Spooky season is upon us! And with it comes one of the best holiday traditions: themed movie and TV marathons. The InkTip team has compiled a list of ten movies and shows to check out this Halloween, from recent hit series and animated classics to cult favorites and nostalgic '90s gems. Whether you're looking for a cozy autumn watch or something a little more chilling, these recommendations offer plenty of ways to get into the Halloween spirit.
Pumpkinhead
Pumpkinhead (1988) / MGM/UA
What do the T-800 from The Terminator, the Xenomorph from Alien, and the T-Rex from Jurassic Park have in common? All were brought to life with the help of legendary special effects artist Stan Winston. Inspired by a poem of the same name, the Pumpkinhead script was initially brought to Winston with the expectation that he would handle the creature effects for the project. Winston, however, saw an opportunity to make his directorial debut and decided to helm the film himself.
The film follows Tom Harley (Lance Henriksen), a grieving father seeking revenge for the death of his only son. He turns to Haggis, a local witch (quite possibly the best onscreen witch ever), who offers him the revenge he seeks, but at a terrible cost. She unleashes the wrath of the legendary Pumpkinhead upon a group of unsuspecting teens whom Tom holds responsible for his son's death. Horrified by what he's done, Tom attempts to stop the demonic entity before its rampage is complete.
Set in rural Appalachia and filmed around Topanga Canyon, Pumpkinhead has an undeniable autumnal feel. Winston's use of highly stylized blue and orange lighting give it a real Halloween aesthetic, making it a perfect addition to any spooky-season marathon. Oh, and it features one of the most terrifying monsters ever brought to the big screen.
— Torey
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island
Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island (1998) / Warner Bros. Animation/Mook Animation
Growing up, I had a pretty big collection of Scooby-Doo movies on VHS, but there was one I was always too scared to watch: Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. Looking back, I think that's part of why it's still my favorite Scooby-Doo movie. It was genuinely scary! The monsters were actually real for once, and the animation, done by Japanese studio Mook Animation, had this grittier, almost anime-like look that made the whole thing feel a little more grown-up. It also pretty much brought the franchise back from the dead (pun intended) and showed that Scooby-Doo could do something different without losing what made it fun in the first place.
This year, my partner and I decided to do a big Scooby-Doo marathon, starting with Mystery Incorporated (which, if you haven't seen it, is SO good). I ended up going down a rabbit hole and learned something I thought was pretty interesting. Apparently, screenwriter Glenn Leopold had been trying to get versions of the Zombie Island story made for years. He'd originally developed a version for an unproduced SWAT Kats episode called "Succubus," then worked some of those ideas into an episode of The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest called "Eclipse," before they eventually found their way into Zombie Island. As a writer, I find that weirdly encouraging. Sometimes you just have to keep finding new homes for an idea until one finally works out.
Also, "It's Terror Time Again" has absolutely no business being that good.
— Thomas
Widow's Bay
Widow's Bay (2026) / Apple TV+
I love comedy in everything I watch, so when it comes to horrors, it’ll be a horror comedy. My favorite for 2026 is the award-winning show on Apple TV Widow’s Bay. It’s an addicting blend of quirky and thriller that made me forget the dinner I was cooking while I stood in the middle of my family room, wooden spoon in hand dripping marinara sauce on the floor like a murder scene, unable to pull myself from the show.
The story follows the mayor, Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys (The Americans) who desperately wants his seaside town to be the next Martha’s Vineyard. Unfortunately for him, Widow’s Bay is haunted by a supernatural crisis that’s putting a damper in vacation fun.
Widow’s Bay is ideal for the Scooby-Doo crowd who grew up and needs something both creepy and funny. With 19 Emmy nominations and 14 wins, including outstanding comedy series, outstanding writing for a comedy series, outstanding lead actor in a comedy series (Matthew Rhys), outstanding supporting actor (Stephen Root) and outstanding supporting actress (Kate O’Flynn), Widow’s Bay should be on your must watch list for Halloween.
— Chris
The VVitch
The Witch (2015) / A24
The Witch (stylized as The VVitch) is my pick for an eerie film that can be enjoyed all year round. Set in Puritan New England, The Witch is a critically acclaimed gothic horror tale that follows teenage Thomasin (played by Anya Taylor-Joy in her feature debut) after she and her deeply religious family are banished from their town to live alone at the edge of the woods. The isolated family quickly descends into horror as something, or someone, living in the woods begins to terrorize them. The film does not really have jump scares, but instead relies on psychological terror, dark and incredibly realistic ambience, and themes such as religious repression, societal isolation, and familial duty to strike fear.
The Witch was widely released in 2016 as Robert Eggers' (Nosferatu, The Lighthouse) feature directorial and screenwriting debut, and his background in Art Direction and Production Design really helps to set this film apart. It was shot entirely with natural lighting and candles, and the costumes, dialogue, location, and casting choices are all incredibly thematic and intentionally done. It's a film that you feel deep in your chest while watching, and I highly recommend watching if you want to be transported to another time.
— Mac
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown II: Kalabar’s Revenge (2001) / Disney Channel
The Godfather Part II. The Empire Strikes Back. The Dark Knight. Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge. Films among the pantheon of the greatest sequels of all time. Is this the millennial in me talking? Yeah, absolutely. But hear me out. Director Mary Lambert (Pet Sematary) took up the reins of the franchise and did what Alfonso Cuarón did with The Prisoner of Azkaban: slightly pivoted away from the straightforward kids-movie formula and dug into the creepier themes (while even sharing a time-travel subplot, come to think of it).
