The 40 Best Halloween Movies of All Time

Adapted from the beloved theatrical cartoon short and comic book series “Casper the Friendly Ghost,”, this supernatural dramedy was the first live-action feature film to star a CGI character in the lead role. He goes by the name of Casper and forges a unique bond with a teenage girl (Christina Ricci). The story concludes with an event-packed Halloween party at the haunted Whipstaff Manor.

This popular sequel takes place on the same night as its groundbreaking predecessor and follows Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) to a local hospital. It’s only a matter of time before The Shape – aka Michael Myers – shows up to cause his next bloodbath. John Carpenter and collaborator Debra Hill wrote the screenplay.

With help from a time machine, a man (Adam Devine) tries to get the same girl (Alexandra Daddario) over and over again. Both characters first meet on Halloween in 2014, a day that gets revisited throughout the story.

Greg Heffley (Zachary Gordon) navigates the social minefield of middle school in this blockbuster dramedy based on the book series of the same name by Jeff Kinney. An early sequence takes place on Halloween and sets the stage for an important throughline. Three sequels would follow, all of which similarly were culled from the books.

A serial-killing clown pursues a young woman on Halloween night in this gory splatterfest. Director Damien Leone previously helmed the direct-to-video anthology movie “All Hallows’ Eve,” featuring the same creepy antagonist. The sequel “Terrifier 2” recently opened to better reviews and audience ratings.

Horror director Eli Roth tried his hand at family-friendly fare with this comedy fantasy, based on a top-selling juvenile novel. After the death of his parents, a young boy moves into the mysterious house of his eccentric uncle (Jack Black). On Halloween night, the boy conjures the dead by way of a magic spell.

This Halloween-themed anthology film interweaves 10 segments from 10 different directors, including a few well-known names. Expect a somewhat uneven blend of horror and comedy along with all kinds of classic creatures. Variety critic Dennis Harvey called it “​​disposably diverting at best and execrable at worst.”

A group of medical students temporarily die so as to explore the beyond in this psychological thriller. It features a lively Halloween party and pivotal near-death experience on the very same night. Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, and Julia Roberts all star.

Released 29 years after its predecessor, this Disney sequel lights a magic flame and resurrects the wicked Sanderson Sisters. Against a Halloween backdrop, the trio of witches unleash chaos across Salem while hunting for fresh prey. Original stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy all reprise their roles.

Three 17th-century witches return to present-day Salem in this fantasy comedy, set during Halloween. A box office disappointment upon its theatrical release, the film has become a holiday cult classic through repeat airings on television.

The second installment of this animated film series puts a fantasy twist on traditional family themes. Hotel owner Dracula (voiced by Adam Sandler) must bring out the monster in his grandson while dealing with his human-hating Dad (voiced by Mel Brooks). Over in California, daughter Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) partakes in some Halloween traditions.

This dark fantasy adapts a novel from sci-fi author Ray Bradbury, who also penned the script. Born just one minute apart on Halloween, Will (Vidal Peterson) and Jim (Shawn Carson) are now best friends and neighbors. With the arrival of a carnival comes a series of sinister events, plunging them both into the heart of a mystery.

A backward-playing record brings an idol back from the dead in this heavy-metal-themed horror flick. The story builds toward Halloween night and a catastrophic high school dance. Rock legends Ozzy Osbourne and Gene Simmons appear in supporting roles.

R.L. Stine’s popular book series laid the groundwork for both a children’s TV show and this horror comedy feature. Jack Black plays the author himself, who must save a small town after various monsters escape from his works. It was released mid-October and followed by the stand-alone sequel “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween.”

TV creative legend Dan Harmon co-wrote the screenplay for this computer-animated horror comedy. It centers around a sentient haunted house, which comes to life and wreaks all kinds of havoc every Halloween. Pay close attention and you’ll find clever references to the works of Stephen King.

This overlooked gothic mystery, which takes place in 1962, opens on the day of Halloween. While locked in the classroom closet, a young boy (Lukas Haas) experiences a supernatural event with real-life consequences. “We have been this way before in countless other movies, but not often with so much style, atmosphere and believable human nature,” wrote critic Roger Ebert in his three-star review.

Bullied as a child, May Canady (Angela Bettis) is an awkward 20-something by the time this gruesome slasher kicks off. Her psychological state is rendered all the more unstable by romantic entanglements, paving the way for a bloody Halloween night. The film is often described as a modern-day retelling of “Frankenstein.”

This found-footage movie presents itself as a documentary surrounding the horrific events at a haunted house. Recovered tapes bring viewers inside the opening on Halloween night, which resulted in multiple deaths. Two sequels would follow.

Three friends venture inside an abandoned house on Halloween night and find a book full of scary stories. Little do they realize that the book has the power to bring its shocking narratives to life. So goes this adaptation of Alvin Schwartz’s iconic anthologies, with Guillermo del Toro co-producing.

