This list has been a long time coming! The thing we get asked for the most are horror movies that are okay for kids/tweens to watch. We’ve come through with “20 Kid/Tween-Friendly Horror Flicks” followed by “35+ MORE Kid & Tween-Friendly Horror Films” and we intend to keep making more of those lists as we continue to find appropriate films. The second most asked-for article topic – especially around this time of the year: Horror movies set on Halloween!

I totally get that. If you’ve been a HorrorFam.com reader for a while, you know I love horror movies with a connecting theme, especially if it gives me a reason to celebrate a holiday, no matter how minor. And Halloween? That’s kinda THE horror holiday! Of COURSE you’re gonna want horror movies set on Halloween! The characters you’ll be watching are going to be immersed in the same holiday you are. That’s so fun!

In order to make sure everyone can get in on the fun, I’ve organized these horror movies set on Halloween via age group. That doesn’t mean that you, presumably an adult, can’t enjoy the horror films appropriate for kids and tweens (they’re some of my favorites and I’ll be 40 soon!). Nor does it mean that every movie I’ve suggested in a certain category is good for YOUR kid/tween/teen. YOU know the youngster in your life best and what may or may not be too much for them!

The official HorrorFam.com stance on horror movies for kids is: Please don’t show ANY horror movies to children under five years old.

So, when I say “Kids,” I mean kids between ages five and nine. I define “Tweens” as ages 10 to 13 and “Teens” as 14 to 17. Again, you’ll need to use YOUR best judgement because every viewer is unique but those are the basic guidelines I’m going by. And now that we’re all on the same page — let’s go!!

Horror Movies Set On Halloween for Kids

Treasure Trackers (2024)

This one hit my inbox as a screener recently, but I couldn’t talk about it in my Fall 2024 inbox round-up because there was an embargo on reviews/announcements until after its release date on October 1st. But that’s fine because it’s perfect as the first movie on my list of horror movies set on Halloween for ALL ages!

But let’s be super clear: Treasure Trackers baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarely qualifies as “horror,” even by my extremely lenient definitions of the genre. It’s The Goonies for kids who find The Goonies too intense. But that’s NOT a bad thing! And, unlike The Goonies, Treasure Trackers has actual supernatural elements to it.

Treasure Trackers focuses primarily on Leah, a sixth-grade girl who’s been abruptly moved from California to (beautiful-looking, very Fall/Halloween-y) Tennessee by her recently-widowed father – who ditches her there with her aunt because being around Leah after the loss of his wife is “too much.” He gifts her a metal detector on his way out though, so at least Leah’s well-equipped for the adventure to come!

Leah befriends her new school’s two “outcasts,” Marshy (too smart/nerdy) and Tessa (too cool?) and they spend most of their time in the school’s library, learning about their fictional town’s spooky history! From there, they find out about a hidden treasure, a vague-but-menacing curse, and the Raven Witch (who DOES make an appearance!).

Halloween serves as both the ticking clock for the characters to figure out the mysteries at hand (and break the curse before the horrible High School teens set it off!) as well as the setting for the final act of the film.

Treasure Trackers isn’t a perfect film, but I was utterly charmed by it and haven’t stopped thinking about it – with a wistful smile – since I watched it. Having HD on lower-budget indie films doesn’t work in their favor, and Treasure Trackers is no exception. As an adult, you’re going to notice that there’s no glass in character’s eyeglasses and the kids just kinda spin pumpkins in their hands without ever carving into them because their “Jack-o-Lantern” pumpkins are fake/foam. But will a child notice/care? I doubt it!

