Witches on broomsticks, mischievous monsters, haunted houses and things that go bump in the night. Halloween is almost here, and there’s no better excuse to curl up on the couch with a spooky movie.
But how spooky is too spooky? While some children love a good fright, others prefer their ghosts friendly and their monsters funny.
From magical adventures for little ones to creepy classics for older children, we’ve rounded up some Halloween favourites for different ages, along with where you can stream them in Ireland.
So grab the popcorn, dim the lights and prepare for a little Halloween fun.
Ages 5–7: More treats than tricks
Room on the Broom (2012)
Watch on: RTÉ Player
There’s always room for one more on this witch’s broomstick.
Based on the much-loved children’s book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, this charming animated short follows a friendly witch and her cat as they make some unexpected friends on their travels.
But when a hungry dragon enters the picture, the witch might need a little help from her new companions.
A gentle, funny introduction to Halloween viewing for younger children.
Ages 8–9: Monsters, mischief and magic
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
PG | Watch on: Sky Cinema / NOW Cinema
Ever wondered where monsters go on holiday?
Count Dracula has the answer: a luxury hotel where vampires, werewolves, mummies and their fellow creatures can relax without a human in sight.
But when an ordinary young man checks in and catches the eye of Dracula’s daughter, things quickly get out of hand.
A monster mash of comedy, chaos and family fun.
The Addams Family 2 (2021)
PG | Watch on: RTÉ Player
They’re creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky…
Gomez, Morticia, Wednesday, Pugsley and the rest of the Addams clan are hitting the road in this animated sequel.
When Gomez decides it’s time for some family bonding, he packs everyone into a haunted camper van for a holiday they’ll never forget.
With bizarre adventures, peculiar encounters and Wednesday’s deliciously dark sense of humour, it’s a road trip like no other.
The Addams Family (2019)
PG | Watch on: Prime Video
If one helping of the Addams family isn’t enough, why not start with their first animated adventure?
The gloriously odd clan must face their greatest nightmare yet: the prospect of fitting in with their perfectly ordinary neighbours.
Expect a gloomy mansion, macabre humour and all the strange family antics you could wish for.
Coco (2017)
PG | Watch on: Disney+
Not strictly a Halloween film, but Pixar’s colourful celebration of Mexico’s Day of the Dead brings skeletons, spirits and a little enchantment to movie night.
When music-loving Miguel finds himself in the Land of the Dead, he sets out to uncover the secrets of his family’s past.
With dazzling animation, memorable music and a surprisingly moving story, this one might just leave the grown-ups reaching for the tissues.
Ages 10–11: Things are getting creepy
The lights are getting lower, the monsters are getting scarier and suddenly that noise upstairs doesn’t seem quite so funny.
Frankenweenie (2012)
PG | Watch on: Disney+
What could possibly go wrong when a young boy decides to bring his beloved dog back from the dead?
Quite a lot, as it happens.
Tim Burton gives the classic Frankenstein story a wonderfully strange makeover in this black-and-white stop-motion adventure about Victor and his resurrected dog, Sparky.
It’s funny, touching and packed with gloriously gothic characters.
Roald Dahl’s The Witches (2020)
PG | Watch on: Netflix / Prime Video
Forget pointy hats and broomsticks. These witches look just like ordinary women, and that’s what makes them so dangerous.
Anne Hathaway stars as the Grand High Witch in this modern adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic children’s novel.
When a young boy stumbles upon a secret gathering of witches, he discovers their wicked plan to rid the world of children.
And let’s just say their methods are anything but charming.
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018)
PG | Watch on: Sky Cinema / NOW Cinema
When two boys discover an old book in an abandoned house, they accidentally unleash Slappy, a sinister ventriloquist’s dummy with some very big Halloween plans.
Soon, monsters, witches and all manner of creepy creatures are running riot through their town.
It’s a fast-moving adventure that turns Halloween into one enormous nightmare, with some proper frights amid the fun.
Ages 12 and over: Now we’re talking scares
Friendly ghosts? Forget about them. These films are for those who like their Halloween entertainment a little darker, stranger and considerably more terrifying.
Goosebumps (2015)
PG | Watch on: RTÉ Player
Imagine discovering that every terrifying creature from your favourite horror books was real.
That’s exactly what happens when a teenager accidentally unleashes the monsters from the manuscripts of author RL Stine, played by Jack Black.
With werewolves, giant insects, a terrifying dummy and things jumping out of the darkness, the race is on to get the creatures back where they belong.
And yes, you might just get goosebumps.
Haunted Mansion (2023)
12A | Watch on: Disney+
Moving house is stressful enough without discovering that your new home is crawling with ghosts.
When a mother and her son move into a sprawling New Orleans mansion, they soon realise they’re sharing it with some rather unwelcome supernatural residents.
Enter an unlikely group of ghost hunters, who attempt to uncover the mansion’s secrets.
Ghostly encounters, jump scares and all manner of otherworldly surprises follow in this Disney comedy horror.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
12A | Watch on: RTÉ Player
He’s back, and he’s as outrageous as ever.
Michael Keaton returns as the chaotic, foul-mouthed trickster Beetlejuice in Tim Burton’s long-awaited sequel to the 1988 cult classic.
Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara and Jenna Ortega join the madness as the Deetz family finds itself once again tangled up in the bizarre world of the afterlife.
Expect grotesque creatures, macabre humour and some spectacularly strange supernatural mayhem.
Just remember one very important rule: don’t say his name three times.
More Halloween fun on RTÉ Player
And if one film isn’t enough, RTÉ Player has a few more tricks and treats up its sleeve this Halloween.
The Unreal: Curse of the Morrigan
The Kelly family is back, and this time their secret is under threat.
When a mysterious postcard threatens to expose them, the family journeys to a remote island where strange locals, mummers and the legendary Morrigan await.
Drawing on Irish mythology and folk horror, the award-winning supernatural drama returns with a chilling new adventure.
The Unreal: Curse of the Morrigan begins on RTÉ One on Sunday, 25 October, with the first two episodes airing back-to-back. All four episodes will then be available on RTÉ Player.
Do Not Watch Alone
Malfunctioning cyborg teachers, brain-sucking aliens, slime monsters and things lurking in the shadows.
Welcome to Do Not Watch Alone, a new Irish comedy horror series serving up ten bite-sized tales of jump scares and belly laughs.
Aimed at nine to 12-year-olds, each 15-minute episode combines creepy creatures and outrageous comedy as young heroes face their fears.
Mortina
Forget everything you know about zombies.
Mortina is a young zombie detective who lives in the delightfully eerie Crumbling Manor, where there’s always a peculiar puzzle to solve.
With quirky characters and supernatural surprises, it’s an entertaining pick for younger viewers who enjoy a mystery.
More spooky favourites
RTÉ Player’s Spooky Season collection also features The Strange Chores, Tales From Dún Draíochta as Gaeilge and the supernatural comedy film My Babysitter’s a Vampire.
And for children who prefer listening to their Halloween scares, RTÉ Listen has ghostly adventures too, from Spooky FM and Chance of a Ghost to the magical stories of Ireland’s Unreal: Irish Folklore for Kids.