Plemons shares two sons, Ennis, 7, and James, 4, with his wife, actress Kirsten Dunst.
Halloween movies for kids are one of the best ways to get your family in the spooky spirit.
They not only set the tone for what’s to come on Oct. 31, but also bring everyone together — newborns, toddlers, preschoolers and teens alike — for a night of laughter, popcorn and perfectly-timed jump scares.
Of course, that begs the question: what are you going to watch?
The way I see it, there are two ways to go about a Halloween movie night. The classic way, which means waiting for a marathon to appear on your favorite channel, or the modern way — by streaming your own.
If you like the old-fashioned way, then Freeform is a great place to start.
Freeform, formerly known as ABC Family, is an American cable and satellite television channel owned by Disney. It’s known for its coveted “31 Nights of Halloween,” which airs daily starting Oct. 1.
For example, here’s what family-friendly Halloween movies Freeform is airing on Oct. 31:
- 10:30 a.m. EDT/PDT – "Matilda"
- 12:30 p.m. EDT/PDT – "Hocus Pocus"
- 2:35 p.m. EDT/PDT – "Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas"
- 4:10 p.m. EDT/PDT – "Casper" (1995)
- 6:30 p.m. EDT/PDT – "Hocus Pocus"
- 8:35 p.m. EDT/PDT – "Hocus Pocus 2"
- 12:00 a.m. EDT/PDT – "Hocus Pocus"
If you have older kids who want a true jump scare, then tune into AMC’s “FearFest,” which started Oct. 1.
The event is home to Halloween classics like “Child’s Play,” “Jeepers Creepers” and the “Halloween,” “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th” franchises — just make sure your child is old enough.
READ MORE: National Movie Night just got a lot better with these affordable family-friendly classics
But if your’e one of the 55% of households who don’t have cable, per the Pew Research Center, then you might be looking for family Halloween movies available on your preferred streaming platform.
Don’t worry — we’ll break down some of the best Halloween movies for kids on Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu.
Family Halloween movies on Netflix
Netflix is by far the largest and most popular streaming service in the world right now.
The platform boasts more than 300 million subscribers worldwide and more than 80 million in the United States alone, according to FlixPatrol, and is home to thousands of titles for both kids and adults.
If you’re not already a subscriber, then Netflix offers a variety of plans to get started:
- Standard (with ads): $7.99 monthly
- Standard (no ads): $17.99 monthly
- Premium: $24.99 monthly
The premium plan allows subscribers to watch on four supported devices at a time, watch in 4K (Ultra HD) and HDR, download on 6 supported devices at a time and add up to two non-household members.
Here are a few Halloween movies on Netflix to add to your own marathon this spooky season.
A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Tamara Smart, Oona Laurence, Tom Felton
Recruited by a secret society of babysitters, a high schooler battles the Boogeyman and his monsters when they nab the boy she's watching on Halloween.
Casper
Rating: PG
Starring: Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty
Friendly ghost Casper really wants a pal, but he always seems to scare people away from his mansion — until a therapist and his teen daughter move in.
The Curse of Bridge Hollow
Rating: TV-14
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Priah Ferguson, Kelly Rowland
A Halloween-hating dad reluctantly teams up with his teenage daughter when an evil spirit wreaks havoc by making their town's decorations come to life.
Goosebumps (TV Series)
Rating: TV-G
R.L. Stine's tales take on a life of their own in a series that combines original stories with adaptations drawn from the popular books.
Goosebumps (Movie)
Rating: PG
Starring: Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush
A teen is glum about moving to a small town until he falls for his new neighbor. But her dad is a horror writer whose scary world soon turns real.
Hubie Halloween
Rating: PG-13
Starring: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Julie Bowen
Hubie's not the most popular guy in Salem, Mass., but when Halloween turns truly spooky, this good-hearted scaredy-cat sets out to keep his town safe.
