10 Best Family-Friendly Halloween Movies to Watch on 31 October

If Halloween had an official movie, Hocus Pocus would have a very strong claim to the title.

When teenager Max Dennison accidentally resurrects three mischievous witches in Salem, he finds himself battling the wonderfully wicked Sanderson sisters.

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are an absolute delight, delivering outrageous performances that have helped turn this once-modest Disney fantasy into a Halloween tradition.

It's colourful, funny, wonderfully nostalgic and full of that special 1990s movie magic.

Best for: Families who love witches, comedy and Halloween nostalgia. Some scenes may frighten younger children.

Is it a Halloween film or a Christmas film? Nearly three decades after its release, fans were still arguing about that one. And we're perfectly happy to watch it for both.

Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, grows tired of frightening people and becomes fascinated by the wonders of Christmas.

With unforgettable songs, extraordinary stop-motion animation and a world unlike anything else, Henry Selick's film remains a remarkable achievement.

It's wonderfully weird, occasionally creepy and bursting with imagination.

Best for: Families who enjoy fantasy, music and beautifully spooky animation.

Not every ghost wants to frighten people. Some just want a friend.

Christina Ricci stars as Kat, a young girl who moves into a haunted mansion with her father and discovers its gentlest resident: a lonely ghost named Casper.

What makes this 1995 favourite special isn't just the comedy or its mischievous ghostly uncles. It's the surprisingly touching story beneath it all.

Casper understands that Halloween doesn't always need a villain. Sometimes a little kindness is more powerful than any haunting.

Best for: Families looking for gentle supernatural fun with genuine emotion.

Forget ordinary family life. The Addams Family considers spiders, graveyards and the occasional explosion perfectly normal.

Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia are magnificent as Morticia and Gomez, while Christina Ricci steals countless scenes as the gloriously deadpan Wednesday.

Barry Sonnenfeld's 1991 comedy succeeds because its central family genuinely adores one another, however peculiar their behaviour might seem to outsiders.

Dark humour, gothic surroundings and unforgettable characters make this a Halloween favourite for families who appreciate something a little different.

Best for: Older children and families who enjoy macabre comedy.

Imagine discovering that your grandmother is a witch and that an entire magical town exists beyond the ordinary world.

That's exactly what happens to Marnie Piper in this beloved Disney Channel adventure.

With Debbie Reynolds bringing warmth and mischief as Grandma Aggie, Halloweentown offers colourful creatures, family secrets, and an adventure filled with autumn atmosphere.

It may not have the scale of a Hollywood blockbuster, but its charm is why so many viewers return every October.

Best for: Families who love magical adventures and a traditional Halloween atmosphere.

Who needs Dracula when you've got an enormous rabbit terrorising the local vegetable competition?

Aardman's beloved inventor and his endlessly patient canine companion investigate a mysterious creature with a taste for prize-winning produce.

Packed with clever visual jokes, wonderfully expressive animation and plenty of affectionate references to classic monster movies, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit is British family entertainment at its finest.

It proves a Halloween adventure can be hilarious without losing its spooky atmosphere.

Best for: A family film night that blends gentle thrills with British humour.

Running a luxury hotel is difficult enough without discovering that your daughter has taken an interest in a human.

That's the predicament facing Dracula in this energetic animated comedy, where famous monsters gather for a holiday away from the people who fear them.

With Frankenstein, the Invisible Man, a mummy and plenty of other familiar creatures joining the fun, Hotel Transylvania turns traditional horror characters into lovable comic personalities.

For younger viewers who want Halloween monsters without a genuinely frightening movie, this is an excellent choice.

Best for: Younger monster fans and families wanting plenty of laughs.

Tim Burton's unmistakable gothic imagination comes alive in this beautiful stop-motion fantasy.

When nervous bridegroom Victor accidentally places a wedding ring on the finger of a deceased bride, he finds himself travelling between the worlds of the living and the dead.

The animation is extraordinary, the characters are wonderfully eccentric, and the story has far more heart than its unusual premise might suggest.

It's an enchanting reminder that even the most unusual Halloween tales can explore love, loyalty and belonging.

Best for: Families who enjoy gothic fantasy and slightly darker fairy tales.

Norman isn't like other children. For one thing, he can see and speak to ghosts.

When an ancient curse threatens his town, his unusual ability suddenly becomes exactly what everyone needs.

ParaNorman combines striking stop-motion animation with zombies, comedy and a surprisingly thoughtful story about bullying, prejudice and understanding others.

It has some genuinely eerie moments, but beneath the supernatural adventure lies a message about compassion that gives the film real emotional weight.

Best for: Older children who enjoy spooky adventures with meaningful stories.

Every neighbourhood has that one house children are convinced is haunted.

In Monster House, three youngsters discover something considerably worse: the house across the street is actually alive.

With its sinister windows, threatening front door and increasingly dangerous secrets, this animated adventure delivers some of the strongest scares on our list.

But it also has humour, friendship, and a surprisingly moving mystery at its centre.

If your family wants a Halloween movie that feels like a proper miniature horror film, Monster House delivers.

Best for: Braver older children and families who enjoy genuine suspense. Not our first choice for sensitive younger viewers.

The best family Halloween films understand something many grown-up horror movies forget: imagination can be just as entertaining as terror.

For a gentler evening, we'd reach for Casper, Hotel Transylvania or Wallace & Gromit. For a proper nostalgic Halloween celebration, Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family and Halloweentown are difficult to beat.

And if the children are a little older and ready for something more adventurous, ParaNorman and Monster House provide plenty of thrills.

Of course, every child responds differently to scary imagery, even in family-rated films, so it's worth checking age classifications and content guidance before pressing play.

Our ultimate pick for 31 October? Hocus Pocus. Few films capture Halloween's mixture of mischief, magic and childhood excitement quite so perfectly.

Now all that's left is to switch off the lights, grab a blanket, and make sure nobody eats all the popcorn before the opening credits.

Happy Halloween from Please Rewind.