Finding age-appropriate films for kids who are in that in-between age group can be difficult for many parents. They want to grow up way faster than necessary, but the parents wish they could stay their little darlings forever.
Overall, much of the conflict comes from what kids in the tween stage, ages eight to 12, as classified by the Child Mind Institute, should be watching. So, to help out those parents with tweens who love the spookier side of things, we've compiled a detailed list of the best horror movies minors in this age range will enjoy.
20 Coraline (2009)
Written and directed by Henry Selick, and based on the novella of the same name by Neil Gaiman, Coraline is a stop-motion animated film about a girl named Coraline, who discovers a world behind a secret door in her new house that is similar to her own, which holds secrets that could change her life.
The film utilizes the voices of actors Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, Keith David, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr., and Ian McShane. Some of the scenes in the film are rather intense, making it a great addition to this list for tweens who enjoy the scarier side of films.
19 The House with a Clock in Its Walls (2018)
The legendary Jack Black, portraying the warlock Jonathan Barnavelt, brings both the comedy and the spin-chilling drama to life in The House with a Clock in Its Walls, which tells the story of Lewis Barnavelt (Owen Vaccaro), Jonathan's 10-year-old orphaned nephew, who stumbles upon a bit of mystery within the house itself. Working alongside his uncle Jonathan, and the neighbor, a witch named Florence Zimmerman (Cate Blanchett), Lewis discovers what is worth fighting for.
Directed by Eli Roth and based on John Bellairs' 1973 novel of the same name, The House with a Clock in Its Walls, was called "An entertaining PG detour for gore maestro Eli Roth" and "is a family-friendly blend of humor and horror with an infectious sense of fun," by review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.
18 Monster House (2006)
The computer animated horror film, Monster House, was the first movie directed by Gil Kenan and written by Dan Harmon, Rob Schrab, and Pamela Pettler. When a haunted house begins tormenting a neighborhood during Halloween, DJ Walters (Mitchel Musso) and his friends, along with some of the townspeople, must find a way to fight back.
Taking on the classic trope of the house on the street that looks like it holds frightening secrets, Monster House, brings many people's childhood imaginations to life. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, and has since spawned both a video game and comic book companion story.
17 ParaNorman (2012)
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ParaNorman tells the story of Norman (Kodi Smit-McPhee), an 11-year-old boy in a small town who can communicate with the dead, including his grandma and other ghosts from his city. Norman faces speculation when no one believes in his abilities, allowing for the film to confront the common struggles children face about fitting in.
Written by Chris Butler and directed by Butler and Sam Fell, the film shows that sometimes we all need to be a bit weird to learn how to survive in life. Taking on a curse, ghosts, skeptics, making friends, and much more, Norman becomes the hero of his hometown and changes the course of many lives in the process. ParaNorman is a horror film kids in the tween age group will gravitate towards, making it perfect for this list.
16 The Witches (1990)
Based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl, The Witches combines dark fantasy, horror, and comedy for a unique story unlike any other. The Witches tells the story of a group of witches who pose as normal humans who hunt children and a young boy named Luke (Jasen Fisher), who must thwart their plans. With help from his grandmother Helga (Mai Zetterling), Luke goes on a magical journey to stop the nefarious plans of the Grand High Witch, Eva (Anjelica Huston), and save his life and the lives of other children.
Directed by Nicolas Roeg and produced by the legendary Jim Henson, The Witches is a great choice for tweens wanting a spooky story. And for those looking for more The Witches content, another adaptation of the book was released in 2020 as Roald Dahl's The Witches.
15 The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008)
Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi wrote the book series of the same name the film The Spiderwick Chronicles is based on. This mysterious fantasy film about three kids — twins, Jared and Simon (both played by Freddie Highmore), and their sister Mallory (played by Sarah Bolger) — who discover a guide book about fairies and embark on a journey to discover the secrets it holds, was directed by Mark Waters.
When a shifting ogre named, Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) wants to use the book for evil, the children must protect it and along the way they encounter a series of magical and mythical creatures. With a few minor scarier scenes and fantasy aspects, this film is perfect for the tweens in your life.
14 Goosebumps (2015)
Another epic tween comedy horror movie moment from Jack Black is the film, Goosebumps. Directed by Rob Letterman and written by Darren Lemke, and based on the epically talented R.L. Stine's Goosebumps book series, Goosebumps tells the story of a fictional version of Stine himself (Black), his daughter Hannah (Odeya Rush), and a new teen in the neighborhood, Zach (Dylan Minnette), as well as the monsters from Stine's books when they are accidently released and come to life.
Slappy the Dummy (also voiced by Jack Black) from the Night of the Living Dummy book series within the Goosebumps series is the main villain and antagonist, adding another creepy layer to the story.
13 Gremlins (1984)
One of the greatest comedy horror films to ever be produced is Gremlins, which depicts the story of what happens when Billy's father, Randall (Hoyt Axton), buys Billy (Zach Galligan) a strange creature as a pet called a mogwai. This odd pet is named Gizmo (voiced by Howie Mandel), and he, along with his friends, creates tons of havoc, especially if they feed them after midnight.