Jeremy Saulnier’s directorial feature debut makes deft use of its small budget, taking place primarily in one location. A lonely man arrives at what he thinks is a Halloween party only to become the target of a heinous – and hilarious – murder plan. It won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the 2007 Slamdance Film Festival.

The 11th installment of this iconic franchise rewrites the mythology by ignoring all predecessors except for the original classic. Four decades after their fateful encounter, Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers square off once again. It makes up part of a trilogy that concludes this year with “Halloween Ends.”

This Disney Channel Original Movie launched a four-part franchise about the titular municipality, in which various Halloween creatures and characters exist. After learning she’s a witch, a young girl visits the alternate world to save it from an evil entity. Rumors of an upcoming fifth installment persist.

This Halloween-themed anthology film has taken on the status of a cult classic in the time since its limited theatrical release. Loosely interweaving five tales of terror, it punctuates genuine scares with frequent comic relief. A sequel is reportedly in development.

Director Tim Burton adapts Washington Irving’s famous short story, most often told during Halloween. While investigating a series of decapitations, Ichabod Crane (Johnny Depp) comes up against the mythic Headless Horseman. It won an Academy Award for Best Art Direction.

Tim Burton’s stop-motion sci-fi comedy horror is a feature-length adaptation of his own previous short film. As with much of the director’s work, this one cultivates a perennial Halloween vibe even if the holiday doesn’t play a direct role. Witness the story of young Victor Frankenstein, who brings his pet dog back from the dead.

A handsome soldier (Dan Stevens) rolls into town and chaos ensues in this gripping thriller. Screenwriter Simon Barrett was reportedly inspired to pen the film after watching a double feature of “Halloween” and “The Terminator.” Key events accordingly take place on Halloween during a local party and dance.

This harrowing drama doesn’t exactly scream “Halloween movie” in the traditional sense, but nevertheless features the holiday during an early sequence. It tells the story of small-town cop Wade Whitehouse (Nick Nolte), who grapples with various personal issues during an investigation. James Coburn won an Academy Award for the supporting role of Wade’s alcoholic father.

From the co-writers behind “A Quiet Place” comes this modern-day slasher film. It takes place on Halloween night and follows a group of friends to an “extreme” haunted house. On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a rare Audience Score of 100%.

The theme music from John Carpenter’s “Halloween” makes a brief appearance in this stop-motion horror comedy. It tells the story of gifted outsider Norman Babcock, who must save his small town from a witch’s curse.

“There’s a happy Halloween in store even for children who aren’t allowed to trick or treat,” wrote critic Detroit Free Press Terry Lawson of this stop-motion animated musical fantasy. It chronicles the atypical relationship between a Victorian man (voiced by Johnny Depp) and a woman brought back from the dead (Helena Bonham Carter).

This Disney anthology film divides into two different segments and features both live-action hosts and animated stories. The second segment adapts “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving and includes a Halloween party. On his way home later that night, Ichabod encounters the infamous Headless Horseman.

This Japanese anime adventure takes place between episodes 22 and 23 of the TV series that preceded it. A biological terrorist is threatening to unleash deadly nano-bots if his demands aren’t met by the night before Halloween. Will the bounty-hunting crew of spaceship Bebop catch their target in time?

Few films tease their climax like this indie cult classic from director Richard Kelly, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as the title character. As a haunting rabbit counts down to the end of the world, young Donnie loses his grip on reality. Everything comes to a head on Halloween night.

This timeless blockbuster chronicles the symbiotic bond between a young boy (Henry Thomas) and a quirky alien. Evading government agents, they famously fly a bicycle across the moon on Halloween night. The iconic image became part of the logo for Spielberg’s production company, Amblin Entertainment.

This gothic thriller sets the bulk of its story on the night before Halloween, better known as Devil’s Night. A year after his death, the titular hero (Brandon Lee) emerges from the grave to seek vengeance on his killers. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming remake.

Director Frank Capra’s black comedy, which adapts a popular play of the same name, unfolds over the course of Halloween night. Married earlier that day, a Brooklyn writer (Cary Grant) discovers that his two aunts are serial killers. Capra released the Christmas classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” the same year.

Art the Clown is back and deadlier than ever in this grotesque sequel to Damien Leone’s original cult slasher. The film’s two-hour-and-18-minute runtime brings a whole new meaning to the word “overkill.” Most critics and audiences still consider it an improvement over its predecessor.

If John Carpenter’s game-changing classic isn’t the best Halloween movie of all time, it’s certainly the most quintessential. Welcome to Haddonfield, Illinois, where escaped mental patient Michael Myers terrorizes teens on All Hallows’ Eve. So begins both a long-running franchise and the modern era of horror itself.

This acclaimed Christmas musical takes place in 1904 and chronicles the romantic adventures of four sisters. An extended sequence occurs during Halloween and features a number of historic customs.

This stop-motion musical fantasy went wide in domestic theaters just before Halloween and doubles as a Christmas classic. Follow “Pumpkin King” Jack Skellington as he brings Santa Clause into Halloween Town to disastrous results. The film’s legacy has only grown in the time since its initial release.