Summary Netflix’s Halloween movie selection is filled with a variety of options for different moods and ages, from classic box office hits to family-friendly favorites.
Some notable movies to check out include Casper , a charming nostalgic watch, and Jaws , a thrilling and iconic horror film that remains scary after nearly 50 years.
Director Mike Flanagan’s horror movies, like Ouija: Origin of Evil , are a must-watch, alongside other cult classics like The Strangers and family-friendly animated films like Hotel Transylvania 2 .
Netflix has plenty of horror movies and spooky family favorites to stream this Halloween, from classic box office blockbusters to modern hits. In addition to the streaming service’s exclusive original films, Netflix’s new movies in October 2023 bring numerous titles that fill its hub of Halloween content. While Netflix also boasts numerous horror TV shows fitting for the spooky season, such as Mike Flanagan’s various series and Tim Burton’s Wednesday, the platform is offering a plethora of Halloween-appropriate movie selections that vary in scariness.
With so much variety, the best Halloween movies on Netflix in 2023 appeal to many different moods, ages, and audience preferences. Whether Netflix subscribers are looking for critically acclaimed horror and thrillers movies from directors such as Steven Spielberg and Mike Flanagan or prefer family-friendly spooky ‘90s favorites, there’s something for everyone on the October 2023 catalog. From Casper to The Pope’s Exorcist, Netflix’s selection of supernatural and horror-related movies are perfect for revisiting old favorites or experiencing a story’s thrills and scares for the first time.
Related: 10 Best Horror Movies On Netflix In October
20 Casper
Among the greatest Halloween movies available on Netflix is Casper, the 1995 supernatural coming-of-age dramedy starring The Addams Family’s Christina Ricci. Based on the Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoons, the 1995 movie follows teenager Kat (Ricci) as she joins her father James (Bill Pullman) to communicate with Casper and his fellow ghosts, who peacefully haunt a mansion in Maine. Casper quickly falls for Kat, but his deceased nature and mischievous ghostly uncles cause trouble for the young pair. The box office hit is still as charming today as it was 28 years ago, making Casper one of the best nostalgia watches this Halloween on Netflix.
19 Jaws
Steven Spielberg ushered in a wave of blockbuster filmmaking with Jaws in 1975, which remains one of the scariest and most thrilling movies nearly 50 years later. Jaws, which is based on the same-titled 1974 novel, surrounds the summer resort town of Amity as a man-eating great white shark continues to attack beachgoers, leading the police chief Brody, marine biologist Hooper, and professional shark hunter Quint to team up and hunt down the sea creature. The three-time Oscar winner has been frightening people out of the water for several decades since its debut, with Jaws’ streaming availability on Netflix being apt to scare new generations of prospective beachgoers.
18 Ouija: Origin Of Evil
A prequel to the 2014 box off hit Ouija, Mike Flanagan’s horror movie follow-up premiered in 2016 to significantly greater critical acclaim than its predecessor. Ouija: Origin of Evil takes the story back to 1967, beginning when a widow working as a spiritual medium introduces a Ouija board into her family’s phony séance business. When the board actually conjures a spirit that possesses her daughter, Ouija: Origin of Evil takes twisted turns that prove to be even scarier and dramatic than the original movie. Mike Flanagan proves to be the king of horror on Netflix, with his Universal-backed Ouija: Origin of Evil being available alongside his Netflix originals this Halloween.
17 The Strangers
The cult classic 2008 horror movie The Strangers stands out among Netflix’s Halloween movie catalog. While it received mixed reviews upon release and became a sleeper hit at the box office, The Strangers’ cult status turned it into a multi-film franchise with three follow-ups already confirmed. The true story-inspired psychological horror film offers plenty of scares and homages to classic slashers from the 1970s, with The Strangers itself having often been reassessed as a modern horror classic.