I was also so thrown by a character whipping out a smart phone 40 minutes into the film that I had to pause it for a few seconds. I genuinely thought I was watching a period piece set in around 1996! The slang characters use, the clothing choices, their chosen hangout spots, and their extremely analog way of approaching literally anything (at one point Marshy tells the others that the Internet isn’t a dependable source for information and that they need to research with BOOKS!) all led me to believe they were – quite successfully! – establishing a story set in the past. But the smart phone is only for one plot point (that could have been covered using a digital camera of the late ’90s) so feel free to make Treasure Trackers a period piece in your personal head cannon if you want! 😀

Mostly, I thought of the annual Halloween party/sleepover I would attend as a “Big Kid”/helper. My friend’s little sister was born on Halloween and always had a large group of her friends over for a spooky birthday bash. There was always at LEAST one kid who so desperately wanted to be included in the Halloween fun but was wet-your-pants scared of anything remotely supernatural that wasn’t a cartoon. I’m confident that even THAT kid would be able to enjoy Treasure Trackers! I just wish it HAD been around in 1996!

Treasure Trackers | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 32m

Halloweentown (1998)

My husband is half a decade younger than I am, and the Halloweentown franchise was a big part of his Halloween experience growing up. He introduced my parents and me to the series a couple years ago, and we’ve been watching the films in order (one per year) since then. We all really enjoyed Halloweentown (1998) and Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001) was a worthy sequel! I’m genuinely looking forward to watching Halloweentown High (2004) and Return to Halloweentown (2006) this Halloween and next!

For this list, I’ll be focusing on the original. If you enjoy it, you can seek out the other films in the Halloweentown franchise!

Marnie, Dylan, and Sophie Piper love Halloween but aren’t allowed to celebrate it and they’re not sure why. When their grandmother (Debbie Reynolds) shows up for a visit, its quickly revealed that she – and the childrens’ mother, Gwen – is actually a witch! And that she’s actually from a magical place called Halloweentown.

Gwen abandoned Halloweentown, and being a witch, in favor of living a mundane life in our world. However, now that the friendly vampires, goblins, talking skeletons, ghosts, werewolves, and other citizens of Halloweentown are disappearing (and Grandma suspects foul play!) the Piper kids are called into action to crack the case!

Halloweentown is loaded with wacky creatures and FULLY dives into all the aspects children love most about Halloween. It’s colorful, whimsical, and very fun. And, as the Piper kids learn more about their heritage, it plays into that hope so many of us clung to as lonely children: you’re not weird or broken – you’re magic.

• Halloweentown | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 24m
• Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001) | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 21m
• Halloweentown 3/Halloweentown High (2004) | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 22m
• Return to Halloweentown (2006) | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 28m

The House with a Clock In Its Walls (2018)

Did you watch Eli Roth’s Borderlands (2024) over the summer and think, “Wow. This is a steaming pile of poo. I wish he could’ve made something decent utilizing these talented actors”? If so, then I’m about to give you some good news:

Directed by Eli Roth, The House with a Lock In Its Walls (2018) is the story of Lewis, a recently orphaned boy with only a Magic 8 Ball to his name, who’s sent to live with his estranged bachelor uncle Jonathan (Jack Black).

Lewis quickly learns that Uncle Jonathan is a warlock! Not only that, but their next door neighbor, Jonathan’s best friend Florence (Cate Blanchett), is a witch!

Fortunately for Lewis, Jonathan and Florence are both good magical people with his best interests at heart. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the sinister former occupants of the house they live in. The very occupants who hid a Doomsday clock – ominously ticking down – within the walls of the home. (And guess what day all heck breaks loose!).

Lewis, Jonathan, and Florence need to grapple with magical and supernatural dangers while also tackling how to move forward through immense grief. And it’s that latter aspect that makes it a bit jarring when full minutes are dedicated to feces jokes that don’t land (now that I’ve seen Borderlands, I’m starting to establish a patten in Roth’s work). That said, overall, The House with a Clock In Its Walls is a good film for kids set on Halloween!

If you or your kid is especially sensitive to the Uncanny Valley, you may want to pre-screen the scene with CGI baby-bodied Jack Black because YIKES! But maybe that’s just me.

The House with a Clock In Its Walls | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 40m

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) starts just as Halloween Night comes to a close. Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King and ruler of Halloween Town, has grown bored of a Halloween-focused life and yearns for something new. He discovers Christmas and shenanigans ensue as he tries to take over a holiday he doesn’t quite understand yet.

