If you’re saving the costume parties for the weekend, what better way to spend the spookiest night of the year than sitting comfortably on the couch, munching on sweets while watching a scary movie or series?
Below we have a selection of movies and TV shows perfect for Halloween viewing. Whether you’re yearning for a family-friendly classic like Hocus Pocus, a newer scary horror film like Smile, or a horror-comedy series like What We Do in the Shadows, there’s something for everyone. Check out the full list of recommendations on what to watch on Halloween in 2024, and find out where to stream them all below!
Halloween
Go back to the beginning of Michael Myers and his reign of silent terror with the very first Halloween movie from 1978. This is a classic slasher-horror for those looking to get a proper scare on Halloween.
Beetlejuice
With the long-awaited sequel currently in theatres (Beetlejuice Beetlejuice), Halloween is the perfect time to revisit Tim Burton’s first family friendly classic about a family who move into a haunted house and are plagued by a self-titled bio-exorcist named Beetlejuice.
Hocus Pocus
In another Halloween classic, the long-dead Sanderson sisters are brought back to life in Salem, Massachusetts, for a night of attempted soul-sucking. The only ones who know about their return and take it seriously are teenagers Max and Allison, and Max’s little sister Dani. Together with a cursed black cat, the three attempt to thwart the witches and get rid of them for good.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
In this stop-motion classic, Jack Skellington is the king of Halloween who wishes to try his hand at being Santa Claus after stumbling upon Christmastown. He hatches a plan to kidnap Santa and take his job — but finds himself wholly unprepared for what comes next.
Ghostbusters
If there’s something strange in your neighbourhood, call the Ghostbusters, a team of scientists who figured out a way to capture pesky ghosts. But when an especially malevolent entity moves to town, are their proton packs enough to save New York City?
Longlegs
In a case gone cold, FBI Agent Lee Harker finds herself tracking a serial killer with ties to the occult. As she narrows in on the culprit, she discovers a horrifying connection between the murders and her own past.
Trap
Master of the twist ending M Night Shyamalan directs this 2024 thriller about a father and daughter who attend the concert of a pop star, only to discover the large police presence is to trap a notorious serial killer called the Butcher — and guess who the Butcher is?
Terrifier
This slasher-horror is the ultimate Halloween gore-fest. If you’re looking for a bloody holiday, this is the film for you, starring David Howard Thornton as Art the Clown, a sadistic clown whose only goal in life is to delight in gruesome murder. The third instalment, Terrifier 3, is currently in cinemas.
Smile
After a psychologist named Rose witnesses the horrible suicide of one of her patients, who smiles at her before ending his life, she realises she is being pursued by a smiling entity that can only be passed on to someone else by them witnessing their death. The film’s equally scary sequel, Smile 2, is currently in theatres.
MaXXXine
MaXXXine is the third and final film in Ti West’s slasher trilogy X. The previous films X and Pearl build up the narrative, which culminates in the 1980s with MaXXXine, in which a young actress with a dark past arrives in Los Angeles intent on becoming a movie star.
Cuckoo
A teenaged Gretchen moves from her home in the US to the German Alps to live with her father. While there, she becomes plagued by visions of horrific, sudden violence that escalate into a shocking realisation about her family.
Never Let Go
A mother and her two sons live in a remote cabin in the woods where they are plagued by an evil entity lurking just out of sight in the trees. In order to stay safe, they attach a rope to themselves whenever they go outside. But when one of the sons begins to question if the entity really exists, their safety is once again put into question.
What We Do in the Shadows
Originally created as a New Zealand mockumentary, What We Do in the Shadows became a series in 2019 and is currently in the midst of its sixth season. If you want to have more fun than scares, but with some fabulous occult references, make sure to watch the film and series about the mundane struggles of vampire housemates and their familiars.
Sweetpea
Set in a small town in England, Rhiannon is a chronically overlooked aspiring journalist who discovers the key to her empowerment is murder. As she vents her frustrations and takes revenge on those who wronged her, she desperately tries to find love and evade capture.
Killer Cakes
If you’re looking for a fun reality series with a Halloween twist, check out this baking competition hosted by Matthew Lillard (yes, Shaggy from the live-action Scooby-Doo). Each contestant teams up with a special effects professional to create the tastiest and most terrifying of baked goods.
From
In a small town in the United States, the residents are trapped in a perpetual hellish scenario. Plagued by creatures from the surrounding woods who come out at night and prevent them from leaving, the townspeople desperately try to find a way out.
Where to watch our Halloween 2024 recommendations
Find out how (and where) to watch JustWatch’s Halloween 2024 recommendations by scrolling down to the list below. The films are all available to stream online across a variety of platforms, including ITVX, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and more!