16 The Munsters
Rob Zombie’s movie adaptation of the classic 1960s sitcom The Munsters arrived on Netflix in 2022, serving as the origin story of the romance between Herman and Lily Munster. While Rob Zombie’s The Munsters movie wasn’t received very well by critics, the cult approach of the adaptation makes it ripe for better reception upon additional viewing. Zombie may be better known for his gorier horror outings, but Netflix original movie The Munsters provides a charming PG-rated macabre story that the entire family can enjoy.
15 Fear Street Part Two: 1978
The second installment in Netflix 2021 Fear Street movie trilogy, Fear Street Part Two: 1978 takes the story back to a fateful night in the Shadyside and Sunnyvale lore. The two towns are brought together for summer camp only for a killer to gruesomely attack Camp Nightwing’s kids and teens, with plenty of Easter eggs and homages to classic flasher movies like Friday the 13th. Starring Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink and One Piece’s Emily Rudd, Fear Street Part Two: 1978’s ending features some unexpected twists and that brilliantly lead into the trilogy’s third and final installment.
14 Wendell & Wild
From Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas director Henry Selick, Wendell & Wild revives the classic stop-motion animated horror movie trend with a spooky story about two demon brothers who receive help from an orphaned teenage girl. The 2022 Netflix original movie surprisingly boasts a PG-13 rating, making the stop-motion film’s macabre themes more suitable for older audiences. However, the critically-acclaimed movie still provides plenty of spooky humor and striking visuals that make it a perfect Halloween watch.
13 Hotel Transylvania 2
Also streaming on Netflix this Halloween is Hotel Transylvania 2, the second installment in Todd Durham’s monster franchise. The 2015 animated box office hit brings back voice actors such as Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, and Keegan-Michael Key as Dracula, his classic monster friends and family, and human son-in-law. Coming in at under 90 minutes, the spooky family-friendly monster movie provides a brief and entertaining story to stream on Netflix this Halloween season.
12 Hubie Halloween
Adam Sandler’s 2020 supernatural mystery movie Hubie Halloween may not have landed with critics, but the comedy still boasts a talented ensemble cast and entertaining story to get into the Halloween spirit. The Netflix original follows the titular character (played by Sandler) on Halloween as he monitors the town of Salem, Massachusetts in an attempt to save his fellow residents from a kidnapper. Adam Sandler has produced numerous comedy movies for Netflix over the years, with Hubie Halloween providing annual holiday fun that appeals to kids and adults alike.
11 Igor
The 2008 animated horror-comedy Igor is also available to watch on Netflix this Halloween. While originally receiving mixed reviews from critics, Igor has gained a cult following over the 15 years since its release, with its availability on Netflix’s Halloween hub inevitably introducing it to a new generation of viewers. Igor is inspired by the titular character who has appeared in various forms in supernatural monster movies, typically as an assistant to an evil scientist or villainous monster. However, this animated movie flips the evil scientist assistant trope, as Igor accidentally creates a kind female monster in his attempt to move from assistant to an evil scientist himself.
10 Gerald’s Game
In addition to his Ouija prequel, Mike Flanagan’s 2017 psychological horror movie Gerald’s Game is streaming on Netflix in October 2023. The Netflix original movie is based on Stephen King’s 1992 novel of the same name, which had largely been considered unfilmable before Flanagan’s critically acclaimed outing. Starring frequent Mike Flanagan collaborators Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Kate Siegel, and Henry Thomas, Gerald’s Game is centered around Jessie Burlingame, who is left stranded and handcuffed to her bed without a key after her husband dies of a heart attack. While trying to survive in the isolated cabin, Jessie is confronted with her personal demons in one of Mike Flanagan’s most chilling movies.
9 Vampires
John Carpenter’s 1998 neo-Western horror movie Vampires is streaming on Netflix just in time for Halloween viewing. The Halloween director’s film follows a team of vampire hunters who try to prevent a centuries-old cross from falling into the hands of a powerful vampire, which leads to non-stop gory showdowns. While not as critically adored his Carpenter’s classics like Halloween and The Thing, 1998’s Vampires takes him into another horror subgenre that still embodies the filmmaker’s iconic style.
