Top Ten Family Friendly Halloween Films

2009 | PG | 1 hour 40 minutes

Coraline

Beautiful, strange and just the right amount of creepy, Coraline follows an adventurous young girl who discovers a secret doorway leading to an apparently perfect alternative version of her life. The catch? Her Other Mother has buttons for eyes – and plans to make sure Coraline stays with her forever.

The stop-motion animation is spectacular, but there are some genuinely eerie moments along the way, making this one better suited to children who enjoy their Halloween films with a little more bite.

1995| 12A | 1 hour 40 minutes

Casper

For a generous helping of 90s nostalgia, it’s hard to beat Casper. Christina Ricci stars as Kat, who moves into a haunted mansion with her ghost therapist father and soon meets its friendliest resident.

Sweet, funny and more heartwarming than frightening, it mixes ghostly antics with a surprisingly touching story about friendship, family and loss. And between the enormous old mansion, floating ghosts and wonderfully 90s special effects, it delivers plenty of Halloween atmosphere without going full horror

2006 | PG | 1 hour 31 minutes

Monster House

Most children have wondered whether the creepy house down the road might be haunted. Monster House takes that suspicion and runs with it.

Three friends discover that their neighbour’s house isn’t simply haunted – the house itself appears to be alive. Cue creaking floorboards, flying furniture, jump scares and a race to uncover its secret before Halloween night. It’s animated, funny and fast-paced, although some of the scarier scenes might have younger viewers hiding behind a cushion.

2012 | PG | 1 hour 33 minutes

ParaNorman

Norman can see and speak to ghosts. Understandably, this makes fitting in at school slightly complicated.

When an ancient curse threatens his town, however, Norman’s unusual talent suddenly becomes rather useful. With zombies, witches, ghosts and plenty of wonderfully macabre stop-motion animation, ParaNorman embraces everything we love about Halloween while weaving in a warm story about being different, showing kindness and finding the courage to do the right thing.

1986 | PG | 1 hour 41 minutes

Labyrinth

David Bowie. Goblins. Talking door knockers. A maze that seems determined to make life difficult. What more could you want from an autumn movie night?

Jim Henson’s Labyrinth follows teenager Sarah as she enters a fantastical world to rescue her baby brother from Jareth, the Goblin King. Packed with puppetry, peculiar creatures and gloriously eccentric 80s fantasy, it’s less traditional Halloween film and more magical, slightly spooky adventure – and all the better for it.

Interestingly, Labyrinth was originally classified U in the UK, but was reclassified PG for its 2025 cinema return under modern BBFC guidelines.

1993 | PG | 1 hour 36 minutes

Hocus Pocus

Few films say Halloween quite like Hocus Pocus. When teenager Max accidentally brings the Sanderson sisters back to life in Salem, he has until sunrise to stop the three witches from making their return permanent.

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy are gloriously over the top, the 90s atmosphere is irresistible and there are enough spells, broomsticks, black cats and bubbling cauldrons to fill several Halloweens.

And if one night with the Sanderson sisters isn’t enough, the original finally received a modern sequel with Hocus Pocus 2 in 2022 – perfect for turning movie night into a double bill.

1984 | 12A | 1 hour 45 minutes

Ghostbusters

Who you gonna call?

Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson don their famous jumpsuits to save New York from an increasingly troublesome collection of supernatural visitors in one of the most recognisable comedies of the 80s.

There are ghosts, gadgets, plenty of laughs and, of course, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. It’s worth noting that although Ghostbusters was originally classified PG in Britain, later BBFC submissions received a 12A cinema classification because of some of its sex references, so parents may want to bear that in mind for younger viewers.

2015 | PG | 1 hour 43 minutes

Goosebumps

Anyone who grew up reading R. L. Stine’s Goosebumps books will know that opening one can unleash all sorts of trouble. In this big-screen adventure, that happens rather more literally.

When the monsters from Stine’s stories escape from their manuscripts, a group of teenagers must somehow get them back where they belong. Jack Black leads the chaos as a fictionalised version of the author, while werewolves, garden gnomes, a giant praying mantis and the sinister Slappy all join the fun.

It’s energetic, silly and packed with just enough jumpy moments to earn its place on a Halloween watchlist.

1990 | PG | 1 hour 31 minutes

The Witches

Roald Dahl stories have never been afraid of getting a little dark, and the 1990 adaptation of The Witches certainly doesn’t hold back.

A young boy discovers a gathering of witches plotting to turn the world’s children into mice, led by Anjelica Huston’s fabulously frightening Grand High Witch. Jim Henson’s creature effects give the film an unmistakably old-school feel – and some scenes are considerably creepier than you might remember.

A new adaptation starring Anne Hathaway arrived in 2020, but for a dose of pure 90s nostalgia, the original still makes a brilliantly wicked Halloween watch.

1991 | 12A | 1 hour 40 minutes

The Addams Family

They’re creepy, they’re kooky and they know exactly how to do Halloween.

Anjelica Huston and Raul Julia are perfectly cast as Morticia and Gomez, while a young Christina Ricci steals plenty of scenes as the magnificently deadpan Wednesday Addams. When a man claiming to be long-lost Uncle Fester arrives at the family mansion, Wednesday begins to suspect that something isn’t quite right.

With gothic interiors, delightfully dark humour and peak early-90s style, The Addams Family is made for an October evening. Its macabre humour does include some stronger moments, though, and current UK classifications place the film above PG.