The Best Halloween Movies to Watch on HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, and More – TV Guide

Take a break from planning a last-minute Halloween costume to focus on what's really important: enjoying a spooky movie. If you're looking for the best Halloween movies to stream on HBO Max, Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and more, look no further. Whether you really want to scream or you just want to be nostalgic for the days of trick or treating, the streaming platforms have Halloween content for everyone, if you know where to look. That's where TV Guide comes in. We're here to help you find the best Halloween movies to watch right now.

In our list of the best Halloween movies to watch this year, you'll find a mix of old and modern classics, some newer releases, and others we just think you'll be on the hunt for. Check out the list below.

End your browsing nightmare with TV Guide's recommendations for every mood

Looking for Halloween recommendations on specific streaming services? We have lists for the Best Halloween movies on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+. Want more recommendations of what to watch next?We have a ton of them!And if you're looking for more hand-picked recommendations based on shows you love,we have those too.

Jamie Lee Curtis, Halloween

It's all right there in the title: Halloween movies don't get any more iconic than the originalHalloween. Jamie Lee Curtis, following in her mother Janet Leigh's scream queen footsteps, makes her film debut as Laurie Strode, a high school student whose babysitting gig goes to hell when she's stalked by an escaped killer who murdered his sister 15 years earlier. From director John Carpenter's chillingly minimalist score to Michael Myers' haunting, expressionless mask, Halloween takes a straightforward slasher premise and makes it art. -Kelly Connolly[TRAILER|WATCH ON SHUDDER]

Trick 'r Treat

The 2008 filmTrick 'r Treat, which has become a modern Halloween cult classic, is actually four short movies in one, all tied together by a creepy (and somewhat adorable) trick-or-treater who shambles through each of the tales of terror in a small town on Halloween night. It has the feel of a horror classic of the 1980s, mixing campy comedy, genuine scares, gore, and a tiny bit of gratuitous skin, making it a perfect Halloween pre-party date night flick before you generate your own mayhem on the streets. -Tim Surette[TRAILER |WATCH ON HBO MAX]

Beetlejuice

Much like many Halloween movies, Beetlejuice is most notable for its villain. This one is played by Michael Keaton, having an absolute blast as the titular Beetlejuice, a mischievous and malevolent spirit who agrees to help a deceased couple haunt the family trying to buy their home, quickly escalating the situation to scary and fun heights in the process. [TRAILER | WATCH ON PEACOCK]

Neve Campbell and Rose McGowan, Scream

The slasher movie to end all slasher movies, Wes Craven's self-aware '90s classic centers around a California high school being targeted by a masked killer. There are so many reasons this movie remains iconic -- that terrifying opening phone call scene, to name just one -- and if you enjoy it, there are three more movies in the series (some of questionable quality, to be fair). [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

Hocus Pocus

Yes, there's a plot here -- a group of kids have to stop a trio of evil, kooky witches from becoming immortal -- but it's barely worth noting, since the witches themselves (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) are the best part of the whole movie. We aren't still talking about Hocus Pocus all these years after its release because of its riveting story, we're still talking about it because of the "I Put a Spell On You" scene! [TRAILER | WATCH ON DISNEY+]

Coraline

After moving into a new home with her parents, Coraline (Dakota Fanning) discovers a secret door that brings her to a seemingly idealized version of the world she lives in. Obviously, nothing is ever as it seems, and the people in the alternate universe begin to reveal that they're hiding their own spooky secrets. You will never look at buttons the same way. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out

Jordan Peele's horror film has become a modern classic, telling the story of a young Black photographer whose white girlfriend brings him home for a weekend to meet her family, only for him to quickly discover that there's something much more sinister going on underneath the wealthy, Obama-voting surface. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Ghostbusters

A trio of disgraced scientists decide to try their hand at taking out the paranormal entities terrorizing New York City -- get it? They're busting the ghosts! -- which makes them the city's only line of defense when they happen upon a doorway to an evil dimension that could destroy everything. I can't imagine there are very many people out there who haven't at least heard the Ghostbusters theme, a song absolutely impossible to escape during the month of October, but I'm sure they exist! [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Jack Nicholson, The Shining