8 Crimson Peak
Guillermo del Toro has proven himself to be a master in the supernatural horror genre, with Crimson Peak’s gothic romance story being a brilliant execution of his visual style and themes. The 2015 movie stars Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, and Tom Hiddleston in Edwardian-era England as a newly-married young aspiring author moves into an isolated Gothic mansion with new husband and sister-in-law. However, she soon must solve a twisted mystery as ghosts haunt her new abode. With primarily positive reviews from critics and several award wins in the horror genre, Crimson Peak is a brilliantly spooky movie to watch on Netflix this Halloween.
7 Fear Street Part Three: 1666
The third installment in Netflix’s Fear Street movie trilogy, Fear Street Part Three: 1666 brings the tale back to the titular year while revealing the truth behind Sarah Fier and the “cursed” nature of Shadyside. The twists in the flashbacks lead to a thrilling reckoning in the “present” timeline of 1994, which continues the gory nature of the first two installments. Fear Street Part Three: 1666 received the highest critical acclaim of the three movies, marking a satisfying conclusion to the scary R.L. Stine-inspired Netflix trilogy.
6 The Invitation
The 2022 horror film The Invitation, inspired by the classic story Dracula, depicts the horrifying tale of a young woman who meets her long-lost family members after her mother’s death, leading to her discovery of their dangerous and dark secrets. While a modest success at the box office, The Invitation provides a chilling vampire story with a mesmerizing performance by former Game of Thrones actor Nathalie Emmanuele. Of the modern horror hits available to watch on Netflix this October, The Invitation will satisfy vampire subgenre Halloween viewing.
5 The Wretched
The 2019 supernatural horror movie The Wretched is another relatively recent outing available to steam on Netflix’s Halloween catalog. The creepy horror film follows a teenage boy who vies against an evil witch posing as his next-door neighbor, which satisfies many of the expected supernatural witch-in-the-woods movie tropes. The Wretched also boasts critical acclaim and a significant box office return, as the movie earned back over $4 million against a small budget under $100 thousand. With a teenage ensemble taking it upon themselves to battle a witch, The Wretched also drew frequent comparisons to Netflix’s own Stranger Things.
4 Creep
Creep stands out as one of the most critically acclaimed horror movies within Netflix’s available Halloween content, as the 2014 found footage film received substantial praise from critics upon release. With plenty of thrills and captivating performances by its cast, Creep’s creepy tale follows a videographer who is tasked with filming an eccentric client at a remote cabin. The success of the Blumhouse-produced horror movie even spawned a critically acclaimed sequel in 2018, which is expected to be followed by the sequel Creep 3.
3 In The Tall Grass
Netflix has several Stephen King-inspired movies in its library, with 2019’s In the Tall Grass being based on the same-titled novella by King and his son Joe Hill. The Netflix original horror movie follows a brother and sister who are unable to escape a dangerous field of tall grass after entering in the hopes of saving a boy, providing plenty of scares expected of a Stephen King movie adaptation. In the Tall Grass also stars horror veteran Patrick Wilson, who is best known for his roles in The Conjuring and Insidious franchises.
2 The Babysitter
Another Netflix original horror movie to stream this Halloween is The Babysitter, the streaming service’s 2017 black comedy horror film directed by McG. The Babysitter stars Scream Queen Samara Weaving, Judah Lewis, and Bella Thorne, with the film centering on a 12-year-old who learns that his babysitter is involved in a satanic cult that plans to kill him. The positively-reviewed Netflix original even launched a sequel in 2020, which stars Scream and Wednesday actress Jenna Ortega.
1 The Pope’s Exorcist
Among the most recent horror movies that is available to stream on Netflix for Halloween is The Pope’s Exorcist, which debuted in theaters in April 2023 to mixed reviews from critics, but proved successful at the box office. Starring Russell Crowe as the real demon-fighting exorcist Father Gabriele Amorth, The Pope’s Exorcist is inspired by the priest’s real claims, adding another creepy layer to the movie’s scares. Crowe’s performance allows Father Amorth’s demon-battling adventures to be a crowd-pleasing horror outing, providing a thrilling possession movie to watch this Halloween on Netflix.