13 Family-Friendly Halloween Movies to Watch Together

Hallo-weekend is creeping up, and while many brave souls choose to be out in the wild, cosplaying their way through the spooky season, some of us prefer our thrills with a side of blanket and snacks. If your idea of Halloween involves zero face paint and couch time, we’ve got you.

Parents magazine has brewed up a special treat: 13 Halloween movies perfect for binging with your favorite goblins, ghouls, and snack-hoarding family members.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) – PG-13

 Ghostbusters: Afterlife is a soft reboot of the original movie series. It features a cameo of the deceased Harold Ramis, who plays Egon Spengler.

Single mom Callie Spengler (Carrie Coon) relocates and starts living in a house she inherited. Her children, Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) and Phoebe (McKenna Grace), try to adjust to their new, strange life. It showcases the reality of being uprooted and resettled in new and difficult situations as a family.

With the original Ghostbusters’ legacy catching up, will the Spengler family be able to put aside their hurt to save the world, or is it doomed as we know it?

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024) – PG-13

McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard are at it again. The Spengler family is navigating young adulthood and parenting as they are coldly thrust into cosmic chaos.

These events take place immediately after Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

To stop a supernatural apocalypse. The old must meet the new in this sequel, but will the Ghostbusters come out on top? Or is this their inevitable end?

This is a great watch for the original Ghostbusters fans, and new alike.

Scream (2022) – rated R

Scream is a soft reboot. Taking place years after its previous installment in 2013.

It follows a three-act formula. Ghostface picks out victims and becomes brutal to them in creative and gruesome ways.

Throughout the film, we are afforded the delicious delight of trying to unmask the antagonist as we enjoy great comedy and screenwriting.

Scream VI (2023) – rated R

Scream 2023 is a direct sequel to its 2021 counterpart. It follows two sisters, Jenna Ortega (Tara) and Melissa Berrera (Sam), who are part of the core four.

Navigating life after discovering people closest to them were involved in the murders of their allies and friends.

This latest installment in the franchise solidifies the Ghostface killer in pop culture and the horror film genre. It is a great watch, especially if you’re feeling a bit gruesome.

Annabelle (2014) -rated R

Annabelle is a titular phenomenon surrounded by much speculation and scrutiny. Most people are undecided on whether she is a legitimate threat or a clever PR stunt.

Anabelle 2014 is a spinoff of the first Conjuring film. It follows a demon-inhabited doll that wreaks havoc on every single character who encounters it. Twisting the minds and the bodies of everyone in its wake.

Annabelle Comes Home (2019) – rated R

Based on the real custodians of Annabelle. Ed and Lorraine Warren. It follows their daughter, played by McKenna Grace, who awakens the spirit of Anabelle trapped in their basement.

While under the supervision of her teenage babysitter. This sets off a chain reaction that causes other malevolent forces to hone in on Anabelle’s position.

Putting the Warren family in the crosshairs of some of the world’s most dangerous forces.

Eve’s Bayou (1997) – rated R

Eve’s Bayou is a story about consent and the blurred lines of romantic and family love. Revolves around the practice of voodoo, a religion that is used to bend the forces of nature.

Eve and Cisely are forced to confront their father’s image as he is not the man they think they are. While their Aunt Mozelle holds fast to her family as her spiritual gifts alert her to looming death. Eve turns to Elzora, a local seer, and she decides that she will have to live with her for the rest of her life.

Eve’s Bayou is not only spooky, but it tackles difficult family matters, shedding light on the secrets and half-truths that are consequently meant to hold a family together.

Beloved (1998) – rated R

Based on a novel. Beloved follows Sethe (Oprah Winfrey) as she tries to traverse the tragedies in their life and find a way to each other.

In an attempt to save her children’s lives from their slavers. Sethe inadvertently sacrifices her daughter, Beloved, sending her spirit to the afterlife.

This angry spirit re-manifests, taking the form of a haint. A force hell bent on the destruction of its mother and vengeance.

Totally Killer (2025) – rated R

At first, Totally Killer follows the generic masked killer plotline. Setting the stepping stones for a conventional slasher film.

The only difference is that the protagonist (Kiernan Shipka) uses time travel in a bid to prevent more bloodshed.

Totally killer also sheds light on the strained relationship between mothers and daughters. Highlighting a reality that some audiences have experienced either directly or vicariously.

Nightbooks (2021) Not Rated

Nightbooks follows one of our main characters, Alex, who is trapped by a witch and forced to write captivating tales in exchange for his life.

Despite it being more inclined to suit the needs of a younger audience, the stakes in Nightbooks are all too real.

Putting you in the shoes of Alex, Winslow Fegsley, and Yasmin (Lidya Jewett), who must find a way to defeat the witch Natacha, played by Krysten Ritter, famously known for her role as Jessica Jones.

M3GAN (2022) – PG-13

After losing her parents, Cady (Violet McGraw) has no other choice but to shack up with her aunt Gemma. Played by Alison Williams. William’s character, engrossed in work, decides that her skills in robotics will be put to best use in tailoring a machine that could serve Cady’s needs.

M3GAN does just that. Placating the loneliness and hurt that Cady is plagued by. This doesn’t last long as the balance of control shifts. Things turn ugly as their codependent relationship threatens everyone but M3GAN.

The Babysitter (2017) – Rated R

Cole (Judah Lewis) must put his feelings for his much older babysitter, Bee (Samara Weaving), aside as she is part of a cult set on making a sacrifice of pure blood to achieve all their worldly desires.

The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020) – Rated R

Directly after the events of Babysitter 2017. Cole must once again outwit his supernatural assailants. This time, he is joined by Phoebe Atwell (Jenna Ortega), a new student at his junior high school.