I love the music in The Nightmare Before Christmas. And the stop-motion animation is excellent! It still holds up over 20 years later. It’s a fun lil story, its visually appealing for all ages, it’s not too scary for kiddos, and its a great choice for winding down with at the end of a sugar-fueled evening.

It’s extremely cozy, and I’ve always seen it as a “transitional” Halloween film. It helps to fill that listless gap in-between Halloween and Christmas. Which, for many of us, is the next BIG holiday!

Also, The Nightmare Before Christmas was selected for preservation last year by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically, and/or aesthetically significant.” If you’ve been holding off on watching it, maybe that’ll convince you!

The Nightmare Before Christmas | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 16m

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948)

Speaking of films deemed worthy of preservation by the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry (as well as one of the American Film Institute’s “100 Funniest American Movies”), Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein has been THE Halloween horror movie in our household since before I was born. With rare exceptions, we watch it every year – even if its just on in the background while we carve pumpkins!

While some of the classic Universal Monster movies might be too slow (or too tense/scary) for some children, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein manages to showcase some of the very best monsters in a way that’s undeniably FUN for all ages.

If you’re an adult, particularly one with horror history knowledge, then you’ll likely appreciate a lot of the genre in-jokes and parody aspects this classic has to offer. Whereas younger audiences don’t need a brain filled with film trivia to appreciate silly man fall down go boom and make funny noise when scared.

The only thing up for debate is whether Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein is actually a horror movie set on Halloween! My family and I say “yes,” because – especially for the time period – we couldn’t think of any other reason the characters would be attending a spooky-themed costume party. But feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein | Not Rated | Runtime 1h 23m

Horror Movies Set On Halloween for Tweens

Return to Oz (1985)

I initially had Return to Oz (1985) in the “Horror Movies Set On Halloween for Kids” section, but my husband told me it was “too disturbing” to be in that category. And I’m sure my bestie, who was 11 when it was initially released and claims – to this day – that it’s one of the ONLY films that’s scared her, would agree with Frank’s assessment.

Personally, I don’t get it. I’ve been watching Return to Oz since I was a literal toddler and I loved it then as much as I love it now! Princess Mombi can be pretty intense for younger kids (again, despite my background, I seriously don’t recommend introducing children to horror until they’re at least five!), but everything else is fantastic.

I used to wear my own rollerskates on my feet and wear my mom’s skates on my hands and pretend to be a Wheeler! Our living room couch was clearly the Gump, his head was just invisible at the moment. As someone who loathes cooking, I say, “Yes, please!” to lunchpail trees. And I relate more to Tik-Tok and the feeling of having various aspects of your being (thinking, in particular) “wind down” after a hard day now more than ever. Plus, where else are you going to learn that eggs are poison to Nomes?? That’s valuable information for imaginative children!

Return to Oz is one of my Top 10 favorite movies of all time, in any genre. And I understand that the issues Dorothy faces in the beginning of the film, while in Kansas, are pretty scary… Her family is struggling to financially recuperate after their house was demolished by a twister, and Dorothy’s mental health is called into question which leads to Aunt Em dropping her off for care at an 1890’s mental institution… But that bone-chilling stuff mostly went over my head as a youngster and didn’t effect my viewing experience at all. By the time I truly understood what was going on, I was old enough to handle it and it only added to how clever and well-done this beautiful film is.

What baffles me is that Frank and Christi have deemed the scenes in OZ the scary ones, not the ones in KANSAS! So… I don’t know! I absolutely love Return to Oz and have never had any issues with it at any age in my life, but I trust my husband’s and my bestie’s judgement and will therefore recommend that you watch Return to Oz on your own first before you introduce it to your kids or tweens.

Return to Oz | Rated PG | Runtime 1h 53m

The Addams Family (1991)

The Addams Family and their creepy, kooky, mysterious, spooky vibes have always been a welcome treat on and around Halloween. Whether you’re watching the 1960’s television show or episodes of 2022’s Wednesday, your fam will have a great time with their fam!