The story follows the Cromwell family of witches (and Dylan) once again, as a spell drains Halloweentown of its magic (and color!). The culprit is none other than Kalabar's son, Kal. (I know, I know, but 10-year-old me was bamboozled by that revelation.) Seeking revenge for his father's defeat, Kal plans to transform the humans in the mortal world into their Halloween costumes.
Does this require you to have seen the first one? Yes. But who's complaining about that? This is an entertaining, family-friendly watch that deserves a spot in the Halloween-movie rotation. I mean, just look at that picture! That's terrifying!
— Torey
The Ketchup Vampires
The Ketchup Vampires (1995) / Kidpix/Anima 3 Filmproduktion
I rewatched Twilight this year and realized how much it reminded me of this incredibly obscure little movie called The Ketchup Vampires—all the way down to the vegetarian vampires and a human love interest named Bella. It’s a German animated made-for-TV movie based on an animated series, and for some reason the American release was hosted by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. Which is already a pretty great selling point.
When I was a kid, our local Blockbuster had a copy, and every Halloween I'd rent it again. And again. And again. I must have checked it out a dozen times, because eventually my mom started saying, "Not that one again!" whenever I picked it up.
So obviously I had to revisit it this year. I was pleasantly surprised to find the whole thing on YouTube, along with a SEQUEL I had somehow never even heard of. Except I watched it and discovered that the sequel is actually a prequel? Anyway, I had a great time. I can't promise it'll hold up for anyone who didn't grow up watching it, but if you like weird, obscure animated movies from the '90s, it's definitely worth checking out.
— Thomas
Coraline
Coraline (2009) / Focus Features/LAIKA
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to see a re-release of Coraline in theaters and the little girl in me could have just died from happiness. Though it’s not necessarily a Halloween movie, it makes its way onto my watchlist every year. It’s as beautiful as it is genuinely frightening.
The movie follows Coraline Jones, a spunky 11-year-old, whose family just moved into the old and boring Pink Palace Apartments. While exploring her new home, she discovers a door that takes her to a world like her own, but better in every way. Here she meets her Other Mother, who seems perfect until Coraline discovers the Other Mother’s plan to keep her there forever. It’s up to Coraline to escape and free her real parents from the grips of the Other Mother.
One of the things that was so mesmerizing to me as a kid is how beautiful the stop-motion by LAIKA Studios (Wildwood, ParaNorman) is. Each set and character is so intricate and detailed. As a lover of miniatures, I really appreciate that everything on screen was physically created just for this film. If you’re down for something simultaneously stunning and scary, you need to give it watch.
— Halla
What We Do in the Shadows
What We Do in the Shadows (2014) / Unison Films
My all-time favorite spooky Halloween movie is actually a documentary. What We Do in the Shadows follows 4 flatmates in Wellington, New Zealand during the days leading up to The Unholy Masquerade. Although typically amicable, Viago, Vladislav, Deacon, and Petyr struggle with the usual flatmate issues like chore charts, helping each other pick out appropriate clubbing outfits, and ruining furniture by not placing down towels before murdering victims. The documentary takes a dark turn when Petyr, who never attends a flat meeting due to being 8000 years old, turns Nick, a potential dinner victim, into a vampire. The flatmates and the documentary crew welcome Nick into the fold, but his young and impulsive behavior causes the friends to clash with both vampire hunters and werewolves, leaving one of them dead in a tragic sunlight accident.
This is an honest, deeply touching, and at times humorous peek behind the veil of life in urban New Zealand. No documentary crew members were harmed in the making of this film. At least, I don’t think so.
— Chris
Over the Garden Wall
Over the Garden Wall (2014) / Cartoon Network
Over the Garden Wall is my top pick for a very specifically Halloween-time watch. This animated dark fantasy mini-series follows two brothers, Wirt and Greg (voiced by Elijah Wood and Collin Dean), who are trying to find their way home after becoming lost in a mysterious forest. They encounter a number of kooky friends, villains, and villains who become friends along the way, all while older brother Wirt struggles with the responsibility of babysitting Greg. The series has a sometimes spooky, sometimes silly tone, and the episodes will often feature a zany misunderstanding that turns the story on its head. Themes of friendship, family, pessimism vs optimism, hope, death, and love contribute to the emotional heart of the tale, all set in a whimsical fairy-tale forest backdrop.
The series was created by Patrick McHale in 2014 and won two Emmy Awards, including the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. My favorite episode is "Lullaby in Frogland", and with 10 episodes at only 11 minutes each, it is basically the length of a feature film and is best watched in one sitting. Fun for kids and adults alike, I highly recommend adding this series that features pumpkin people, talking animals, singing frogs, and a mysterious beast to your Halloween watch-list this year.
— Mac
Ernest Scared Stupid
Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) / Touchstone Pictures
There is not a single film that scarred me more as a kid than Ernest Scared Stupid. Was it seeing children turned into wooden dolls? Was it the disgusting troll villain that is the stuff of nightmares? Was it just Jim Varney? Who's to say? For those who grew up with the Ernest films (I probably still have a box of those VHS tapes lying around somewhere), this was the one that took the cake. A kids' comedy-horror movie that has become a Halloween classic for me.
When Ernest accidentally unleashes an ancient troll that turns children into wooden dolls, it's up to everyone's favorite bumbling garbage man to save the town from the danger he, well, caused. With the help of a couple of local middle schoolers and his dog Rimshot, Ernest must put an end to the troll's reign of terror before it summons an entire army of trolls.
This movie is incredibly silly and perfectly captures the feeling of being a kid at Halloween, with a vintage Varney leading the way. But it also has moments of terror that probably have no business being in a movie for kids. There's one particular bedroom scene that has stuck with me my entire life and is still the reason I refuse to turn over in bed. Am I being overdramatic? You decide. Just make sure to bring your authentic Bulgarian miak!
— Torey
