Frau Blücher (Cloris Leachman). The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay (for Wilder and Brooks) and Best Sound. And per Hepworth, it’s a Classic with a capital C. “Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder at their finest. Oh and Teri Garr! It’s so deliciously funny while also being incredibly smart. 10/10 recommend.”

• Cast: Neil Marshall, Darren Lynn Bousman, Axelle Carolyn, Lucky McKee, Andrew Kasch, Paul Solet
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 77% | IMDb 5.5/10
• Run time: 92 minutes

It features ten short stories about ghosts, ghouls and monsters, from The Weak and the Wicked to Grim Grinning Ghost. While it’s an anthology film, each tale revolves around the spooky holiday. It also features plenty of scares without being too dark or gruesome, so grab the popcorn candy bag.

• Cast: Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 78% | IMDb 6.2/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

Young Stella (Zoe Colletti) loves telling scary stories about her spooky home—that is, until they become all too real for her small hometown. The film is based on Alvin Schwartz’s short horror stories of the same name, and it was directed by André Øvredal. There’s also a sequel in development. In August 2023, Øvredal told IGN, “We have a story. We have a script. We’ve been working on the script as late as last year and even slightly into this year. The process obviously stopped with the strike—but it’s alive, for sure.”

• Cast: Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 91% | IMDb 7.1/10
• Run time: 93 minutes

The first iteration of the film was released in 1960, and it became an Off-Broadway hit in 1982. Then, in 1986, Frank Oz directed this Oscar-nominated remake, which is just as entertaining. Rick Moranis plays Seymour, a flower shop assistant pining away for his coworker Audrey (Ellen Greene), who happens to have a boyfriend (Steve Martin). But when he discovers a plant that prefers to feed on human flesh and blood—boom, problem solved.

• Cast: Peter Horton, Linda Hamilton, John Franklin, Courtney Gains
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 12% | IMDb 5.6/10
• Run time: 92 minutes

Based on Stephen King’s namesake story, the movie examines a gory ritual in which the town’s children murder all the adults. (*Grabs nightlight.*) The Children of the Corn spawned a successful franchise, including sequels like Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice, Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest and Children of the Corn IV: The Gathering.

• Cast: Jim Varney, Eartha Kitt, Shay Astar
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 25% | IMDb 5.8/10
• Run time: 96 minutes

Seriously, the ‘90s knew how to do Halloween. In this silly take on the holiday, Ernest accidentally unleashes an army of trolls on a small town on October 31. And to be honest, it still holds up. Also, did you know that Eartha Kitt auditioned for the role of Old Lady Hackmore?

• Cast: Robyn Lively, Zelda Rubinstein, Dan Gauthier
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 43% | IMDb 6/10
• Run time: 93 minutes

When a high schooler named Louise (Robyn Lively) suddenly discovers her magical abilities, she uses them to achieve her life-long dream of being popular. *Cue the coming-of-age story* Also, super cool fact: The spooky house that Louise Miller walks into at the beginning of the movie was used by Michael Jackson in his music video for “Thriller.”

• Cast: Lucy Hale, Tyler Posey, Violett Beane
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 15% | IMDb 5.2/10
• Run time: 100 minutes

It’s the childhood game we all know and love. But this time, it triggers an evil demon that forces a group of friends to confront their biggest fears. Truth or Dare, directed by Jeff Wadlow, was panned by most critics, but thrived at the box office. And according to IMDB, there’s an unrated version of the film that features more gruesome death sequences and a racier intimate scene between Hale and Posey’s characters.

• Cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 84% | IMDb 5.9/10
• Run time: 91 minutes

In this sequel to the 1992 classic, a young artist gets more than he bargained for after exploring the history of the infamous Candyman. (We promise, you won’t look at mirrors the same way again.) Nia DaCosta’s film incorporates plenty of social commentary, and Todd is seriously terrifying as the legendary villain. The script was written by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld and DaCosta.

• Cast: Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu, Matt Smith
• Rating: TV-14
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 100% | IMDb 6.4/10
• Run time: 93 minutes

Two refugees escape their war-torn country and seek asylum in England—but the place where they end up turns out to be even more terrifying than the place they left. Written and directed by Remi Weekes, this thought-provoking horror movie scored four British Independent Film Awards and a British Academy Film Award for Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer.

