5 Family-Friendly Movies You Can Stream For Halloween Season
When you think about Halloween, thoughts of anything and everything scary most likely come to mind: haunted houses, blood and gore, spiders, and other creepy crawlies. (Yikes!) How in the world is a parent supposed to make this horrifying holiday family-friendly?
Lucky for all of us with little ones, amongst all those scary slasher films are some special movies that celebrate Halloween in a much more wholesome way. After all, children are known to have some of the most imaginative minds, and filmmakers certainly haven't forgotten about them throughout the spooky season.
So the next time you're searching for something PG-rated that you can enjoy with your kids on Halloween, check out our fang-tastic recommendations — that no one in your household will need to cower under a blanket while watching. From friendly ghosts to good-spirited gourds, we've compiled a list of our top five family-friendly movies you should stream for Halloween season.
Hotel Transylvania
If you're searching for the perfect place to escape to with your family, why not check into Hotel Transylvania? The 2012 animated film depicts this hotel as an ideal travel destination for all monsters wanting to escape the real world.
The owner, Count Dracula, opened up the mystical hotel hundreds of years ago. Today, he's using it as a place to host his daughter Mavis' 118th birthday. Ferocious family friends have traveled in from all over the world to attend her special day — but things quickly get out of hand when a human somehow finds his way into the hotel.
Since the world was first introduced to "Hotel Transylvania," three more films in the franchise have gone on to tell the story of what happens when the human and monster worlds intertwine. "It's been such a pleasure, playing this character and growing up," actress Selena Gomez, who plays Mavis, told Collider. "It was so long ago when this started and I was in a different phase of my life, so it's wonderful to be able to grow with this character."
The series can soon be your family's favorite to grow up with, too. "Hotel Transylvania" is rated PG and is available to stream on Hulu.
Twitches
Those of us who grew up watching any Tia and Tamera Mowry movie longed to have a long-lost twin. Today, we can live out this fantasy (with our families by our sides) while rewatching the 2005 Disney Channel original movie "Twitches."
The film follows two teenagers who quickly realize they are strikingly similar after running into each other for the first time. It turns out, these two aren't only twins. They're actually witches as well — and, of course, an incredible, magical adventure ensues from there.
However, the excitement doesn't stop when the credits roll. A sequel, appropriately named "Twitches Too," was released in 2007, and the stars are still up for a second sequel someday. "I don't know if that's gonna happen. I mean, but we want to," Tamera told Distractify. "I would absolutely love to do something with my sister. I feel like when I work with my sister, it is magical."
It's even more magical whenever they're playing witches. "Twitches" is rated PG and is available to stream on Disney+.
Casper
Perhaps the perfect character for a family-friendly movie night would be the friendliest ghost there is: Casper. The 1995 original film follows him as he grows accustomed to the new residents who have just moved into his haunted home, one of which is a young girl named Kat who he quickly befriends.
Casper's happy spirit is something unexpected when it comes to typical Halloween movies. Yet, that's exactly what makes it so special for families to watch together each and every spooky holiday. "I think that's one of the things that makes it so great," actress Christina Ricci, who plays Kat, said during an interview with Bobbie Wygant. "There is that adorable quality of Casper, and yet, there is that devilish quality of the ghostly trio."
The three other ghosts who live in the house couldn't be more different than Casper, creating pure chaos — and loads of laughs for any family watching.
"Casper" is rated PG and is available to stream on Peacock.
Goosebumps
If scary movies usually give you goosebumps, it's best to steer clear of them around Halloween. However, the 2015 film "Goosebumps" is a good one to watch if you're searching for something family-friendly.
The film, based off of the book series of the same name, follows a boy named Zach who has moved with his family to a new town (via IMDb). Upon meeting his neighbor Hannah, he quickly comes to realize that her father is none other than the famous author R.L. Stine, who penned the horror series "Goosebumps."
The shelves inside the Stines' home are lined with his original novels. However, to Zach's surprise, every one of the books is locked — for a good reason. Upon opening one, the young boy sets all of these fictional supernatural characters free around town. "Every monster from every R.L. Stine book," actor Jack Black, who plays the iconic author in the film, told Rotten Tomatoes.
If anyone in your family is a fan of the original "Goosebumps" series, it's truly a treat to see all of these monsters interact on the big screen. "Goosebumps" is rated PG and is available to stream on Prime Video.
It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" has been a movie that families have swarmed around their small screens to see each Halloween for more than 50 years. The 1966 film follows the iconic character Linus, who is bound and determined to see the Great Pumpkin emerge from the pumpkin patch (per IMDb). Just like Santa Claus on Christmas morning, the Great Pumpkin is supposedly a supernatural being who arrives every Halloween to deliver presents to all the boys and girls. As great as the idea sounds, however, Linus is the only one who believes this entity exists — making him the laughingstock of all of his friends.
The animated film has truly withstood the test of time. "So what does this show say to us that is special?" creator Charles Schultz told a local Baltimore newspaper back in 1984. "It says that Charlie, in spite of his bumbling, is universally loved and protected. It says that Linus represented a special quality of hope and belief, against all odds. And it says that we all need colorful, generous, romantic, inspired hero — even if he is only make-believe."
Since "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" was originally created as a made-for-TV movie, it has not officially been rated by the Motion Picture Association of America. However, it is recommended for all ages. Families can stream it now on Apple TV+.