It can be challenging to find the ideal family-friendly horror movie. However, many directors work hard to include themes that appeal to both adults and children without going overboard and frightening the younger audience too much. With just the proper amount of thrills and chills to spark imaginations and keep younger viewers feeling safe and amused, the best family horror movies are able to evoke a sense of spine-tingling excitement and become iconic as a result.
These films deftly strike a balance between whimsy and a bit of spookiness, allowing parents to enjoy the experience as much as their children. so, come along as we examine some of the best family horror movies to watch for a fun-filled night of terror. Here’s our pick of the top 5.
5. Monster House (2006)
With a host of Hollywood heavy-hitters lending their voices, including Steve Buscemi, Kevin James, and Maggie Gyllenhaal, 2006’s Monster House focuses on three teenagers who discover that their neighbour’s house is really a living, breathing, scary monster. To children, the scares are light and humorous at times, with some mild jump scares thrown in for good measure. To adults, its easy to see why this film landed so well.
The story captures the Halloween season beautifully and throws nods to classic horror movies via tropes like spying on the mysterious neighbours and investigating a threat that no one else believes is there. In terms of its animation, the movie’s characters are animated hyper-realistically, making it easier for older kids and adults to relate to. The film was met with a warm critical response and grossed a worldwide total of $141.9 million against a production budget of $75 million. As of writing, Monster House has aged extremely well, with its animation holding up to today’s standards and new generations discovering the film every Halloween.
4. The Addams Family (1991)
1991’s The Addams Family is easily one of the most timeless family horror movies in cinema history. The Addams Family as a concept has been around since the original TV series, released in 1964. It’s interesting to note that for such a morbid premise, it has more family-friendly representation that non-family-friendly representation. The 1991 movie took the long-forgotten series and propelled it back into the mainstream, grossing $191,502,426 against a $30 million budget.
The plot of the movie centres on the macabre Addams family who square off with a crooked accountant and his loan shark who are plotting to slip the shark’s son into the family as their long-lost Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd). With a rather complex plot, the movie will likely not be able to hold the attention of younger children, however, it has enough substance to keep adults engrossed. So, if you’re looking for a Halloween watch for the little ones, the cartoon series might be a better fit. However, if there are young teens in the house, this classic family horror will go down a treat.
3. Frankenweenie (2012)
Frankenweenie saw Tim Burton take a step towards child-friendly content and it paid off massively, garnering an Oscar nomination in 2013 for Best Animated Feature. The story focuses on Victor (voiced by Charlie Tahan), a young boy who sets out to bring his beloved dog back to life through a bizarre science experiment. This stop-motion flick holds a special place in the heart of Burton as it is an extrapolation of his 1984 short film of the same name.
As a horror movie, Frankenweenie is only really creepy through its visuals of the dog coming back to life and becoming more aggressive. At its core, it is much more of a movie about the sacred bond between humans and animals. With its stylistic visuals and artistic choice to be presented in black and white, to many adults, Frankenweenie plays like one of the more prestigious family horror movies of the last few decades, and many of Burton’s traits are present to evoke some nostalgia, apart from a pale-faced Johnny Depp.
2. Hocus Pocus (1993)
With its quirky fusion of humour, spookiness and absurdity, Hocus Pocus is a classic family horror film that has become iconic over time. The movie centres on the naughty witches Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson, who are brought back to life on Halloween night in contemporary Salem after after a curious teenager named Max lights the Black Flame Candle. From here, the creepy trio wreak hilarious havoc, trying to get revenge for their executions, producing a great blend of hilarity and terror, with little time to recover their abilities and exact retribution. Despite being a box office bust when it first came out in 1993, the film has since become a cult favourite and a beloved Halloween classic, enthralling audiences of all ages with its memorable characters, catchy music, and endearingly witchy shenanigans. This enduring popularity ultimately led to the long-awaited sequel, Hocus Pocus 2, which premiered in 2022, further solidifying its status as a cherished staple of holiday viewing.
1. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
There has been a long-standing debate over the years as to whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is a Halloween movie or a Christmas movie, and that’s easy to settle – it’s both. To that, it is easy to see why it is widely regarded as the most iconic out of all of the family horror movies. From the mind of Tim Burton, the story focuses on Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman), the king of Halloween Town, who discovers Christmas Town, and attempts to bring Christmas to his home, causing heaps of confusion.
Where The Nightmare Before Christmas really stands out is with its musical elements, adding a constant relief from the more creepy elements that could otherwise frighten younger children. Released in 1993, Henry Selick‘s classic grossed $107,533,258 worldwide against a budget of $18 million. Today, it is still helmed as a classic, with its soundtrack proving just as timeless as the movie itself.
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