However, this is my list of horror movies set on Halloween and The Addams Family (1991) the film version with a significant Halloween scene.

I can’t tell you exactly what that scene is because it’s at the very end of the film and definitively wraps up a movie-long question/mystery regarding Uncle Fester, but you get to see all of the main characters in their Halloween costumes and its very cute.

The next time Halloween lands on a weekend, this might be a fun one to watch the night before Halloween (depending on your tween’s sleeping schedule, you could line it up so the Addams Family celebrates Halloween right as Midnight hits!). Also, if your tween enjoys The Addams Family (1991), they can check out Addams Family Values (1993) which has a significant Thanksgiving scene!

The Addams Family | Rated PG-13 | Runtime 1h 39m

Spirit Halloween: The Movie (2022)

A lot of these horror movies set on Halloween were made for adults, but can also be okay for other age groups. Spirit Halloween: The Movie (2022), I fully believe, was made FOR tweens.

I mention that because it seems like other horror-focused websites/publications/reviewers/critics were a bit thrown by that at the time. I don’t know if they’ve since realized “Oh wait, this isn’t FOR me,” but I figured I’d mention it in MY review at the very least. Bagging on Spirit Halloween: The Movie for appealing to middle schoolers rather than hardcore adult horror fans would be like a reviewer from 1986 saying, “Mr. Boogedy’s humor was far from mature, the vacuum cleaner and toaster featured weren’t fully showcased to the full extent of their abilities, and I found the effects far from terrifying.” That would be ridiculous, right?

With that in mind, Spirit Halloween: The Movie is a very sweet horror film set on Halloween that’s perfect for the middle school age group – the same age group as its protagonists! It plays its story mostly straight, with just a couple laughs to release the tension. And I think that’s a good thing! As adults or even teens, we can sit with the scares or the dread for longer periods of time, but having faster breakaways from those moments are better for younger audiences. They won’t have to strain to be brave or made to feel uncomfortable if they’re watching Spirit Halloween with their peers.

Spirit Halloween: The Movie follows three tween boys at varying levels of maturity. Carson, the eldest of the trio whose hit the voice-changed/hair-growing-in-new-places/grumpy “I’m too cool for fun” phase of male puberty; Bo, the youngest and most booksmart who’s still fully a kid; and Jake, the main protagonist who’s caught in the middle both in age and interests – truly a tween. The friendship dynamic is sort of “Superbad on Halloween without all the sex and swears.” It’s a friend group that’s been together forever but they’re growing apart simply because they’re growing up.

And, since it’s Halloween, they also have to deal with the “we’re too old for trick-or-treating but too young for partying, so now what?” conundrum. Their solution: Sneak into their local Spirit Halloween store and spend the night.

Unfortunately for them, their local Spirit Halloween is haunted by the ghost of Christopher Lloyd, who can terrorize the tweens by possessing the store’s creepy merchandise! So, much like Treasure Trackers, the three friends need to find a way to undo a curse in order to save themselves and everyone else in town.

Also, I was so impressed that Spirit Halloween: The Movie – which is literally named after and takes place IN a real store – was so reserved with their product placement. Yes, everything on display in the movie’s store is/was a real piece of merchandise that you could buy in their real store, but at no point did it ever become ABOUT the merch. Unlike Disney’s Haunted Mansion (2023), Spirit Halloween: The Movie never once stopped the plot to go, “Wow! This spooky decoration from Spirit Halloween is the BEST of its kind, and at such an affordable price too!” I respected that.

Spirit Halloween: The Movie | Rated PG-13 | 1h 22m

Horror Movies Set On Halloween for Teens

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

As of this writing, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) is still in theaters and won’t hit on-demand streaming until next week, on October 8th. If you get the chance to, catch it in theaters! Frank and I were lucky enough to see it opening night and it was a blast watching it with a group.

