20 spooky movies that have nothing to do with Halloween

Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock are spooky and witchy and engage in decidedly Halloween activities in Practical Magic, but there is nary a pumpkin nor a trick-or-treater in sight throughout the whole film. It’s autumnal in vibe, though, and that’s what really matters. 

Any movie with an antagonist with buttons for eyes is spookier than anything having to do with Halloween. We’re fairly certain Coraline is the only movie of that sort, but we stand by what we said. 

The film's overall tone, the castle on the top of the hill, and Edward Scissorhands himself are very spooky, but the town the characters live in, the houses they own, and the clothes they wear are quite the opposite. That’s exactly what makes this movie so lovably strange. 

Creepy, funny, bizarre: Beetlejuice is the perfect film for anyone who wants to get into the spooky spirit without fully committing to a horror film or outright Halloween movie. Beetlejuice still stands as one of Tim Burton’s best films. Although it’s a bit of a fever dream, it’s a fun fever dream. 

You could argue that The Birds is through and through a horror film. It is Hitchcock, after all. But to some, it’s more spooky and creepy than scary. At any rate, it does not have anything to do with Halloween, yet it’s often listed as an all-time favorite Halloween film. 

Frankenstein has lots of classic Halloween elements – a scary monster, darkness, body parts, and science fiction – but it’s got absolutely nothing else to do with the holiday. But while you’re here, here’s your cursory reminder that Frankenstein is the name of the doctor, not the monster. 

The thought of a disfigured man in a mask haunting an opera house is quite terrifying, and the Phantom is an excellent Halloween costume, but the mask and the haunting are as Halloween-y as this movie gets. And the songs take it down several notches on the scary scale. 

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is another film whose premise is far more terrifying than the actual movie. And once again, the songs make it markedly less scary. Nevertheless, it’s a great watch during spooky season. 

The name of this film makes it sound like it’s going to be all about Halloween, but alas, The Witches is just a kooky adaptation of a kooky Roald Dahl book about witches having a convention in a hotel ballroom. Witches, they’re just like us?

Haunted houses are decidedly Halloween-y, but The Haunted Mansion decided to leave out the holiday aspect and simply capitalize on the spookiness. To be fair, the film was inspired by the Disney theme park ride of the same name, so it makes sense that the movie isn’t about Halloween. 

Spooky? Yes. Kooky? Yes. Fantastic? Yes. Halloween-y? No. Clue, the ‘80s film adaptation of the classic board game, is many things, but it’s definitely not Halloween-y. Nevertheless, the murder mystery aspect of this film makes it perfect to add to your yearly Halloween movie rewatch list. 

There are a surprising number of spooky movie musicals that have nothing to do with Halloween. Take The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Despite having nothing to do with the holiday, many characters from the film would make fantastic Halloween costumes. 

Okay, there is a Halloween scene at the end of the 1991 The Addams Family , but by and large, this is not a Halloween film. It’s just a spooky film about a macabre family living in a museum who are getting duped by their long-lost uncle. Anjelica Huston has a knack for starring in spooky films that aren’t about Halloween. 

If there’s anyone who loves spooky films that aren’t about Halloween more than Tim Burton, we’d love to meet them. The film’s aesthetic is perfectly Halloween-esque, but there aren’t costumes, Jack-o'-lanterns, candy, or anything else that would signify a holiday celebration. There are just marital corpses and bugs behind eyeballs. 

Though there are Halloween scenes throughout the Harry Potter series, there are also Christmas scenes throughout the franchise. The main characters are witches and wizards, but this series isn’t about Halloween. Still, the films have spooky vibes, and they’re more than acceptable to watch in October. 

See what we mean about spooky movie musicals? Spoiler alert: the horror in Little Shop of Horrors is an evil plant, and it’s not the least bit scary. Quite honestly, it’s barely spooky, but it’s still fun to watch during spooky season, especially if you’re a Halloween and musical lover. 

You won’t be scared in the slightest when watching What We Do in the Shadows. In fact, you’ll laugh until your stomach hurts. This vampire mockumentary is a hidden gem and the perfect spooky comedy film to watch in October. 

The Crucible doesn’t need to be about Halloween because its premise is spooky enough on its own. Women being accused left and right of witchcraft and being hung based solely on accusations? Terrifying. 

Misery is arguably best to watch in the winter, but it’s spooky nonetheless. Kathy Bates somehow won an Oscar for her role in this film, but don’t let that fool you. Misery is still a kooky and kitschy movie that fits right alongside the others in this batch of spooky films that don’t have anything to do with Halloween. 

Knives Out is one of the best films to watch in the fall. It’s not about Halloween, but it’s got murder, mystery, leaves, a mansion, Chris Evans, sweaters, and knives. What more could you want out of an autumnal film? You won’t miss the Halloween element in the slightest when you watch this movie.