KPop Demon Hunters
Rating: PG
Starring: Arden Cho, Ahn Hyo-seop, Ken Jeong
When K-pop superstars Rumi, Mira and Zoey aren't selling out stadiums, they're using their secret powers to protect their fans from supernatural threats.
The Spooky Tale of Captain Underpants Hack-a-ween
Rating: TV-Y7
Starring: Nat Faxon, Jay Gragnani, Ramone Hamilton
When Melvin tries to cancel Halloween, clever best friends Harold and George create their own spooky holiday -- and it's a huge success!
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
Rating: PG-13
Starring: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara
Decades after summoning Beetlejuice by saying his name three times, Lydia Deetz needs the demonic trickster's help to save her teenage daughter.
Wednesday
Rating: TV-14
Starring: Jenna Ortega, Gwendoline Christie, Catherine Zeta-Jones
Smart, sarcastic and a little dead inside, Wednesday Addams investigates twisted mysteries while making new friends — and foes — at Nevermore Academy.
The Goonies
Rating: PG
Starring: Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Cohen
A group of misfit children discovers a pirate's treasure map and embarks on a journey to find the riches in this beloved 1980s classic.
Disney Halloween movies for kids
Disney+ might have half the number of subscribers as Netflix, but it’s perfect for family-friendly fun.
According to FlixPatrol, Disney+ had more than 125 million subscribers as of June — including 53 million in the United States alone — making it the third-most popular streaming service worldwide.
The platform is everyone’s go-to destination for movies and shows in the Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic universe — including all of your kids’ favorite Disney fairytales and princesses.
There are a two main plans to choose from:
- Disney+ (with ads): $11.99 monthly
- Disney+ (no ads): $18.99 monthly
You can also bundle your subscription with other popular streaming services, such as ESPN+, Hulu, HBO Max and NFL+.
But if you’re looking exclusively for kids Halloween movies, then here are some to add to your watch list!
Hocus Pocus
Rating: PG
Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vinessa Shaw
Three resurrected Salem witches hunt for children on Halloween night to restore their youth. A group of kids must stop them before sunrise.
Hocus Pocus 2
Rating: PG
Starring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Whitney Peak, Lilia Buckingham, Belissa Escobedo
Three high school students accidentally bring back the Sanderson sisters in present-day Salem. They must stop the witches from becoming all-powerful before Halloween midnight.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Rating: PG
Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O'Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page
Jack Skellington discovers Christmas Town and decides to take over the holiday. His misguided attempt causes chaos until he learns to appreciate both holidays.
Halloweentown
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Debbie Reynolds, Kimberly J. Brown, Judith Hoag, Joey Zimmerman
A teenage girl discovers she's from a family of witches and travels to Halloweentown, a magical realm where supernatural beings live. She must help her grandmother stop an evil force threatening to destroy the town.
Halloweentown II
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Kimberly J. Brown, Debbie Reynolds, Judith Hoag, Joey Zimmerman, Daniel Kountz
Marnie and her grandmother must stop a villain who plans to turn Halloweentown's magical residents into humans. The stakes rise as they race against time to save the magical realm.
Halloweentown High
Rating: TV-G
Starring: Kimberly J. Brown, Debbie Reynolds, Judith Hoag, Joey Zimmerman, Emily Roeske
Marnie brings a group of Halloweentown students to her human high school as part of an exchange program. She must protect them from exposure while stopping a sinister plot to ban magic forever.
Return to Halloweentown
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Sara Paxton, Judith Hoag, Joey Zimmerman, Lucas Grabeel, Debbie Reynolds
Marnie starts college in Halloweentown and uncovers a sinister plot involving a mysterious box and ancient prophecy. She must use her powers to save both the magical and human worlds.
Muppets Haunted Mansion
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Dave Goelz, Bill Barretta, Will Arnett, Yvette Nicole Brown, Darren Criss, Taraji P. Henson
Gonzo accepts a challenge to spend Halloween night in a haunted mansion and faces his fears. He and Pepe encounter ghosts who force Gonzo to confront what frightens him most.