I initially had Beetlejuice Beetlejuice in the horror movies set on Halloween for tweens section, but then I remembered how much they upped the amount of swearing from the original (which already had several swears) and I know a lot has changed over the years, but my parents wouldn’t have been chill with that for tween me. So, I’m erring on the side of caution and saying Beetlejuice Beetlejuice would be great for teens! (Plus, younger tweens might find a lot of the afterlife and certain deaths too intense – the kid next to me in the theater zipped her hoodie up over her face for some of the scarier scenes).

I’m not going to say much more than that right now because, like I said, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is still in theaters and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone even a little bit. Just know that it follows three generations of Deetz women – Lydia, her daughter Astrid, and her mother Delia – as they return home to Winter River. And the bulk of the movie takes place ON Halloween.

Oh, and watch Beetlejuice (1988) and maybe even the first episode episode of the cartoon series before you watch it. You’ll enjoy it more.

Fun Fact: If you ever meet me in person and I say, “Beetlejuice bothered your dog,” “Beetlejuice likes you but pretends he doesn’t,” “Lydia lied to her parents,” and/or suggest utilizing Party People in a Can to liven up a failing shindig, I’m referencing the Beetlejuice cartoon series (episodes “Skeletons in the Closet” and “Laugh of the Party” – the Halloween episode! – specifically). I’ve been saying those lines for over 30 years now and I’m so happy the cartoon hit streaming recently so other people can finally know what the heck I’m talking about.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice | Rated PG-13 | Runtime 1h 44m

Dark Harvest (2023)

When I was binge watching horror movies set in cornfields last month, I discovered Dark Harvest (2023)! At the time, I said “Dark Harvest is a little bit of The Purge with a smidge of The Hunger Games with a whole lotta Halloween spirit. I wouldn’t recommend it for kids, but older tweens and teens of all ages will likely dig it.”

That’s still my opinion now!

Dark Harvest | Rated R | Runtime 1h 36m

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the story of Dr. Dan Challis (Tom Atkins) investigating a recent string of mysterious injuries and deaths leading up to Halloween that all seem to point in the direction of the Silver Shamrock Halloween mask company.

The mask manufacturer’s owner, Conal Cochran, is actually a powerful warlock who’s fed up with youngsters disrespecting Halloween. He’s using Silver Shamrock to create a line of incredible masks – sold to every kid in the country via an irresistible commercial jingle – that are destined to kill their wearers come Halloween night.

The visuals are fun, the plot is creative and fun but just silly enough to not be too scary, and the inescapable countdown to Halloween via the Silver Shamrock song all add to the experience. The final act takes place ON Halloween in an unforgettable climax, making this one of the most unique horror movies set on Halloween. (Though I think it’s more fun to watch it on one of the days leading up to Halloween to help build anticipation for the actual Day Of!).

Dad says that the “steamy” sex scene between Tom Atkins and his leading lady may be too much for teens, but so much of Halloween III: Season of the Witch is too fun for teens to have to miss out on… So, I went in and got the timestamp of the scene in question for you so you can be ready to fast forward or tell your teen to turn their head or whatever you feel is best: The scene starts at the 40-minute mark and they’re done by minute 42.

His girlfriend is in some pretty modest lingerie and you alllllllllllllmost see a female nipple but it gets covered by Tom Atkins’ mouth/head. And you DO see Tom Atkins’ nip. And a lot of sloppy wet smoochin’. But that’s about it. I think most teens 16+ will be able to take it in stride, but that’s up to you!

Also, Frank mentioned that all of the other movies in the Halloween franchise (the ones with Michael Myers in them) are also horror movies set on Halloween. You can watch those too, if you want. Their age appropriateness varies drastically though, so be sure to do your own research if you’re interested in those.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch | Rated R | Runtime 1h 39m

Horror Movies Set On Halloween for Older Teens/Adults

Tales of Halloween (2015)

I have mixed feelings about Tales of Halloween (2015).

The special FX work and overall visuals are absolutely top-notch and will dazzle most casual viewers. And if horror movies are a special interest of yours, you’ll be able to wow (or annoy?) your friends by blurting out almost non-stop trivia about actors in EVERY scene in Tales of Halloween, even if they’re only shown for the briefest glimpse.