This adaptation of Stephen King's novel is a psychological trip, starring Jack Nicholson as a writer who accepts a job as a winter caretaker at a remote hotel, bringing along his wife and young son. As time passes, he slowly begins to unravel as the supernatural forces that exist on the property begin to make themselves known. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

Halloweentown

Disney adults, gather round. A teenage girl discovers she's descended from witches and bound to help protect the supernatural community of Halloweentown, where skeletons drive cabs and goblins walk among humans. It's charmingly low budget and co-stars Debbie Reynolds, what more could you want? [TRAILER | WATCH ON DISNEY+]

The Addams Family

This is admittedly not the best Addams Family film, but it should entertain any kids you have in your life. In this one, which is somehow the first time this source material has gotten the animation treatment, the dark, eccentric Addamses move to a bland suburb, quickly becoming the focus of the town's confusion and ire. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HULU]

Casper

One of the only sweet-hearted movies on this list, Casper is, of course, about the titular friendly ghost, who strikes up a friendship with the teen girl who's just moved into the house he haunts. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Scary Movie

Remember the bygone era of parody movies? They definitely get worse as they go on -- there were five total Scary Movie films, fun fact -- but this one is still kind of stupidly funny, mocking Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer, among other teen horror movies. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

It

A group of young kids from a small town in Maine are terrorized by a demonic entity who takes on the form of the creepiest clown you've ever seen, which is saying something. Nothing says Halloween like a good old fashioned Stephen King adaptation. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

Tim Curry, The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The best way to watch this cult classic musical about a young couple who get stranded at a mysterious mansion full of deranged characters during a storm is in a theater packed with other super fans, but you'll get plenty of enjoyment out of watching it at home too. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Fear Street Part Three: 1666

R.L. Stine, the guy who wrote theGoosebumpsbooks, set his sights on a slightly older crowd with hisFear Streetnovel series, which are now the foundation for one of Netflix's biggest film experiments yet. The three teen-slasher horror films, which all tell the origin story of a cursed town, were each released over three consecutive Fridays in July 2021. Each film is set in a different year (1994, 1978, and 1666), culminating in a flashback to witch trials in the 1600s, and feature carryover cast members and plenty of gory deaths. Let's just say that after watching this you'll be extra careful around a bread slicer. -Tim Surette [TRAILER | WATCH ON NETFLIX]

Toni Collette, Hereditary

After the death of their secretive grandmother, a family begins to notice a series of disturbing incidents that leave them trying to escape the fate they've inherited. This is an excellent, truly horrifying movie, but the main reason to put it on is Toni Collette, who gives an absolute powerhouse performance as the mother of the family. [TRAILER | WATCH ON SHOWTIME]

Suspiria

Luca Guadagninodirects this remake of the 1977 Dario Argento horror classic.Dakota Johnsonstars as Susie, a seemingly fresh-faced dancer who travels from Ohio to Berlin to study at an elite dance academy and is quickly named head dancer. AsSuspiriaunfolds, and as more students and teachers are found dead or go missing entirely, it becomes increasingly clear that something very sinister and supernatural is going on underneath the surface. Also,Tilda Swintonplays three roles, and for one of them she gets to dress up as an old man. It's kooky, it's campy, and it's also very, very scary. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Megan Fox, Jennifer's Body

Despite being utterly panned when it was first released, time has been kind toJennifer's Body.Karyn Kusama's 2009 teen horror film earned cult classic status a few years ago, largely thanks to its voracious internet fandom, who rightfully pointed out all the ways this movie was not only very good but also very ahead of its time.Megan Foxstars as Jennifer, a high school girl who gets (spoiler) possessed and has to feed on boys in order to stay alive, with her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) the only one able to stop her. It's infinitely quotable, incredibly funny, and so, so smart. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Midsommar

Even if you haven't seenMidsommar, you've probably at leastseen the memesor heard someone quote one of its mosticonic lines: "Do you feel held by him?" This is the break-up movie to end all break-up movies, starringFlorence Pughas a girl who, while emotionally recovering from a devastating family tragedy, tags along on a trip to Sweden with her terrible boyfriend and his terrible friends to attend a festival that only occurs once every 90 years. And because this was directed byAri Aster, the guy whose twisted mind brought usHereditary, it naturally devolves into a story about a neopagan cult, flower crowns, and unspeakable horrors occurring in broad daylight. If that's not enough to hook you, it's also one ofAriana Grande's favorite films. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Joel Edgerton, It Comes at Night