• Cast: Bill Skarsgård, Jaeden Martell, Finn Wolfhard
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 85% | IMDb 7.3/10
• Runtime: 135 minutes

Based on the 1986 novel written by Stephen King, the modern-day adaptation of It centers around seven young outcasts who believe a sinister clown is behind the disappearance of children in the neighborhood. Every 27 years, the supernatural creature emerges from the sewers to prey on the kids using their worst fears to lure them into its clutches.

The story was told in two parts, with the first part coming out in 2017 and It Chapter Two premiering in theaters in 2019. King’s novel was also adapted into an ABC television miniseries titled Stephen King’s It, which debuted on the small screen in 1990.

• Cast: Emily Blunt, John Krasinski
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 96% | IMDb 7.5/10
• Run time: 90 minutes

In a post-apocalyptic world, a family of four is forced to live in complete silence while hiding from alien monsters who track their prey by sound. The horror film was met with widespread acclaim and received many accolades, 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 also received an Oscar nod for Best Sound Editing. Candelario counts herself a fan: “I don’t think I could survive living in A Quiet Place, but I applaud John and Emily for an amazing thriller. In the age of reboots and sequels I love this new concept and I was trying to be as quiet as possible as a viewer (and I’m not even in the movie!).”

• Cast: Kevin Zegers, Kaley Cuoco, Nick Carter, Stacy Keach
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 32% | IMDb 4.5/10
• Run time: 83 minutes

Inspired by Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, this film follows Ian, a teenager who learns that he’s a descendant of Ichabod Crane. His presence leads to the return of the Headless Horseman, but will he and his friends succeed at taking him down? As it turns out, both Melissa Schuman and Shelley Bennett auditioned for the role of Karen, Cuoco’s character.

• Cast: Kathryn Prescott, Mitch Pileggi, Grace Zabriskie
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 29% | IMDb 5.2/10
• Run time: 88 minutes

A teenager named Bird gets her hands on a seemingly harmless vintage Polaroid camera. But when she learns that it holds a mysterious, deadly curse, she must find a way to put an end to it. Critics weren’t big fans of the Lars Klevberg film, but if you’re into Halloween movies that pack plenty of jump scares and nail-biting moments, then this one’s for you.

• Cast: David Arquette, Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 81% | IMDb 6.3/10
• Run time: 120 minutes

Set two years after the events of the first film, Scream 2 follows Sydney and Gale as they relive the same nightmare. Once again, a masked killer resurfaces and goes on a killing spree, but can Sydney and the gang stop him? Scream fans will love this sequel, which effortlessly blends humor and satire with mystery.

• Cast: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 66% | IMDb 6.4/10
• Run time: 95 minutes

This infamous ‘80s slasher film centers around a group of camp counselors who are being stalked by a mysterious killer. Directed by Sean S. Cunningham, the slasher film became a box office success and spawned several sequels, including a crossover with A Nightmare on Elm Street. A prequel series, called Crystal Lake, is also reportedly in the works and set to release on Peacock.

• Cast: Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry, Kristen Wilson, Patrick Fabian
• Rating: PG
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 60% | IMDb 5.7/10
• Run time: 87 minutes

When twin sisters Alex and Camryn are reunited on their 21st birthday, they use their magical powers to defeat the forces of darkness. The sequel, Twitches Too, was released in October 2007, and while Disney never confirmed a third installment, Tamera Mowry-Housley has opened up about wanting to reprise her character. She told People, “All we need is Disney to be down. It could be a fun Disney+ kind of movie. I think that would be dope.” Tia also said, “I would probably want to see...us being parents and helping and guiding our children on how to be incredible witches.”

• Cast: Jessie Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 89% | IMDb 7.5/10
• Run time: 87 minutes

A thriller comedy film bringing four strangers together to survive a post-apocalyptic world. They venture on a road trip across the U.S. while fighting against their biggest threat—zombies. Zombieland made over $102 million worldwide and became the highest-grossing zombie movie in the U.S. until the release of World War Z in 2013. Oh, and did I mention that there’s a sequel called Zombieland: Double Tap.

