20 Magical Witch Movies You Need to Stream this Halloween, from ‘Practical Magic’ to ‘Hocus Pocus’
No Halloween feels complete without several viewings of spooky, witch-centric movies. And no, we’re not just talking about the villainous crones who tote black gowns and ride on broomsticks. We’re also talking feminist heroes and powerful sorcereresses who look very much like your average person.
It’s always fascinating to see how these characters fare when they dabble in the dark arts, which is why we’ve compiled a list of all the scary witch movies you can stream right now, from Hocus Pocus to The Witches of Eastwick.
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1. ‘Eve's Bayou’ (1997)
Who’s in it? Samuel L. Jackson, Lisa Nicole Carson, Jurnee Smollett, Lynn Whitfield
What’s it about? When 10-year-old Eve (Smollett) catches her father cheating on her mother, she seeks revenge and decides to put a voodoo spell on him, with the help of a fortune teller and witch. This emotional drama tackles familial conflict and forgiveness, while offering some rare insight into Creole traditions.
2. ‘The Love Witch’ (2016)
Who’s in it? Samantha Robinson, Gian Keys, Laura Waddell, Jeffrey Vincent Parise
What’s it about? An attractive witch named Elaine (Robinson) uses magic to seduce several men in hopes of finding true love—but when she finally meets her dream guy, things start to go downhill.
3. ‘Hocus Pocus’ (1993)
Who’s in it? Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz
What’s it about? Given that Disney will be releasing Hocus Pocus 2 in the near future, it's only fitting that we revisit the Sanderson sisters as they try to wreak havoc in the modern-day world.
4. ‘Practical Magic’ (1998)
Who’s in it? Sandra Bullock, Nicole Kidman, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Aidan Quinn
What’s it about? Bullock and Kidman play tight-knit sisters Sally and Gillian Owens, who grew up learning to hone their abilities as witches. But there's just one problem: They're under a dark curse that affects every man they fall in love with.
5. ‘The Witches of Eastwick’ (1987)
Who’s in it? Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, Susan Sarandon, Jack Nicholson
What’s it about? Three gorgeous witches who are eager to find the right man are enchanted by the mysterious Daryl Van Horne (Nicholson)–although there’s much more to him than meets the eye. While the trio of witches are delightful to watch, it's Nicholson's comedic talent that steals the show.
6. ‘I Married a Witch’ (1942)
Who’s in it? Fredric March, Veronica Lake, Robert Benchley, Susan Hayward
What’s it about? When Jennifer (Lake) gets burned at the stake in colonial Salem, the enchantress curses the man responsible, as well as all of his male descendants. But several centuries later, when she meets and falls for one of his descendants, her vengeful plan starts to backfire.
7. ‘Suspiria’ (2018)
Who’s in it? Dakota Johnson, Tilda Swinton, Mia Goth
What’s it about? In this remake of the cult classic, Johnson stars as a newbie dance student who quickly learns that her prestigious academy is harboring a dark secret—one that involves a powerful coven of witches. Prepare for some freaky, mind-bending stuff.
8. ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ (1971)
Who’s in it? Angela Lansbury, David Tomlinson, John Ericson
What’s it about? Inspired by two of Mary Norton's children's books and set during the ‘40s, this musical follows three children who agree to help a witch in training. Her goal? To use her magical powers in the British war efforts against the Nazis.
9. ‘Bell, Book & Candle’ (1958)
Who’s in it? James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon
What’s it about? Gillian (Novak), a store owner and secret witch, decides to add some excitement to her life by putting a spell on her attractive new neighbor, who also happens to be engaged. What could go wrong?
10. ’The Craft’ (1996)
Who’s in it? Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True
What’s it about? What do you get when you combine a trio of witches and an angsty teen with telekinetic powers? A powerful coven and a whole lot of trouble, that’s what.
11. ‘Into the Woods’ (2014)
Who’s in it? Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine
What’s it about? The star-studded musical takes its inspiration from classic fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood and Cinderella, weaving together a clever, modernized tale that explores what happens after the “happily ever after.” It tackles quite a few big themes, like love, loss and consequences.
12. ‘Twitches’ (2005)
Who’s in it? Tamera Mowry, Tia Mowry, Kristen Wilson, Patrick Fabian
What’s it about? On their 21st birthday, identical twins Alexandra Fielding and Camryn Barne learn that they're witches with magical powers—powers they must use to defeat an evil force known as the Darkness.
13. ‘The Witches’ (1990)
Who’s in it? Anjelica Huston, Mai Zetterling, Rowan Atkinson, Jasen Fisher
What’s it about? A young boy is in for quite the surprise when he crosses paths with a group of evil witches. Can he stop their evil plans before they go after all the children?
14. ‘Teen Witch’ (1989)
Who’s in it? Robyn Lively, Dan Gauthier, Joshua Miller
What’s it about? Just days before her 16th birthday, Louise Miller (Lively) finds out that she's a reincarnated witch who will develop magical powers. Naturally, when she hits 16, she uses her newfound powers to win the heart of a star athlete and become popular.
15. ‘The Witch’ (2015)
Who’s in it? Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie
What’s it about? After being banished from a Puritan colony in New England during the 1630s, a family moves to a remote location in the woods, where they start to get terrorized by evil forces.
16. ‘Mary and the Witch's Flower’ (2017)
Who’s in it? Hana Sugisaki, Yūki Amami, Fumiyo Kohinata
What’s it about? A young girl named Mary Smith (Sugisaki) stumbles upon a unique flower, which gives her the ability to become a witch for just a day. A wild adventure ensues.
17. ‘Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters’ (2013)
Who’s in it? Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Peter Stormare
What’s it about? Hansel (Renner) and Gretel (Arterton) are all grown up and ready to track down some evil witches. But as the Blood Moon draws near, the siblings realize that they're up against an even greater threat.
18. ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
Who’s in it? Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr, Jack Haley
What’s it about? Seeing Dorothy (Garland) skip down the yellow-brick road with her new BFFs never gets old. But if we're being honest, it's Wicked Witch of the West and her evil schemes that make this film so intriguing.
19. ‘Halloweentown’ (1998)
Who’s in it? Debbie Reynolds, Kimberly J. Brown, Judith Hoag
What’s it about? When Marnie (Brown) turns 13, she discovers that she’s a witch, just like her grandmother Aggie (Reynolds). She then gets the best birthday present ever: an impromptu tour of the magical world of Halloweentown, complete with witches, warlocks and zombies.
20. ‘Season of the Witch’ (1973)
Who’s in it? Jan White, Raymond Laine, Ann Muffly, Virginia Greenwald
What’s it about? When Joan (White), a middle-aged housewife, meets her new neighbor Marion (Greenwald), she discovers the newcomer is the leader of a secret witches' coven. But when Joan decides to get involved in the occult, her life takes a drastic turn.
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