Scary Fun Halloween Movies for Tweens & Teens

This creepy Tim Burton movie about a solitary man with scissors for hands who is thrown into a suburban lifestyle is one of the classic Halloween movies for tweens and teens.

Dawn Denning:  When the Grace family moves into a creepy, rundown mansion in the middle of nowhere they are urged to leave by the amazing creatures that inhabit it. The kids are submerged into a world of faeries and fantasy while investigating all the strange accidents that keep happening while living in their amazing new home.

This sci-fi comedy about a secret government agency that monitors alien life on Earth is more funny than scary, but some of the thrills might be too much for younger kids. Once your kids are ready for it, it makes a crowd pleasing family movie for Halloween that is great for a wide range of ages!

Kelly R:  Ghostbusters does seem to have an ageless appeal, but you might want to consider saving this Halloween movie for tweens and teens given the amount of racy content. The 1980s CGI makes a lot of it more silly than scary.

Alex F:  The Addams Family is a great Halloween movie for tweens and teens, and the theme song a perfect choice for any family-friendly Halloween playlist! Based on the sitcom from the 1960s, a long lost relative shows up at the home of the wealthy and decidedly eccentric Addams family, who soon suspect he is a fraud trying to swindle them. There is enough dark humor and overall creepiness to make it a fun choice for the season without actually being scary, though some mild bad language, sexuality and outlandish violence may make it more appropriate for older kids.

Alexandra F.:  Johnny Depp is absolutely incredible as the quirky and hilarious Captain Jack Sparrow in this live action movie based on the iconic ride at the Disney parks. An epic adventure story featuring pirates, magic curses, and plenty of sword fights, this is a super fun and well-done film, and a favorite movie for my 13-year-old. There are a fair amount of violent and other gruesome scenes (think rotting, animated skeletons) that would probably make it too scary for many younger kids, but perfect for tweens and up. Though a bunch of sequels have been made, this first one is far and away the best.

Kelly R:  Older kids will be better able to appreciate and understand the humor in this dark comedy based on the Roald Dahl book about witches who want to turn the world's children into mice. Some intense scenes and scary imagery might be a bit much for younger ones.

Shila:  This is a good entry-level pick if you're looking for scary movies for tweens. Jack Black plays a warlock living in a house that torments him with creepy sounds and other wicked mysteries. His 10-year-old nephew comes to live with him, and can't help but be curious as to what's really driving this phenomenon. This funny and creepy adventure is best geared towards older kids and tweens who can appreciate a few scares here and there.

Kelly R:  Scarier than your standard Disney fare, Hocus Pocus is one of those classic family Halloween movies that's a favorite for all ages. A trio of witches are accidentally returned to life, and wreak havoc on the town of Salem as they try to become immortal. I'd say that tweens are right in the sweet spot for this one, especially if you'd prefer that your kids are older for some of the more mature themes.

Kelly R:  The newest film adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic book stars Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch trying to carry out a dastardly plan to turn the world's children into mice. The creepy CGI in the film was a little too scary for my elementary schooler, so I'd recommend it as one of those Halloween movies for kids that's best saved for age 10 and older (depending on your child!).

Shila:  This is a gentle entry into horror movies for teens and tweens, as long as they're ok with spiders! In Arachnophobia, one killer spider mutates by the plenty into an even more dangerous species and threatens the human community. The concept is scary, yes, but there is humor and many scenes are a little over-the-top and silly too. This is an epic pick for a creepy, yet fun Halloween movie night!

Shila:  A young boy enters a storybook world filled with adventures - some of which are hair raising and eerie! This is a fun pick for Halloween when you're feeling in the mood to share your favorite family movies from the 80s with your kids.

Shila:  Thrillers make great Halloween movies for teens and tweens! This version of King Kong remakes the classic from the 1930s. It's good for older kids, starring a titanic-sized gorilla monster wreaking havoc in New York City.

Shila:  The Watcher in the Woods remakes the original from the 80s, where a family settles into a countryside home only to find out incredibly strange events seem to be taking place inside, and even more so in the woods.