Directed by Joe Dante and written by Chris Columbus, Gremlins is a hilarious, yet scary time for all, but may contain more frightening scene not suitable for younger children, putting it firmly in the tween-and-up age range. A sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, was released in 1990, and the original film has also spawned an animated prequel show, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai,stuffed characters, games, books and much more.
12 The Haunted Mansion (2003)
The supernatural horror comedy film, The Haunted Mansion was directed by Rob Minkoff and written by David Barrenbaum. It is heavily based on the Walt Disney theme park ride and attraction of the same name. The film, however, tells the story of a realtor named Jim Evers (Eddie Murphy) and his family — wife Sara (Marsha Thomason), and children Michael and Megan (Marc John Jefferies and Aree Davis) — who become trapped in a — you guessed it — haunted mansion, while on vacation.
A series of ghosts and other spooky bits form the basis of the antagonists who are trying to overcome a curse that keeps them trapped within the mansions grounds. While not necessarily the most horror-like film on this list, it's certainly scary enough for those in the tween age group. Loyal, almost cult-like, fans, will be happy to know a second adaptation also titled The Haunted Mansion was released July 28, 2023, per Deadline.
11 Monster Squad (1987)
Upon its release in the late-80s, Monster Squad was one of those movies people either loved or hated. Written by Fred Dekker and Shane Black, and directed by just Dekker, the film tells the story of all the classic Universal Studios monsters who must thwart a bunch of kids and try to take over the world. Led by the legendary Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr), the monsters stage a coup, but are stopped by the "Monster Squad," a group of pre-teens who idolized the monsters from classic horror films.
The movie was actually unsuccessful financially and with critics and was actually pulled from theaters, only making $696 per screen after its opening weekend (per Box Office Mojo). Monster Squad did not gain popularity until later, when it began receiving what amounts to cult status from audiences who appreciated its unique take on the monsters we all know and love.
10 The Addams Family (1991)
One of the original families of horror comedy are The Addams Family, a strange and sometimes macabre family who hold the belief that being dark, spooky, and weird is a good thing. In this film, the characters are based on the cartoon by Charles Addams and the 1964 television series of the same name. Mother Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston, who received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance), father Gomez Addams (Raul Julia), Uncle Fester Addams (Christopher Llyod), Grandmama Addams (Judith Malina), children Wednesday and Pugsley Addams (Christina Ricci and Jimmy Workman), and their butler/driver Lurch (Carel Struycken), make up this odd group.
While not for everyone, The Addams Family definitely deserves a place on this list for tweens who love the horror genre. A sequel, Addams Family Values, was released in 1993, then came the merchandise, video games, pinball games, dolls, clothing, books, and even more. And in 2022, Wednesday got her own spooky mystery series, aptly titled Wednesday on Netflix.
9 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
If you're in the mood for creepy, eerie storytelling, look no further than the iconic Tim Burton. Known for his work on films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, an animated stop-motion dark fantasy, Burton has a way of just getting the horror movie feels onscreen. This movie in particular is one of his best works and tells the story of Jack Skellington (Chris Sarandon and Danny Elfman), the "King of Halloweentown," who is bored with his life in the Halloween-themed city and wants something more in life.
When Jack stumbles upon Christmastown, he hatches a plot to kidnap Santa Claus (Ed Ivory) and become the new man in red, while also having to deal with his arch-nemesis, Oogie Boogie (Ken Page). Alongside Sally (Catherine O'Hara), the Mayor (Glenn Shadix), and his faithful dog Zero (Frank Welker), Jack learns what it means to have family and the true meaning of Christmas. While not terrifying, some scenes are a bit more spooky than other films on this list, so viewers should be aware of the possibility of being a bit creeped out.
8 Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (2019)
Based on the children's book series of the same name by Alvin Schwartz, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, shows what happened on a fateful evening in Pennsylvania in 1986 when three teens — Stella, Auggie, and Chuck — prank their school bully, Tommy. The problem: Tommy tries to get revenge by locking them in a supposedly haunted house. There, the teens find a book that tells scary stories, but the stories actually end up having some truth to them, leading to a mystery and an investigation like no other.
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark is one of the more sinister films on this list and would probably be best for the older tweens within that age range to avoid scaring the younger ones. A sequel was announced in 2020, but no other news has since been confirmed, so the next film seems to be stuck in the COVID-19-related limbo many other movies being planned during that time are suffering from.
7 Corpse Bride (2005)
Another stop-motion offering from the epic Tim Burton, Corpse Bride tells the story of a young man named Victor (voiced by Johnny Depp) and a young woman named Victoria (voiced by Emily Watson) who are about to be married in an arranged marriage to help one family become wealthy and help the other gain status in society. While the two do fall in love, the issue is that Victor gets nervous, causing a panic and runs away into the forest.
There, he practices his vows, placing the wedding band he should have given Victoria on what he thinks is a tree branch, but turns out to be the finger of a corpse, Emily (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter), who he has just married, leading to a slew of shenanigans. While not terrifying, the film definitely fits into the horror genre and does a great job of being both fun and creepy at the same time.
6 Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Hotel Transylvania has to be one of the tamest "horror movies" on this list, taking a more comedic approach to Dracula's classic story. Count Dracula (Adam Sandler) owns the Hotel Transylvania, a monster destination retreat from the humans of the world for all the classic monsters to relax and take a break. On his daughter Mavis' (Selena Gomez) 118th birthday, a human named Johnny (Andy Samberg) accidently stumbles upon the hotel, leading to chaos from both the monsters and the human.
With help from Frankenstein (Kevin James), Wayne the werewolf (Steve Buscemi), Murray the mummy (CeeLo Green), and Griffin the invisible man (David Spade), Dracula must hide that a human is in the monsters' midst, leading to a hilarious film perfect for the younger tweens and kids alike. Hotel Transylvania 2, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, and a Hotel Transylvania television series have all been released since the initial movie's conclusion.
5 The Boxtrolls (2014)
Very loosely based on the novel Here Be Monsters! by Alan Snow, The Boxtrolls tells the story of a human boy named Eggs (Isaac Hempstead Wright) who is raised by a group of trash trolls being hunted by an exterminator named Archibald Snatcher (Ben Kingsley). Eggs must make an attempt to save his surrogate family when Snatcher attacks, leading him on a quest to discover what one is willing to do to protect those they care about.
Three of the Boxtrolls, Fish, Wheels, and Bucket, are all voiced by the legendary Dee Bradley Baker, known for his work in Legends of the Hidden Temple, Avatar: The Last Airbender, several animated Star Wars shows, and more. Directed by Graham Annable and Anthony Stacchi, The Boxtrolls is a cute addition to the horror fantasy comedy genre and is not terrifying, but does have enough intense action to entertain the younger tweens looking for a monster movie.
4 The BFG (2016)
Directed and co-produced by Steven Spielberg and written by the late Melissa Mathison, The BFG is based on Roald Dahl's book of the same name. The story is about Sophie (Ruby Barnhill), an orphan and 10-year-old little girl, who stands up to some men in an alley one night. She is then kidnapped by a Giant called "Runt" (Mark Rylance) who takes her to his home in the Giant Country and won't allow her to return to the human world, noting that if she tries to leave, other Giants will eat her. Sophie eventually embarks on a grand journey where she learns all about what it means to be human.
Sadly, The BFG is one of Spielberg's worst films revenue-wise in the USA, making only $54.4 million domestically (per The Hollywood Reporter). While not really horror, this film does have some scarier bits and deals with death making it a great film for tweens who enjoy adventure stories.
A classic creature feature, also from Steven Spielberg, is E.T. the Extra Terrestrial, most often shortened to just E.T., and is a film all tweens need to see at least once in their lifetimes. Telling the tale of Elliot (Henry Thomas), a boy who makes friends with an alien he names E.T. (Pat Welsh, Kayden Green, and Spielberg himself), who gets left behind on Earth, E.T. is one of those movies that dominated the sci-fi genre. Eventually after hiding E.T.'s existence, Elliot finds a way to help his new friend get home.
Viewers of this movie can learn about what it means to have a true home and family, since the story showcased the power of friendship and love. And while E.T. is not strictly horror, for a younger tween, the minor jump scares and comedy moments will be just enough to keep them entertained throughout the story.
2 Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018)
The Goosebumps sequel,Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween, is another one of those films that has horror like elements, but isn't so scary that it will terrify your tweens and prevent them from sleeping that night. Picking up a few years after the previous film, Sarah (Madison Iseman) and her younger brother Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor), along with his friend Sam (Caleel Harris) stumble upon a locked book in an abandoned house in their hometown. Opening the book causes Slappy the Dummy (Mick Wingert as the voice and Avery Lee Jones as the puppeteer), the nemesis from the first Goosebumps film, to come to life again and terrorize the town, using magic to bring even ore Halloween horrors to life.
When the book is stolen by a bully named Tommy (Peyton Wich), the kids must fight to get it back and recapture Slappy before he destroys everything they know and love. With a brief appearance by Jack Black as a fictionalized version of R.L. Stine again, this film takes a slightly different direction and is worth a watch for the tweens who need a horror comedy appropriate for their age.
1 Ghostbusters (1984)
The original ghost story, Ghostbusters is about a team of parascychologists — Peter, Ray, and Egon (Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, and Harold Ramis) — who form a ghost capturing business in the big apple, New York City, leading to a bunch of crazy moments. Written by Aykroyd and Ramis, and directed and produced by Ivan Reitman, Ghostbusters is an iconic introduction into the world of the supernatural.
As one of the staples of pop culture, Ghostbusters has become an entire franchise including an animated televsision series The Real Ghostbusters, its sequel Extreme Ghostbusters, a film Ghostbusters II, video games, board games, comic books, clothes, music, and even attractions based off the film. A full reboot in 2016 called Ghostbusters was released, but did not do as well in the box office. A second sequel to the original film called Ghostbusters: Afterlife was later released in 2021. While we anxiously wait to see if more Ghostbusters content is coming — if you see a ghost, "who you gonna call?"
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