Even the DJ, serving as the wraparound for each of the segments in this 10-story horror anthology, is played by Adrienne Barbeau – essentially reprising her role in The Fog (1980).

There’s all kinds of little “Oh, hey. It’s______ from ________” moments in Tales of Halloween. You’ll recognize beloved horror actors like Barbara Crampton, Felissa Rose, and Barry Bostwick; horror directors like Joe Dante, Stuart Gordon, and John Landis; Drew Struzan, the artist responsible for many of the most memorable movie posters and genre VHS covers; and so many more iconic faces in near-distractingly meaty roles! It was nice to see them collecting a paycheck and seemingly having a great time.

That said, I personally found Tales of Halloween… boring.

I’ve been immersed in horror FX since birth, and stunt casting rarely impresses me beyond the momentary self-congratulatory pat on the back for recognizing whoever’s in the role. That leaves the stories to carry my interest. Eight out of ten didn’t. I found them mean-spirted and dull.

But, like I said, the special FX and art direction for all ten segments was great. I feel like, if I were watching Tales of Halloween in the background at a party with Halloween music playing overhead rather than the film’s actual dialogue, it would be a really fun flick to look over at and be like, “Whoa! That’s crazy!!”

VISUALLY, out of context, it’s fun!! And, of course, all ten stories are set on Halloween and they take full advantage of that setting.

Tales of Halloween | Rated R | Runtime 1h 32m

Trick ‘r Treat (2007)

I have no mixed feelings about Trick ‘r Treat (2007).

To use EC Comics as a reference point: If Tales of Halloween (2015) is Epitaphs from the Abyss, then Trick ‘r Treat (2007) is the original run of Tales from the Crypt/Vault of Horror/Haunt of Fear. Trick ‘r Treat isn’t a “that was almost something great,” it’s just great.

Trick ‘r Treat only has four interwoven stories plus its wraparound – starring Sam, a mysterious trick-or-treater who takes the Rules of Halloween very seriously – but each story is well-crafted and keeps you sucked in from start to finish. Having fewer stories allows each one to breathe and fully come alive with characters you can care about (even if it’s just caring about seeing them brought to justice by Sam!).

Older teens and adults will love Trick ‘r Treat. I’d say that ages 15-17 would likely be okay with it too, if they’re already into horror and have been okay with similar films in the past. (Don’t start with Trick ‘r Treat as an “introduction to horror” movie – it’s extremely violent/gory, even if you don’t have to worry about any sex scenes).

Trick ‘r Treat is a fantastic horror anthology movie set on Halloween night. Plus, it includes one of my dad’s all-time favorite “monster reveal” moments!

Trick ‘r Treat | Rated R | Runtime 1h 40m

Come Back Next Friday for Even MORE Horror Movies Set On Halloween!

Longing for even more horror movies set on Halloween? Well, come back next Friday, October 11th! I’ll have at LEAST 13 more Halloween horror films to recommend!

I actually have a list of movies nearly double that length that I’m working through watching or re-watching to see if they’re worthy of inclusion. So, there’s a very good chance next week’s list of horror movies set on Halloween will be substantially larger than this one!

Speaking of actually watching the films before I recommend them, I vaguely remembered that I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) featured a Halloween party and considered including it; however, after my rewatch… Well, let’s just say, the tagline on the poster was greatly exaggerated. 😉

That said, if you need something with a 1h 16m runtime to have on in the background for a family-friendly haunted house/walkthrough, I Was a Teenage Werewolf would be fine. And the werewolf transformation scenes are a kick. (And even through I barely remembered anything else about the movie, I’ve been saying, “That right. Hide behind jive talk. People bug ya. Well, people bug me too!” for years. That dialogue snippet lodged its way into my gray matter and got stuck, along with the Constitution’s preamble and the lyrics to “Baby Got Back”).

Anyway, I’ll see you next Friday with even MORE horror movies set on Halloween!!

Images were purchased via CineMaterial and used for review purposes. Except for the Treasure Trackers poster, which was included with the email they sent me and the screenshot near the top from my DVD of Return to Oz.