The 63 Best Halloween Movies of All Time

The classic 1978 slasher film introduces one of the most iconic figures of cinema and the holiday: Michael Myers. The killer breaks out of a mental hospital and stalks a teenage babysitter and her friends in this iconic horror entry.

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Coco was inspired by the Mexican holiday “Day of the Dead,” which begins November 1. About memory, death, tradition, and family, Coco is just about as Halloween as a movie can possibly be.

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Based on Ray Bradbury’s novel, the made-for-TV film follows four children across culture and time as they quest to save the soul of their dying friend. It might be said Bradbury did for Halloween what Charles Dickens did for Christmas. We agree.

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The Vvitch chronicles all the harvest-time horror of colonial New England. The cinematography looks like a series of oil paintings and the film’s supernatural storyline will make you thank the gods for electricity. And science.

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So it’s technically a miniseries, but Cartoon Network’s animated Dante-esque adventure runs at about 2 hours, which is basically a movie. Set on Halloween night, the series follows two boys inexplicably lost in the woods. It’s one of the most original Halloween stories we’ve seen, and not too too scary for the kids.

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It’s also the best Christmas movie that’s not named Die Hard, but that’s a discussion for another list. For now, and if you haven’t already done so for whatever reason: Watch this masterpiece.

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While A Ghost Story doesn’t take place on Halloween, it’s basic concept (a man wearing the lamest Halloween costume of all time) explores all the themes of death and loss and time that make Halloween Halloween. The film follows a man who dies and becomes a ghost and remains in the house he shared with his wife.

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Based on maybe the most famous New England folk tale ever, this Tim Burton adaptation expands the story in ways somehow creepier than the original tale. The film follows a police constable who travels to the village Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of murders by a headless horseman.

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The story is based on a series of apparent demonic possessions in 1949. While not explicitly a Halloween story, The Exorcist more than qualifies as the Super Scary Classic Movie That Must Be Watched In October.

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In the same spirit is The Silence of the Lambs, which is just a Halloween must watch. Based on Thomas Harris’s popular crime-thriller series, the film stars Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. When the FBI is desperate to catch a serial killer, they call upon another–the infamous Hannibal Lecter–to help catch him.

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Think Silence of the Lambs, but starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage. Longlegs is moody, creepy, and even has a tinge of the supernatural. If you’re looking for a newer, stylish flick—with Nic Cage doing some wild stuff—it’s hard to go wrong with Oz Perkins’s film.

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For the serious horror lovers, we recommend Lake Mungo. This Australian cult favorite follows the aftermath of a 16-year-old girl who drowns, and the supernatural occurrences that her family can’t ignore. Shot in mockumentary/found-footage style, this movie will freak out even the toughest viewers—because it just feels so real.

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Inspired by the Gainesville Ripper, a serial killer who killed five Florida students in August 1990, Scream is essential fright night viewing. And the iconic mask worn by the killer is maybe the most famous American Halloween image there is.

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While much of the Alien franchise can create a spirited debate as to whether it fits better into the horror or sci-fi genre, Ridley Scott‘s original Alien is as filled with dread as anything you’ll ever see. And that’s why we love to watch it in October.

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A horror classic, and for damn good reason. How well do you know your neighbors?

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Halloween means doomsday in the classic cult film, which we never get tired of watching. Featuring a star-studded cast (Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, Patrick Swayze, etc), the film follows a sleepwalking teen who begins to have visions of a rabbit who tells him the world will end soon.

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Jason Voorhees might just be the most classic Halloween costume (er, character) of all time. This first film of the series has the most tension, and is probably the best movie in the series. And you need this one to set every successive film in the decades-long series up.But don’t expect that iconic villain to show up just yet. You’ve got to wait for the sequels for that.

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Francis Ford Coppola, known best for directing a couple little movies called The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, takes an absolutely epic bite into the horror world with Bram Stoker’s Dracula, his take on the timeless vampire tale. The cast is filled with stars—including Keanu Reeves, Anthony Hopkins, and Winona Ryder—but it’s Gary Oldman’s titular character who truly seals the deal. A true Halloween horror epic.

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Speaking of Dracula, director Robert Eggers (The VVitch, The Lighthouse) got to put his own spin on the tale via the Nosferatu story in 2024—and his results were similarly epic. Bill Skarsgård’s take on Count Orlok was instantly iconic, and the rest of the cast—including Nicholas Hoult, Lily-Rose Depp, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson—all come ready to play.

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