The Best Family-Friendly Halloween Movies To Stream On Max

If you haven’t watched the 1988 Tim Burton must-watch movie Beetlejuice yet, this is the year to introduce it into your Halloween catalog. The film stars Michael Keaton as a mischief-making ghoul bent on coming back to life. He has been conjured by Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin, the more vanilla version of ghosts trying to get a new family out of their home even as young Gen X queen Lydia Dietz (Winona Ryder) sees them and bonds with them. Beetlejuice is bizarre and funny and iconic, and getting a sequel in 2024. Making now the perfect time to either rewatch or watch it for the first time. Especially if you are a fan of Tim Burton, goth fashion, or Gen X angst.

Watch Beetlejuice, rated PG.

Earwig is an orphan who has no idea that she comes from a family with magical powers. But when a strange family helmed by an evil witch takes her in, she discovers the secret world of spells and potions and discovers the secret powers lying inside of her. This international animated film is dubbed in English, and while it has a few mild scares, according to Common Sense Media, it also lacks the charming spark of a film like this. Although Earwig can get a little sassy at times, this film is suited for those around the age of 8.

Watch Earwig and the Witch, rated PG.

Gotham City is under attack. But it’s not just the Joker and other villains taking over — Dracula has come into town to cause trouble. Batman has to face against his most challenging enemy yet, Dracula, who has drawn up a plot to trap Gotham City and create a special race of vampires to join him. It’s up to Batman to protect his beloved city and home from being taken over by one of the thirstiest evil legends of all time. Doesn’t that sound extra spooky? Action fans will love this take on the extra evil villain.

Watch The Batman vs. Dracula, rated TV-PG.

If you can’t get enough of Scooby-Doo films, then you will love this Scooby spin-off, focused on the two powerhouses of the Mystery Gang, Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley. In this iteration, Daphne has her own web show, where she discusses supernatural occurrences. Velma is her supportive internet friend who ends up moving to the same town and attending the same school as Daphne. Together, they are tasked to solve a mystery after strange occurrences end up happening in their school. How’s that for an empowering Halloween movie?

Watch Daphne & Velma, rated G.

A flower shop assistant with a crush on his co-worker named Audrey discovers an unusual plant, whom he names Audrey II. But when he discovers that the plant has a taste for human flesh and blood, he must feed the plant and satiate it’s appetite before it turns on him. Bum, bum, bummmm. Although it sounds just a little terrifying, this campy movie musical from 1986 is filled with such great songs that the slight terror can be overlooked.

The film is rated PG-13, and is not intended for sensitive viewers or children, according to Common Sense Media, but is definitely worth the watch with the older kids in the family.

Watch Little Shop of Horrors, rated PG-13.

If you want to introduce your child to some seriously old films, The Blob, from 1958 and filmed in black and white, is the way to go.

This film takes place in a small town in Pennsylvania, where two teens find a meteorite filled with jelly after it has crashed into the United States from space. The mysterious blob turns out to be larger than life and consumes those who encounter it, but the town’s adults are dismissive of the teen’s warnings. When they’re able to find a solution to defeat The Blob, they’re able to save it from taking over their town and hurting the ones they love the most.

Watch The Blob, rated TV-PG.

Learn about the origin stories of Scooby Doo and the Mystery Gang in this animated film from 2020 that puts the Mystery Gang encountering their biggest mystery yet — a ghost dog named Cerberus. As the Mystery Gang starts on a race to stop Cerberus from taking over the world and starting a doc-pocalypse, they find out that Scooby has a legacy that is much bigger than imagined.

What’s more quintessentially spooky, creepy, and thrilling than watching a super kid-friendly episode or iteration of Scooby-Doo? The older kids in your family will thank you for putting on something nostalgic while the younger ones will love all of the super kid friendly humor.

Watch Scoob!, rated PG.

The mystery gang is back in a live action made for TV mystery movie. Learn about how Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne were brought together to solve crime in this colorful origin story from 2009. Learn how Scooby was adopted, and how a social outcast, science nerd, drama club student, and quarterback of the football team could all come together in one space. If you were ever curious about how the Mystery Gang first came to be, then this light hearted mystery film is definitely one to watch with your family, especially the ones who can’t get enough of the super cute Scooby-Doo.

