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Grethe Presnar
It is absolutely never too early to start getting in the Halloween spirit. Pumpkin spice has officially arrived, there's a pumpkin patch on every corner, and the debate over whether candy corn is actually good is raging once again. The #1 way to get in the spooky spirit is still with a good movie, whether it's a seasonal classic, a new horror gem, or a family favorite that just screams fall vibes.
At the moment, Netflix doesn't have much in the way of actual Halloween-themed movies. But no worries, the streaming service still has plenty of horror-tinged films from spooky to terrifying, and we've narrowed down the list to the best, scariest, and downright fun movies in the bunch. So grab the candy corn (if that's your thing), fire up some apple cider, and settle in for the best Halloween movies on Netflix right now.
Somewhere between spooky and downright scary, Nightbooks is a wonderful new entry in the "gateway horror" canon that's delightful for (not too young) kids and adults alike. The Sam Raimi-produced YA adventure stars Krysten Ritter as a glamorous but very wicked witch who traps children to do her bidding. Following two kids (played by Winslow Fegley and Lidya Jewett) attempting to escape her grasp, Nightbooks builds a fantastical world of magic and monsters that steers clear of gruesome gore while still delivering plenty of ooey-goeey scares. It's one of the best Netflix originals of the year and the perfect pick for folks looking for something new to add to their Halloween watchlist. - Haleigh Foutch
Okay so Hubie Halloween may not be "high art," but if you're looking for a silly comedy with all the Halloween trappings, this might be a good pick for you. The Adam Sandler film follows a deli employee in Salem, Massachusetts who fancies himself a "Halloween Monitor" on Halloween. The role becomes much more serious when news arrives about an escaped convict. This movie is silly and frankly not great, but it's a valid choice if you're looking to watch something that's very Halloween-themed. - Adam Chitwood
For the ultimate Halloween movie marathon, you can't go wrong with the Fear Street trilogy. These three movies were released this past summer, and offer up a buffet of slasher and horror movie goodness, tracking one story across three different timelines. It begins with Fear Street: 1994, where teens in the town of Shadyside are chased by unkillable slashers who they believe are tied to a curse on the town. Fear Street: 1978 is a full-on summer camp slasher as more is revealed about the curse and town's backstory, and the final installment Fear Street: 1666 tells the full origin story of the Shadyside witch. All three movies are a blast. - Adam Chitwood
This action-packed horror comedy sets a perfect Halloween mood for folks who might be looking for a little blood-soaked thrill without giving themselves nightmares. Based on a killer script from Brian Duffield, The Babysitter stars Samara Weaving in an absurdly stunning, star-promising performance as the titular babysitter, who's hiding some deviously dark secrets from the boy she sits for. Indulging in a bit of a rebellious streak one night, the kid doesn't take the shot she gives him and stays awake long enough to walk right into a Satanic ritual, setting off an insane, combustive series of events that pit him against a bunch of beautiful and ambitious young adults who are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want. Robbie Amell, in particular, has deliciously unhinged charisma, but in general, the whole movie is crackling with personality and crowd-pleasing surprises. - Haleigh Foutch
Netflix original horror films like There's Someone Inside Your House and His House are haunting, but if you want something the whole family can watch, we've highlighted some of those too, like Monster House and Hubie Halloween. Check out our picks for the best Halloween movies on Netflix below.