• Cast: Madeline Brewer, Patch Darragh, Melora Walters, Devin Druid
• Rating: TV-MA
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 93% | IMDb /5.910
• Run time: 95 minutes

Daniel Goldhaber’s directional debut stars Brewer as Alice Ackerman, a cam girl who discovers that her account has been hacked and taken over by a lookalike. Determined to reclaim her identity, Alice embarks on a mission to find the culprit. FYI, this movie will make you think twice about becoming a webcam model.

• Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Carel Struycken, Henry Thomas
• Rating: TV-MA
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 91% | IMDb 6.5/10
• Run time: 103 minutes

A married couple’s romantic getaway to an isolated home goes horribly wrong when they get into an argument and the husband suddenly dies of a heart attack...while the wife is handcuffed to the bed. Now trapped with nowhere to go, she must figure out how to survive while dealing with terrifying hallucinations. The movie is based on Stephen King’s 1992 novel, which was considered unfilmable for several years.

• Cast: Josh Hutcherson, Matthew Lillard, Elizabeth Lail
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 32% | IMDb 5.4/10
• Run time: 110 minutes

Based on the popular horror game, Five Nights at Freddy’s follows a troubled security guard (Hutcherson) who starts working the night shift at Freddy Fazbear’s Pizzeria. While working in the pizza joint, he soon realizes there is a dark presence lurking within the walls. (Pssst, the sequel, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, will be released in December 2025.)

• Cast: Taissa Farmiga, Storm Reid, Bonnie Aarons, Anna Popplewell
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 52% | IMDb 5.6/10
• Run time: 110 minutes

In this terrifying sequel, Sister Irene (Farmiga) returns to investigate a string of murders that have occurred all across Europe. Is the demonic nun back from the dead? This is a sequel to the 2018 OG film, The Nun, and the eighth installment in The Conjuring Universe franchise. It grossed a whopping $269.5 million, despite the mixed responses from critics.

• Cast: Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 46% | IMDb 5.8/10
• Runtime: 101 minutes

On the eve of their high school graduation, four friends accidentally hit a man with their car while driving on the road. To cover up their crime, they dump his body and swear to never tell anyone. But one year later, each are targeted by an unidentified killer.

I Know What You Did Last Summer, which is based on Lois Duncan’s 1973 novel of the same name, spawned two movie sequels and a television series that premiered on Prime Video back in October 2021. However, the show was canceled after just one season.

• Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Zack Duhame, Lauren Murray, Geraldine Singer
• Rating: PG-13
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 82% | IMDb 6.3/10
• Run time: 93 minutes

Brynn (Dever) is an isolated seamstress mourning the loss of her mother and her best friend. One day, a humanoid alien invades her home and she accidentally kills it, sending her down a terrifying path that will make her face her past. I should note this gem is Stephen King-approved. He tweeted in 2023, “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 remotely like it. Truly unique.” 

• Cast: Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson, Kelly Rowland
• Rating: TV-14
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 46% | IMDb 5.6/10
• Run time: 91 minutes 

Shortly after moving to a new house, a teenage girl accidentally summons an ancient spirit on Halloween. In order to save the town, she teams up with her father to stop the curse once and for all. According to director Jeff Wadlow, the filming process had its challenging moments. He told ScreenRant, “Prep was intense because we’re creating all these monsters. That was the biggest challenge of the movie. You know, it’s one thing to write, Clown or Zombie, but what does that look like? What does that zombie look like? How are we making it uniquely our own? That was the biggest challenge.”

• Cast: Soni Bringas, Stephen Ruffin, Helene Udy
• Rating: NR
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 50% | IMDb 3.8/10
• Run time: 18 minutes

This short film takes place during the summer of ‘73 and follows two expectant parents who are excited for a carefree night at the disco. When they realize that an evil demon is trying to steal their unborn child, they must escape to save themselves. The film was directed by Matthew Castellanos, known for Yoshua, and written by Matthew Castellanos and Mike Ambs.

• Cast: Jackson White, Natalie Alyn Lind, Forrest Goodluck
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 24% | IMDb 4.6/10
• Run time: 87 minutes

This film is based on an untold chapter from Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, and it serves as a prequel to the 2019 film. The story, which takes place 50 years before the events of the first movie, focuses on a young boy who discovers sinister secrets about his family. The movie broke a Paramount+ record as the most-watched original Film in the first 30 days of release, a record previously held by Teen Wolf: The Movie.