Watch Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins, rated TV-PG.

Supernatural occurrences can still happen outside of Halloween, and Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster explores that. It’s the summertime, and the Mystery Gang has been given jobs at Daphne’s uncle’s country club. But when a lake monster suddenly appears and wrecks havoc on the country club, it’s up to the gang to investigate the legend. Although it might be the summer, the gang still encounters plenty of supernatural things like monsters and witches to keep them spooked until the fall. If you’re sick of seeing pumpkins and falling leaves, then this film will provide a necessary change of scenery.

Watch Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, rated TV-PG.

From the dark, twisted mind of Tim Burton, who is behind some of the creepiest films like The Nightmare Before Christmas, comes the Corpse Bride, a whole new slightly terrifying saga. Victor is set to be wed in an arranged marriage, set up by his parents. But while he is practicing his lines for the wedding in a forest, he ends up setting his wedding ring on a hand that drags him down below to the land of the dead. Victor has to make his way aboveground before it is too late and his bride is arranged to be married to someone else.

OK, so the word “corpse” is in the title, but the film only has scares light enough for most 10-year-olds to handle, according to Common Sense Media.

Watch Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, rated PG.

Celebrate Halloween with one of the greatest wizards of all time, Harry Potter. Stream all eight films in this film series following “the chosen one” aka Harry Potter, who learns on his 11th birthday that he is the son of two powerful wizards and has magical powers, too. Harry attends Hogwarts where he meets his best friends, makes enemies, and navigates life in his new home with his new powers. This isn’t easy for Harry, especially since there is a dark wizard who is after him.

Watch all eight films in the Harry Potter film series, rated PG and PG-13.

Kiki is a 13-year-old witch in training, who is forced to move to a seaside town with her talking cat, in order to spend a year alone as part of her training purposes. While in this village, she starts her own delivery service on her broomstick, where she is able to deliver packages to people in her community. But when she starts to lose her magical abilities, she is forced to overcome her doubt and believe in herself.

Watch Kiki’s Delivery Service, rated G.

Before Teen Wolf got a 21st century reboot, it was a weird movie starring Michael J. Fox as a basketball player/werewolf from 1985. A coming-of-age movie, if you will, about a teenager named Scott Howard (Fox) who notices his body changing and learns that his family history is peppered with werewolves. Sure, you might think things would get awkward, but initially things go pretty well for Scott. His performance as a basketball player has never been better, girls are in love with him; he even buys himself a white suit and pulls of a John Travolta-esque dance routine to the delight of his many fans. It’s a fun movie that is very low on jump scares. A good choice for most everyone in the family.

Watch Teen Wolf (and Teen Wolf Too starring Jason Bateman), rated PG.

The stop-motion classic Coraline has long been hailed as a fun-but-creepy movie that kids will actually want to watch. The movie follows young latchkey kid Coraline Jones, who is left to her own devices while her parents work. She is gifted a doll that looks just like her by the son of her new landlord, a doll that unlocks an alternate universe where Coraline meets her Other Mother and Other Father and everyone’s eyes are black buttons. The movie get pretty creepy, perhaps too creepy for kids under the age of 10. But it remains a fun watch for Halloween with the older kids.

Watch Coraline, rated PG.

Who knew a story about a boy with scissors for hands could somehow be beautiful and weird and subversive and sweet? Edward Scissorhands, the 1990 classic from Halloween’s biggest fan Tim Burton, sees Johnny Depp having the time of his life as the title character. Edward was created by a kindly scientist (Vincent Price) in a sort of Pinocchio-gone-wrong story, where the scientist died before he could complete his humanoid creation and Edward was left to fend for himself. He eventually finds work as a skilled hairstylist and falls in love with Kim (Winona Ryder), but alas their love is not meant to be. Edward Scissorhands holds up as a romantic, subversive, darkly sweet movie that remains one of Burton’s finest.

Watch Edward Scissorhands, rated PG-13.