While an unidentified illness ravages the world's population, a man holes up inside his secluded home in the woods with his wife and son. Their tenuous peace is disturbed by the arrival of another family, also looking for a place to stay safe from the disease. If this one seems a little, um, on the nose for you right now, we understand. [TRAILER | WATCH ON NETFLIX]

The Nightmare Before Christmas

Is it a Halloween movie? Is it a Christmas movie? Why not both? Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman), the unhappy pumpkin king of Halloweentown who's become bored with his repetitively spooky life, discovers a new passion when he accidentally learns of the existence of Christmastown. He decides to kidnap Santa Claus and take over his role, but as you can imagine, things don't go exactly as planned. [TRAILER | WATCH ON DISNEY+]

Child's Play

A kid discovers his new doll has been possessed by the spirit of a serial killer named Chucky. While I've always found this to be one of the dumber horror franchises, it sure has endured through the years, hasn't it? [TRAILER | WATCH ON HULU]

Pet Sematary

Stephen King's supernatural horror novel about a family that discovers an ancient burial ground behind their house was adapted once before in the '80s, but this most recent one is worth checking out if you want a cheap scare. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

The Omen

The Omen was famously remade in 2006, but have you seen the original film it was based on? Gregory Peck stars as a politician who begins to suspect his adopted son might just be the Antichrist. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HULU]

The Craft

The new girl at a Catholic high school befriends three outcasts who regularly practice witchcraft. When their spells appear to be working, the four begin to go mad with power. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It

Two paranormal investigators (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) are called on to investigate a haunted house, quickly discovering the malevolent presence lurking around them. The weirdest part of this whole movie is that it claims to be based on a true story. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX, NETFLIX]

Friday the 13th

The character of Jason Voorhees has been through many, many iterations throughout the decades, but this film, about a summer camp being targeted by a killer disguised behind a hockey mask, gives us his origin story. [TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Much like Jason, Freddy Kreuger (Robert Englund) is at this point such a legendary film character that it's almost difficult to imagine a time when he wasn't around. This film, though, takes us back to the beginning, revolving around four teenagers who are attacked and killed by Kreuger in their dreamsand in real life.[TRAILER | WATCH ON HBO MAX]

What We Do in the Shadows

In this horror-comedy, three vampire roommates are the subjects of a mockumentary about the hardships and daily pitfalls of modern-day life as a member of the undead community. This is one of those "Halloween movies for people who are scared of Halloween movies" movies, and once you finish it, you can go check out the excellent FX comedy series based on the film, which is just as much fun (if not even more) as the source material. [TRAILER | WATCH ON AMAZON]

Adam Sandler, Hubie Halloween

Adam Sandler threatened that if he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for Uncut Gems, he'd make the "worst movie ever." While this was his direct follow up to Gems, it's not the worst movie ever! It's actually goofily charming, starring Sandler as Hubie, the bumblingly earnest resident punching bag in his hometown of Salem, Massachusetts, who somehow finds himself involved in a very real murder case on Halloween. [TRAILER | WATCH ON NETFLIX]

Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Drs, His House

A refugee couple from South Sudan find their new housing in England is not what it seems in this chilling and stylish horror movie from writer-directorRemi Weekes. If you love ghosts and grief but are ready for a little more intensity,His Houseis a must-watch; it's a haunted house story that blends serious scares with thoughtful commentary on immigration and trauma. Plus, it's anchored by unmissable performances from starsWunmi Mosakuandp Drs. -Kelly Connolly [TRAILER | WATCH ON NETFLIX]

Paranorman

This inventive animated movie follows Norman, a kid with the ability to communicate with the dead, as the only person who can save his town from a centuries-old curse. [TRAILER | WATCH ON NETFLIX]

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The Best Halloween Movies to Watch on HBO Max, Hulu, Disney+, and More - TV Guide

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero