The horror genre is not normally associated with family entertainment. Since its inception in the early days of cinema, horror movies have been giving nightmares to people across the globe. Nowadays, jump scares, taboo-breaking themes, and blood and gore are just some tropes commonly associated with the genre. Not exactly the makings for an ideal Saturday afternoon viewing with the family. However, that’s not to say every horror movie is entirely inappropriate.
Update September 28, 2023: Halloween is approaching, which means that it is time to start planning family movie nights for the season. This article has been updated with even more great alternatives for families to watch around Halloween.
By toning down some of the previously mentioned aspects and focusing more on an entertaining story or even incorporating some comedic elements to soften the blow, there are plenty of horror movies out there that are suitable for people of all ages and of all dispositions. Below are 15 of the best movies that incorporate elements of the horror genre but are perfectly suitable for the entire family.
15 Hocus Pocus (1993)
Since its release thirty years ago, supernatural comedy Hocus Pocus has become a staple of the Halloween season. Set in Salem, Massachusetts, the film stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as a trio of evil witches who are inadvertently awoken by a teenage boy called Max and his sister, Dani. Together, along with Max's crush, Allison, the siblings must stop the witches from growing to full strength.
Despite receiving mixed reviews and poor box office figures upon its release, Hocus Pocus has become something of a cult classic and has inspired a sequel called Hocus Pocus 2, which was released in 2022. The film's mixture of fantasy and campy fun means all ages can enjoy it.
14 The Witches (1990)
Based on Roald Dahl's fantastically twisted children’s book of the same name, The Witches was definitely created as a family film despite being undeniably frightening. The witches disguise themselves as ordinary, everyday people, and they specifically target children. We’re told of one poor child who was cursed to spend the rest of her life trapped inside a painting, aging gradually until finally disappearing a few years earlier.
Is this why our parents warned us about talking to strangers? The fear factor goes into overdrive, though, when the witches reveal their true form, thanks to Jim Henson for some disgustingly impressive prosthetic work. The long noses, rotting teeth, balding scabby heads, and maniacal cackling is enough to give anyone nightmares. Again, it is definitely a movie intended for all ages.
13 Van Helsing (2004)
Van Helsing might be PG-13, but it is a movie intended to be enjoyed with the family. The action-horror hybrid features Hugh Jackman as the titular character, a monster hunter most famous for his role in Bram Stoker's Dracula. The film unites various classic monsters like Dracula, Frankenstein's Monsters, and the Wolfman together in one epic action monster mash.
It embraces the horror roots of these characters while also giving them a fresh spin for the 21st century. The Universal Monsters are known to kids even if they haven't seen the movies, and Van Helsing provides a nice, fun introduction to these various characters and their world. It also acts as a gateway to get them interested in the classic films that could branch off from this viewing experience.
12 Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Admittedly, you’d be hard-pressed to call Hotel Transylvania a horror movie at all — it’s far more of a comedy — but that’s not to say that this 2012 Adam Sandler-led animation isn’t chock-a-block full of classic horror tropes, characters, and references. This huge box office hit proved to be so popular it has since spawned a further three sequels. Kids and parents can expect to see appearances from beloved horror icons, including the Invisible Man, Frankenstein, Quasimodo, a werewolf, and, of course, Dracula. Younger viewers will be dazzled by the frenetic humor and dazzling animations, while adults are sure to get a kick out of the many gags paying homage to classic horror movies in history.
11 Goosebumps (2015)
Based on the children's horror book series of the same name by R. L. Stine, 2015's Goosebumps combines spookiness and humor to create an adaptation that just about lives up to its beloved source material. Starring Jack Black as Stine himself, the plot revolves around the author teaming up with his teenage daughter and their neighbor to save their hometown of Madison, Delaware, from the monsters that have left the pages of their books and come to life. Though it lacks some of the supernatural surrealism that defined the books, Goosebumps has just enough scares and comedy hijinks to keep the whole family entertained.
10 Monster House (2006)
The aminated film Monster House is an underrated supernatural delight. Directed by Gil Kenan and co-written by Rick and Morty's Dan Harmon, the film follows three teenagers who discover that one of the houses on their street is sentient and has begun terrorizing the street's residents during Halloween. With an all-star voice cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Catherine O'Hara, Nick Cannon, Kathleen Turner, and others, Monster House received generally positive reviews from critics when it was first released in 2006, with many critics praising the film's originality, nuance, and spooky touches.
It went on to earn an Academy Award Nomination for Best Animated Feature at the 79th annual ceremony, and though it didn't win, Monster House remains a charmingly scary watch that's perfect Halloween viewing.
9 Haunted Mansion (2023)
While Haunted Mansion recently bombed at the box office, it is clear the intention was to make another Halloween classic that Disney could make an annual tradition every year as they have with Hocus Pocus and The Nightmare Before Christmas. Indeed, Haunted Mansion certainly does work as a child's first introduction to scary movies. Director Justin Simien brings the famous Disney attraction to the big screen in a scary, but not too scary, ghost story that can delight the whole family.
Haunted Mansion arrives on Disney+ on October 5, 2023, and will certainly be a movie many people check out this season. Judging by the box office, a lot of people missed it in theaters, but it is certainly worth checking out and making a good family movie night.
8 Casper (1995)
Casper features a fantastic cast, including Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty, and Eric Idle, and features the voices of Joe Nipote, Joe Alaskey, Brad Garrett, and the introduction of Malachi Pearson in the title role. The film follows Casper, who peacefully haunts a mansion in Maine, and after a specialist moves in to communicate with Casper, along with his daughter Kat (Ricci), Casper develops a somewhat complicated relationship with these new occupants. With a few scares to keep the young’uns on their toes with plenty of humor to keep the whole family smiling from ear to ear, the movie was a hit at the box office, but unfortunately, the other Casper movies could never quite recapture the magic.
7 Frankenweenie (2012)
Acclaimed director Tim Burton is arguably the master of telling dark and horror-filled stories in a way that's appropriate for the whole family. Perhaps one of his best films, 2012's Frankenweenie, is just that. A stop-motion animation, the film acts as a feature-length remake of Burton's own 1984 live-action short film of the same name, and, like that project, it tells the story of a beloved pet dog who is brought back to life by its young scientist owner.
Both the short and the feature were heavily inspired by Mary Shelley's Frankenstein novel, and both include many notable homages to the work. Beautifully crafted, surprisingly heartfelt, and pleasingly surreal, Frankenweenie marked a return to form for the famous director, who gained a Best Animated Feature nomination at the 85th Academy Awards. Full of bright ideas and spine-tingling moments, Frankenweenie will scare and delight in equal measure.
6 The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Is it a Halloween movie? Is it a Christmas movie? The debate rages on, but one thing remains certain: The Nightmare Before Christmas is a beloved family-friendly stop-motion animation horror classic. Based on a story by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick, The Nightmare Before Christmas became a standard for stop-motion in which Selick's direction, paired with Burton's tone of voice, made for an instant classic.
The story of Jack the Pumpkin King followed his attempt at taking over Christmas after falling into a crisis surrounding his role as King of Halloween Town. The animation utilized by Selick, alongside some classic musical numbers, made The Nightmare Before Christmas a memorable film and a triumph for both parents and children alike as it’s gone on to develop a cult-like following over the years since its release.
5 Beetlejuice (1988)
Probably the king of creating creepy horror movies that fall somewhere in family entertainment and revolting scare-fests, the 1988 horror comedy Beetlejuice lands ambiguously between the two. The movie is certainly not an all-out horror, and there’s enough zaniness and fun to appeal to older kids, but there are a couple of gross-out gags and questionable jokes that some parents might find to be inappropriate for their kids. Regardless of your parenting tactics, there’s no denying that the movie was an absolute blast with Michael Keaton chewing the dark and twisted scenery in every scene he appears, making for one of the greatest horror comedies of all time.
4 Gremlins (1984)
Alongside Tim Burton, Joe Dante is another iconic director known for working in the horror genre without feeling the urge to resort to gallons of blood and guts in every film. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with a bit of gore, it can limit the audience appeal, putting off those of a more sensitive disposition. For a more family-oriented experience, Dante is responsible for some of the finest, including The Burbs, Matinee, and, of course, the 1984 smash hit Gremlins. Gremlins manages to blend some dark humor with some zany creature feature antics to create a blast of a horror flick that, while arguably a tad disturbing at times, is more or less suitable for a family get-together.
3 Coraline (2009)
Like some of the people already mentioned, author Neil Gaiman is a giant in the horror and dark fantasy genres, and 2009's Coraline remains one of the best adaptations of one of his works. Written and directed by the man behind The Nightmare Before Christmas, Henry Selick, and animated in the filmmaker's signature stop-motion style, the film revolves around an 11-year-old girl who stumbles across an idealized version of reality.
However, she soon discovers that the alternate world is darker and more sinister than she first thought. A nominee for Best Animated Feature at the 82nd Academy Awards ceremony, Coraline was met with critical acclaim when it was first released in theaters. Indeed, with its stunning visuals, disturbingly creepy imagery, and poignant story, the film is a guaranteed hit with the whole family, even if it gives them all nightmares.
2 The Addams Family (1991)
This Addams Family adaptation perfectly captures the macabre, gothic vibe and humor that cartoonist Charles Addams envisioned when his drawings first jumped off the pages of the New Yorker in 1938. It's creepy, funny, and entertaining all at once. The film follows the eccentric titular family as they reconnect with what they believe to be a long-lost relative and was a huge financial hit. The film was particularly praised for its top-notch performances, which truly propels the playful horror. For her role as the iconic Morticia, Anjelica Huston was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
1 Jaws (1975)
“You're gonna need a bigger boat” is one of the most iconic movie lines in history, taken from one of the most iconic movies in history. After watching a relentless great white shark ravage a beach of tourists and engage in a full-on battle with a boat and its crew, it wasn’t really a bigger boat people wanted, though; they wanted to steer well clear of any open water altogether. In fact, Jaws and the notion of a vengeful rogue shark spurred a national phobia of the sea and sharks and a genuine drop in beach tourism.
Activists have spent many years since making a concerted effort trying to educate people to understand and respect the role sharks play in the oceans and the earth’s ecosystem. While this movie is understandably considered by some as one of the scariest movies of all time, it was actually Hollywood’s very first ‘summer blockbuster’ and was intended to be a treat for the whole family. It is still rated PG. Its reliance on suspense and tension instead of all-out gore does make it more accessible for the young ones; just don’t expect them to go for a swim straight after.
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