With the Halloween season in full effect — complete with costumes, trick-or-treating, parties and Jack-o’lanterns galore — the time has come to tune into some spooky seasonal favorites on TV.
From timeless terrifying tales to haunting debuts like “Hocus Pocus 2,” which sees Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Park and Kathy Nijamy reunited, and “Beast” with Idris Elba, Halloween has solidified itself as a holiday that continues to feature a variety of thrillers and humorous takes on otherwise eerie storylines.
Grab your favorite movie treat and tune into these Halloween movies to celebrate the festivities.
“Halloween Ends,” starring Jamie Lee-Curtis, James Jude Courtney, Kyle Richards and Andi Matichak, serves as the 13th chapter in the “Halloween” franchise and a follow-up to 2021’s “Halloween Kills.” The David Gordon Green-directed film follows the story of Corey Cunningham, played by Rohan Campbell. Cunningham acts as the movie’s main character and crosses paths with the infamous Michael Myers.
Stream now on Disney+.
With series such as “High School Musical” and its accompanying television series, “The Lion King” and “Wreck-It Ralph,” Disney continues to add to its catalogue of sequels. “Hocus Pocus 2” is its latest revival. The movie serves as the epilogue to 1993’s “Hocus Pocus.” Starring Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters, the trio returns to Salem, Massachusetts, unbeknownst to them, after two girls light a candle from a magic shop and bring back the witches 370 years later.
Stream now on Peacock.
With Idris Elba as its lead, “Beast” follows the story of Dr. Nate Samuels and his trip to South Africa with his two daughters, Norah and Meredith. The film progresses with the trio having to escape the wrath of a lion on the country’s Mopani Reserve.
Stream now on Netflix.
Shattering the platform’s streaming records in 2018 with 45 million accounts watched across seven days, “Bird Box” embodies an edge-of-your-seat thriller. The film focuses on the journey of Mallory Hayes, played by Sandra Bullock, who must navigate her children to safety away from evil forces that dominate the world. While en route, she crosses paths with those who’ve managed to escape by wearing blindfolds to shield themselves from these life-taking entities.
Stream now on Hulu.
Tyler Perry first brought Madea Simmons to life in 1999 in his stage play “I Can Do Bad All by Myself.” Since then, the beloved character, played by Perry, has gone on to premiere a series of films such as “Diary of a Mad Black Woman,” “Madea’s Family Reunion” and “Madea Goes to Jail,” and in tandem with a holiday theme like “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas.” Now, “Boo! A Madea Halloween” is no different. The comedy, which debuted in 2016 and has made a return to screens for streaming, continues the franchise’s theme of hilariously disastrous events and sees Madea fight off perceived evil figures while attempting to keep her niece Tiffany away from fraternity boys.
Stream now on HBO Max.
As an adaptation of Stephen King’s 1986 novel and later debuted as a brief television series in 1990, “It” took over the Halloween season once more in 2017. The titular character disguises itself as a clown with a creepy, plastered smile across its face, and haunts a group of friends. They unite to take down the vicious entity before it wreaks more havoc in their Maine town.
Stream now on Netflix.
The Netflix Original “The Curse of Bridge Hollow” sees a father and daughter band together to take down their town’s Halloween decorations that came to life after daughter Sydney Gordon, played by Priah Ferguson, unintentionally brings an evil spirit back to life. The Jeff Wadlow-directed film stars Marlon Wayans as Howard Gordon, Ferguson as his daughter and Kelly Rowland as mother Emily.
Stream now on Hulu.
This 1984 classic is always a go-to for the Halloween season. With Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson and Harold Ramis, “Ghostbusters” takes viewers on a journey through the supernatural. The movie sees the trio of parapsychologists and a retired Marine apply their studies and become entrepreneurs, starting a ghost-hunting company to capture them across New York.
Stream now on Amazon Prime Video.
Another ’80s throwback, “Friday the 13th” is considered a cultural horror staple. The movie takes place at the newly reinstated Crystal Lake Summer Camp. Things take a turn for the worst when the camp’s counselors become chased by the grounds’ murderous figure Jason Voorhees, who disguises himself behind a hole-punctured mask.
Stream now on Apple TV+.
Based on the novel series by R.L. Stine, “Goosebumps” sees Jack Black play the author whose fictional villainous characters are accidentally let loose by high school student Zach Cooper, portrayed by Dylan Minnette, and must be caught before they continue to cause chaos in a Delaware town.