Copyright Screen Rant
Every major streaming service has a collection of films in its library to celebrate Halloween, but HBO Max's is hard to top. The platform is home to a great number of horror movies and projects that are just perfect for spooky season, even if they aren't all that scary on their own. To list them all would be incredibly difficult, especially since one of the big problems with finding something to watch during Halloween weekend is that there are simply so many options. HBO Max has modern classics like Hereditary, The Substance, The Conjuring, and The Witch, but their library goes much deeper than that. The streaming service also has The Exorcist, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Trick 'r Treat, Dream Me to Hell, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. HBO Max even has the Harry Potter franchise, which works as both a Halloween and a Christmas season watch. However, we've picked out five movies that you'll love this year. Beetlejuice (1988) Not many filmmakers embody the Halloween spirit like Tim Burton. The vast majority of his films have an aesthetic that just appeals to that time of the year, and Beetlejuice might do it better than any other. The '80s classic isn't exactly scary, but it's perfect for a cozy watch on an autumn evening. Beetlejuice tells the story of a couple who recently passed away and are now ghosts. They channel Betelgeuse, a "bio exorcist" to frighten away the people who move into their home, and chaos ensues. Betelgeuse is hilarious while also being unsettling, making for one of the most entertaining characters of the decade. Beetlejuice has only grown in popularity over the years. Either it'll be a great first-time watch that the whole family will enjoy or you can check it out for a blast of a rewatch. The cast of Beetlejuice is part of why it has had such a lasting impact. For starters, Michael Keaton is outstanding as Betelgeuse. There's also Winona Ryder, Geena Davis, Catherine O'Hara, and more. If you're looking to move away from HBO Max for a short time during your Halloween movie marathon, you can always check out Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, the sequel from 2024 that added the likes of Jenna Ortega to the cast. Interview With The Vampire (1994) Anne Rice is one of the most iconic names associated with Gothic fiction. Of all of her projects, it's likely that her most famous piece of work is Interview with the Vampire, which saw a film adaptation in 1994. If you've never seen this movie, then the cast is what would likely stick out to you at first glance. Interview with the Vampire features some of the biggest names in Hollywood, in Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, while adding a fantastic performance from a young Kirsten Dunst and a fun supporting turn by Christian Slater. There's also Antonio Banderas, Thandiwe Newton, and more. The premise of Interview with the Vampire focuses on the relationship between Lestat (Cruise) and Louis (Pitt), starting in 1791 when the former turns the latter into a vampire. During their time together, they also turn a young girl (Dunst) into a vampire. The whole thing is framed in a modern day interview Louis is giving to a reporter (Slater). Upon release, Interview with the Vampire was a success at the box office and with critics, scoring a couple of Oscar nominations. Dunst was also nominated for a Golden Globe, cementing that she delivered a tremendous performance. There's a modern TV series adaptation on AMC that's also worth checking out. Corpse Bride (2005) We return to the talents of Tim Burton for another movie that doesn't totally fit into the horror narrative, yet has all the makings of something you'll want to watch over and over whenever Halloween rolls around. It fits the aesthetic, has the right amount of creepiness, and gives you an animated recommendation in the midst of live-action films. Corpse Bride feels like a spiritual successor to The Nightmare Before Christmas, but doesn't have the Christmas aspect, making it a better fit for October. The film is set in the 19th century and follows a man who is about to be married, only to get whisked off to the underworld and wed to the titular corpse bride. The stop-motion animation is stunning and holds up remarkably well two decades later, making it a timeless classic. The voice cast is strong and Danny Elfman's score is up to his usual high standards. On top of that, Corpse Bride was a commercial success that grossed over $100 million. Corpse Bride remains one of the best animated movies of the 2000s thanks to its visual style, intriguing characters, and gripping story. It holds an 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, helping to confirm that it's a true classic of the era and a true Halloween spectacle to watch this year. Sinners (2025) In an age where people say there are too many sequels, reboots, and movies about existing IPs, two completely original films have managed to stand out in 2025 and kind of taken the world of cinema by storm. The first is Sinners, the latest release from Black Panther and Creed director Ryan Coogler. Sinners is set in the early 1930s in Mississippi and centers on twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played masterfully by Michael B. Jordan), who open a juke joint in their hometown, only to be confronted by an evil that threatens everyone. The movie takes place over the course of a single, harrowing day. In the same vein as From Dusk Till Dawn, Sinners starts as a seemingly ordinary movie, only to turn into a vampire horror about halfway through. The scares are clearly there, making this an ideal Halloween watch, but there's so much more to this film. It celebrates music, Black culture, and centers on themes of racism, family, and more. Everything about Sinners is special, from the screenplay to the performances to the score to the cast. Jordan is joined by the captivating Miles Caton, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo, and more. Sinners holds a 97% Rotten Tomatoes rating and is a must-see film regardless of the time of the year. Weapons (2025) The other original movie to enthrall audiences in 2025 is Weapons, also in the horror genre. This is the sophomore effort from director Zach Cregger, a rising star in horror, who first found rousing success with Barbarian, another film in the genre that needs to be seen by anyone who appreciates horror. Weapons tells an intriguing story of a small town where 17 children from the same school class all get up and run out of their homes into the darkness at the same time one night, vanishing. Their teacher, parents, and more are rocked by what happened, trying to figure out what happened and who to blame. The story is told from several different perspectives, with each being chilling in its own right while also peeling back layers to reveal what caused the odd events hitting the town. It all culminates in one of the wildest climaxes you'll see in any horror movie, sealing it as a modern classic.