If you want to venture further into the Mike Flanagan Cinematic Universe after watching his incredibly popular Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and the recently released The Midnight Club, check out his 2016 film Hush. While not another ghost story from Flanagan, Hush is a very effective slasher movie starring Flanagan's frequent collaborator and wife Kate Siegel as a deaf author stalked by a mean sicko in a house in the woods. -Tim Surette
This modern classic has the feel of Stranger Things, but with many more buckets of blood and the type of imagery that no impressionable teen should watch. A group of young kids from a small town in Maine are terrorized by a demonic entity who takes on the form of the creepiest clown you've ever seen, which is saying something. Nothing says Halloween like a good, old-fashioned Stephen King adaptation. -Allison Picurro
This folk horror film follows a Mexican-American student who goes deep into the jungles of Mexico to study her family's history, but she becomes targeted by the locals who think she's possessed by a demon. It's a chilling story about the unknown, made smarter with the subtext of losing one's cultural identity. -Tim Surette
Adam Sandler is back to doing what he does best with Hubie Halloween, and that's making irreverent movies to tickle your funny bone. Released in 2020 as part of Sandler's Netflix deal, Hubie Halloween sees the comedian stepping into the shoes of Hubie Dubois -- a delicatessen employee in the haunted town of Salem, Mass. Rumor has it that one of Hubie's old friends is back in town, although it's only because he managed to escape from a nearby psychiatric hospital. The entire story is a bit off-the-wall, although it manages to shine thanks to Sandler's patented sense of humor and a unique Halloween twist. If you're a fan of Sandler's past work, this is the perfect film for October 31. -Jon Bitner
A Mexican immigrant seeking work and housing in America shacks up in a boarding house where things aren't not haunted, if you get my drift. The movie taps into the immigrant experience and the difficulties the poor face in meeting basic needs, while also providing some very legitimate scares and one of the weirdest creatures you'll ever see. It's definitely one of Netflix's best original horror movies. -Tim Surette
Did you know that this animated 2006 film was written by Dan Harmon of Rick and Morty and Community fame? While there's no interdimensional cable TV or darkest timelines, Monster House is a very creative spin on kids' fears about the haunted house on the block. A young boy suspects something is up with the old man across the street, but things get even weirder when the house itself starts acting up. Featuring voice work from Steve Buscemi, Catherine O'Hara, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and more, Monster House -- which was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars -- is just spooky enough to get into the Halloween spirit, but not scary enough that your little ones will come crying to sleep in your bed late at night. -Tim Surette
If you're looking for a great horror trilogy to binge before Halloween, look no further than Fear Street (2021). All three movies are available on Netflix, each one set in a different year (1994, 1978, and 1666, respectively) but taking place in the same cursed town of Shadyside. Director Leigh Janiak manages to keep the supernatural theme alive despite the massive time jumps, and each film breathes new life into Shadyside -- which is arguably the star of the show. Fear Street also uses many of the same cast members -- Kiana Madeira, Sadie Sink, Emily Rudd, and Olivia Scott Welch -- throughout the trilogy, even though they're stepping into the shoes of new characters. Based on the young adult books by Goosebumps author R.L Stine, the movies manage to pack in a surprising number of scares without becoming overly gruesome -- except for a few choice scenes. -Jon Bitner
This 2007 adaptation of Stephen King's 1980 novella is notable for a lot of things. It's notable for being the first time writer-director Frank Darabont adapted one of King's horror stories, after finding enormous success with the dramas The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile. It's also notable as a precursor to The Walking Dead, the revolutionary horror series Darabont created for television a few years later. The Mist and The Walking Dead share several cast members, including Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, and Melissa McBride, who has a small but memorable role in The Mist in one of her earliest screen appearances. (The Mist star Thomas Jane was Darabont's first choice to play Rick Grimes on TWD, a role that eventually went to Andrew Lincoln.) But most of all, it's notable for its shocking ending, which is one of the bleakest things you'll ever see in a Hollywood movie. The rest of the movie is good, with some savvy metaphors for George W. Bush-era America, but the ending will stick with you forever. It's not even in the book; Darabont came up with it for the movie. -Liam Mathews
Nightbooks isn't the scariest movie on this list, but it's yet another well-produced Netflix Original. Featuring Krysten Ritter, Winslow Fegley, and Lidya Jewett, this 2021 film follows teen fledgling author Alex (Fegley) after he successfully convinces a witch (Ritter) who captures him to spare his life in exchange for him telling her a scary story before bed every single night. What follows is Alex's attempt to escape the curse and live a life without nightmares. Krysten Ritter's performance as the witch Natacha is the highlight of the film, offering family-friendly scares -- though maybe too intense for little ones -- and a signature witch laugh that's sure to haunt your dreams. If you're looking for something new and unique to watch this Halloween, Nightbooks should be at the top of your list. -Jon Bitner
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