With many options to stream during this coming spooky season, it may appear like Disney has the largest offering with its DCOM originals like the Halloweentown series, the beloved Hocus Pocus and its upcoming sequel, and The Haunted Mansion. However, when you're looking for family-friendly options to stream this fall, there is another world of entertaining Halloween movies to choose from when attempting to explore something outside the mouse's selection.
It can be difficult to find movies for the whole family to enjoy that aren't Disney as you risk something being geared toward a much younger audience like toddlers or inappropriate like slashers and R-rated films. With ratings included from animated to live-action, these Halloween movies are the perfect fit for a spooky night this fall (or whenever you begin your celebration).
'Monster House' (2006)
Scoring an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature Film in 2007, Monster House from Columbia Pictures is still a classic among its generation of viewers. The movie is about three young teens who discover the house across the street is a living, breathing monster. With voices from Mitchel Musso (and Marc Musso), Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, and Steve Buscemi, the animated tale was a directorial debut for Gil Kenan.
Monster House is rated PG, scoring a certified fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes critics and a positive review from audiences. With a brief runtime of 91 minutes, the movie is a solid choice for all members of the family as the writers do emulate the Disney style of placing adult-themed jokes under the noses of kids. Monster House is available on Netflix and for rental on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube.
'Goosebumps' (2015)
Based on the famous novels by writer R.L. Stine, Goosebumps features a cinematic adaptation of the writer and the creatures from the acclaimed stories. Zach (Dylan Minnette) must team up with Stine's (Jack Black) daughter, Hannah (Odeya Rush), to capture the monsters from the horror stories after they are set free and running rampant through Madison, Delaware.
This live-action adaptation of the famous horror novels earned a certified fresh score and high praise from Rotten Tomatoes critic and audience reviewers. A lackluster sequel was released in 2018, but did not star the original cast and flopped with moviegoers. Goosebumps is rated PG and can be streamed for free on Amazon Prime. It's available for rental on AppleTV, Vudu, and YouTube.
'A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting' (2020)
Feeling like a DCOM, A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting is a valuable substitute when considering switching away from the standard Disney Halloween watchlist. While babysitting on Halloween, a young teen finds herself battling the boogeyman and his monsters after they abduct the little boy she's caring for. Featuring a cast of young stars, the movie features recognizable names like Tom Felton (Harry Potter franchise) as Grand Guignol, the boogeyman.
This Netflix original flies under the radar with no real standing with Rotten Tomatoes reviewers. A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting is rated PG and has a runtime of 98 minutes. This fall when you're selecting from Netflix's catalog for family movie night, this movie will fit the ask to mimic a Disney-esque tale.
'Hotel Transylvania (2012)
With a massive cast of stars led by Adam Sandler and Selena Gomez, Hotel Transylvania is a twist on horror's classic monsters made family-friendly. Dracula (Sandler) goes on the fatherly defense when a human boy discovers the hidden resort for monsters and begins to fall for Mavis (Gomez), Dracula's daughter.
A hit with audiences, Hotel Transylvania instantly became a franchise, totaling four movies with the latest hitting Amazon Prime this year. Sandler voiced Dracula for the first three films but would exit for the fourth with Brian Hull taking over. The haunted original is rated PG and available on Hulu. For a movie marathon of all four films, check out Amazon Prime.
'Coraline' (2009)
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A darker children’s tale, Coraline follows its title character as she discovers a secret world hidden in a wall of their new home that seems much more appealing than her regular life. Nominated for Best Animated Feature, this adaptation is a Halloween favorite of critics and audiences alike. The film is an adaptation of Neil Gaiman's novella and features voices from Teri Hatcher, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Saunders, and Ian McShane.
The film shares not only its stop-motion animation style with another Halloween favorite The Nightmare Before Christmas but also with director Henry Selick. With its PG rating, Coraline features a young girl lead that is wrapped up in a very real-world issue of needing love and support from her parents, not shying away from sharper themes unlike some of Disney's featured heroines. This fan favorite is available for free streaming on Tubi and for rental on Amazon Prime, YouTube, or Vudu.
'Casper' (1995)
A live-action version of the classic animated character, Casper features Halloween icon, Christina Ricci, following her role as Wednesday Addams. Kat (Ricci) and her afterlife therapist father, Dr. Harvey (Bill Pullman), move into a crumbling mansion to rid it of the spirits that haunt it. There she meets and befriends a ghost named Casper (voiced by Malachi Pearson).
Not critics and audience members' favorite Halloween movie, Casper is still a solid choice for a family Halloween night to replace a haunted Disney movie. Rated PG, this film is a perfect blend of supernatural and a teen story with decent special effects to make it worth the Halloween stream. It's available for rental on Amazon Prime, YouTube, and Apple TV.
'Corpse Bride' (2005)
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A Tim Burton classic, Corpse Bride features many of Burton's usual suspects when it comes to his films, including supporting characters like Christopher Lee, Deep Roy, and Danny Elfman. Poorly navigating through his vows prior to his arranged marriage to Victoria (Emily Watson), Victor (Johnny Depp) unknowingly recites them to a deceased young woman (Helena Bonham Carter), accidentally binding them to a marriage she believes is true.
Nominated for the 2006 Best Animated Feature Film Oscar, Corpse Bride is an excellent installment in Burton's catalog and a viable option to replace The Nightmare Before Christmas during your streaming choices this Halloween. Rated PG, this spooky love story is available with an HBO Max subscription, free with ads on YouTube, or for rental on Amazon Prime.
'Nightbooks (2021)
Another Netflix original flying under the radar for Halloween go-tos, Nightbooks combines scary stories, witches, and an adventure tale all into one. A young boy with a love and talent for writing scary stories is captured by a witch inside her New York apartment, demanding he must tell her a new story every night in order to survive. The movie features young stars Winslow Fegley and Lidya Jewett as the leads.
With Krysten Ritter as the witch, Nightbooks pairs the whimsical style of Disney films like Alice in Wonderland and The Nutcracker with dark storytelling featured in horror movies. Earning a TV-PG rating, the film's runtime is manageable at 103 minutes. The recent Netflix release is the perfect film to steer away from Hocus Pocus and enjoy a different magical tale.
'ParaNorman' (2012)
Another Oscar-nominated animated feature, ParaNorman, while paralleling animation style and themes, is not a Tim Burton film. With the ability to speak to the dead, Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee) must use his gifts to save his town after a centuries-old witch's curse causes zombies to rise from the grave. The paranormal tale features supporting voices from Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Casey Affleck, and Leslie Mann among others.
Certified fresh from Rotten Tomatoes critics and beloved by audience members, ParaNorman is an enjoyable break from the standard Disney tale of a misunderstood introvert. The acclaimed film is rated PG and an easy 92 minutes in runtime. It is free to watch on Tubi and available to rent on various platforms like Amazon Prime and YouTube.
'The Addams Family' (2019)
An animated version of the iconic spooky family, The Addams Family is a PG version of the classic characters perfect for all ages of the family. In this installment of the family's cinematic catalog, face arising trouble from a TV personality who realizes that the family's eerie mansion is ruining her vision to sell every house in the neighborhood. With voices like Oscar Issac as Gomez, Charlize Theron as Morticia, and Chloë Grace Moretz as Wednesday, the animated version creates its own legacy for a new generation of viewers.
While original live-action films and television series are iconic, this animated version better competes with Disney's strong family-friendly Halloween market, instead of only a teen and above demographic for most families. The newer version resonated with audiences to the point of a sequel that hit theaters and streaming in 2021. The Addams Family is available to watch with a subscription to Paramount+ or for rental on various platforms like Amazon Prime and Apple TV.