• Cast: Tobin Bell, Leigh Whannell, Cary Elwes, Danny Glover
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 50% | IMDb 7.6/10
• Runtime: 103 minutes

Master game maker Jigsaw kidnaps oncologist Lawrence Gordon (Elwes) and struggling photographer Adam Stanheight (Whannell), putting them in a room together with no way out. As they race against the clock, the duo try to devise a plan to escape the killer’s sinister game. The 2004 film serves as the first installment in the Saw franchise, which has gone on to have several sequels in addition to video games. The most recent sequel, titled Saw X, debuted in theaters in the fall of 2023.

• Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, John Getz
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 93% | IMDb 7.6/10
• Runtime: 96 minutes

Loosely based on George Langelaan’s 1957 short story of the same name, David Cronenberg’s The Fly tells the story of a brilliant scientist named Seth Brundle (Goldblum) who creates the greatest invention known to man: a teleportation machine. But, the only problem is it can only transport inanimate objects. Seth shows his creation to a journalist named Veronica (Davis), and together, they try to fix the machine so it can teleport humans.

After Seth transports himself through the machine, completely unaware that a fly is in the teleporter with him, he slowly starts to turn into a fly/human creature. Upon its release, The Fly became a commercial success and spawned a sequel, The Fly 2, which debuted in theaters in 1989.

• Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 97% | IMDb 8.5/10
• Runtime: 109 minutes

Inspired by the 1959 novel written by Robert Bloch, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho tells the story of a secretary named Marion Crane (Leigh), who goes on the run after stealing $40,000 from her boss. While driving, she comes across the decrepit Bates Motel and meets a young bachelor Norman Bates (Perkins).

The horror film went on to become an instant classic amongst critics and fans alike, with Universal Pictures producing three sequels, a 1998 remake, a made-for-television spin-off and a show called Bates Motel, which ran for a total of five seasons on A&E.

• Cast: Jessica Chastain, James McAvoy, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 62% | IMDb 6.5/10
• Run time: 169 minutes

It’s been 27 years since the first Pennywise encounter. And now, when people begin to disappear, the childhood friends decide to reunite as adults. Can they destroy the shape-shifting monster once and for all? Although it wasn’t as successful as its predecessor, it was still a box office success, grossing more than $473 million worldwide.

• Cast: Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Edwin Neal
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 84% | IMDb /7.410
• Runtime: 83 minutes

After Sally (Burns) and a group of friends make a slight detour in a small town in Texas, their round trip soon turns into a living nightmare when they encounter a chainsaw-wielding maniac referred to as “Leatherface” and his family of cannibals. Despite receiving mixed reviews at the time of its release, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre went on to become a popular horror franchise, with a number of sequels and a video game under its belt.

• Cast: Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen, Bernard Rose
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 84% | IMDb 6.7/10
• Runtime: 101 minutes

While researching an apartment complex located on the north side of Chicago, graduate student Helen Lyle learns about the urban legend of Candyman. Unconvinced of the killer's presence, Helen says his name three times in a mirror, summoning his spirit.

Since the movie’s release, Candyman was followed by two sequels, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) and Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999). The horror film also spawned a remake, which was released in 2021.

• Cast: Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 94% | IMDb 7.1/10
• Runtime: 95 minutes

Talk to Me follows a teenage girl named Mia (Wilde), who is still grappling with the loss of her mother. One night, she goes to a party with her best friend, and while there, the party throwers take out a demonic hand that allows anyone who touches it to talk to the dead. At the time of its release, the horror movie became a box-office success, grossing $89 million worldwide despite having a $4.5 million budget. Directors Danny and Michael Philippou announced a sequel is already in the works.

• Cast: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Alistair Sewell 
• Rating: R
• Reviews: Rotten Tomatoes 93% | IMDb 7/10
• Runtime: 102 minutes

What will you do to become a star? This is a question small-town girl Pearl (Goth) finds herself asking every day, yearning to leave her family’s farm and become famous. But her dark impulses and killer instinct threaten to break the surface. Serving as a prequel in the X franchise, this film was followed by MaXXXine, which was released in July 2024.

To address one of the biggest debates, both Vudu and Fandango surveyed viewers to get an answer once and for all. Well, the votes are in: Hocus Pocus is the most popular Halloween flick (hence why we included it on this list).