Twitches
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry, Kristen Wilson, Patrick Fabian
Twin witches separated at birth reunite on their 21st birthday and discover their magical powers. They must work together to save their magical kingdom from an ancient evil force.
Girl vs. Monster
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Olivia Holt, Brendan Meyer, Kerris Dorsey, Luke Benward
A teenage girl discovers her parents are retired monster hunters on Halloween night. She must face her fears and battle monsters to save her parents and friends.
Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Caroline Rhea, Charles Shaughnessy, Matt O'Leary, Laura Vandervoort
Two kids discover their mom is going on a date with a vampire on Halloween. They team up with a vampire hunter to save her before it's too late.
Kids Halloween movies on Hulu
We can’t have a list of Halloween movies without opening the door to Hulu.
According to FlixPatrol, Hulu (which is only available in the United States) has 55 million subscribers — making it the fifth-most popular streaming service in the country.
Similar to Disney+, Hulu has two primary plan options — and a Live TV plan:
- Hulu (with ads): $11.99 monthly
- Hulu (no ads): $18.99 monthly
- Hulu Live TV only: $88.99 monthly
You can bundle Hulu and Disney+ for just $12.99 with ads or $19.99 without ads. They also have options to add Hulu Live TV, ESPN+, HBO Max and NFL+ to your bundle.
If you’re looking for family Halloween movies on Hulu, here are a few that are worth the watch!
Hotel Transylvania
Rating: PG
Starring: Adam Sandler, Selena Gomez, Andy Samberg, Kevin James, Fran Drescher, Steve Buscemi
Dracula runs a luxurious resort for monsters where his overprotected daughter falls for a human backpacker. He must deal with the chaos as he tries to hide the human's identity.
Hotel Transylvania 2
Rating: PG
Starring: Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, David Spade, Mel Brooks
Dracula and his friends try to bring out the vampire in his half-human grandson before the boy's human grandparents arrive. The family must accept the child regardless of whether he develops monster powers.
Scared Shrekless
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, Antonio Banderas
Shrek and his friends gather in Farquaad's abandoned castle to tell scary stories on Halloween. They compete to see who can tell the most frightening tale.
Monster Family 2
Rating: PG
Starring: Emily Watson, Nick Frost, Jason Isaacs, Jessica Brown Findlay, Catherine Tate, Ethan Rouse, Emily Carey
The Wishbone family transforms back into monsters to rescue Baba Yaga and Renfield from a monster hunter. They travel globally to save their friends while learning that nobody's perfect.
Madagascar: A Little Wild – A Fang-tastic Halloween
Rating: TV-G
Starring: Tucker Chandler, Luke Lowe, Amir O'Neil, Shaylin Becton
Marty hears spooky rumors about a new bat resident and tries to protect his friends. When the bat helps him in a tough situation, Marty learns not to judge someone before getting to know them.
Edward Scissorhands
Rating: PB-13
Starring: Johnny Depp, Winona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Anthony Michael Hall, Kathy Baker, Vincent Price
A gentle artificial man with scissors for hands is taken from his isolated mansion into suburban life. He struggles to fit into society while falling in love with a girl, but his differences ultimately lead to tragedy.
Blippi’s Spooky Spell Halloween
Rating: TV-Y
Starring: Clayton Grimm
Blippi finds a spooky spells book and uses it to gather treats, costumes, and decorations for Halloween. He goes on educational adventures to create the best Halloween party ever.
Over the Garden Wall
Rating: TV-PG
Starring: Elijah Wood, Collin Dean, Melanie Lynskey, Christopher Lloyd, Tim Curry
Two half-brothers lost in a mysterious forest called the Unknown try to find their way home. They encounter strange creatures and dark secrets while being pursued by a sinister force called the Beast.
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In addition to Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu, you can also find plenty of kids Halloween movies on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+, Apple TV and more. Have a spooky Halloween movie marathon!
