Halloween is nearly here. That means carved pumpkins, candy, and the best part, scary movies. We pulled together the most spooktacular films and TV shows adapted from books, sorted by age, with where to stream each one as of fall 2026. New this year: Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, It: Welcome to Derry, and the first Carrie series.
Jump to: Little Kids · Big Kids · Teens · Adults · New for 2026
Halloween Movies for Little Kids
Room on the Broom (TV-Y7)
In this Halloween flick based on Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s picture book of the same name, a gentle witch with a ginger braid offers rides to a variety of animals on her increasingly crowded broom, much to her grumpy cat’s chagrin.
Halloween Movies and Shows for Big Kids
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting (PG)
Recruited by a secret society of babysitters, high schooler Kelly Ferguson battles the Boogeyman and his monsters when they nab the boy she’s watching on Halloween. This film follows the events of the first book in Joe Ballarini’s series of the same name, and we’re hoping we’ll see movies for books two and three as well!
Coraline (PG)
Based on the bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman, this stop-motion animated feature tells the story of Coraline Jones who discovers another world that is a strangely idealized version of her frustrating home, but with sinister secrets of its own.
The Witches (2020) (PG) and The Witches (1990) (PG)
It’s not Halloween without witches! Roald Dahl’s spooky novel, The Witches, has been retold on the big screen twice now, one film in 1990, the other in 2020. We leave it to you to decide which film is a better adaptation of the book’s story about a boy faced with an international witch convention.
Rent the 1990 film on Prime Video
Rent the 2020 film on Prime Video
Goosebumps (1998) (TV-G), Goosebumps (2015) (PG), and Goosebumps 2 (2018) (PG)
We can’t talk about Halloween without mentioning R.L. Stine! His Goosebumps book series has been spooking kids for decades, and the films and TV show based on his books are no different. Whether you’re looking to binge an entire series, or just a movie or two, there’s a Goosebumps story for you.
Watch the Series on Paramount+
Rent Goosebumps on Prime Video
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2019) (TV-PG) and A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) (PG)
![Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix](https://film-14.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/df31451753912a049cf78c5f03859b25.jpg)
If you’re looking for something villainous this Halloween, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events book series has inspired both a film and a Netflix series, so take your pick as to whether you want to see the Baudelaire orphans face off against Count Olaf for only two hours or something closer to twenty-five hours…
Watch the Film on Peacock or MGM+
Twitches (TV-PG)
In this made-for-TV movie based on the book series T*Witches, Tia and Tamera Mowry play twins Alex and Camryn who, on their 21st birthday, discover that their unusual powers double in strength when they work together.
Every title on this list started as a book that made someone want to see it on screen. That is the whole idea behind a cinematic book trailer.
Halloween Movies and Shows for Teens
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (PG-13)
Inspired by one of the most terrifying children’s book series of all time, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark follows a group of young teens who must solve the mystery surrounding sudden and macabre deaths in their small town.
Nancy Drew (TV-14)
You’ve never seen Nancy Drew like this before! This TV series is much darker than the yellow-spined book series the show is based on. Follow along with teen detective Nancy and her friends as they uncover the mysteries of Horseshoe Bay after a socialite’s murder makes them prime suspects. The show ran four seasons and ended in 2023, so the whole run is ready to binge.
Vampire Diaries (TV-14)
Vampires may not be the “in” creature this Halloween, but this list wouldn’t be complete without them. The Vampire Diaries is just the thing if you’re looking to get your vampire fix as you watch feuding vampire brothers Stefan and Damon vie for the affection of captivating teen Elena.
Dracula (TV-14)
Speaking of vampires…Bram Stoker’s Dracula popularized vampires. Now the Netflix series brings new life to the legend of Count Dracula, with new tales that flesh out the vampire’s gory crimes, and bring his vulnerability into the light.
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Halloween Movies and Shows for Adults
Sleepy Hollow (R)
While the kids watch The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, the adults can opt for a creepier rendition of Washington Irving’s tale with Sleepy Hollow. Johnny Depp stars as Ichabod Crane, who in this case is an eccentric investigator determined to stop the murderous Headless Horseman.
Watch on Paramount+ or free on Tubi
Firestarter (R)
The 2022 remake of the Drew Barrymore film based on the scorchingly popular novel by Stephen King, follows a young girl with the ability to, you guessed it, start fires with her mind. The 2022 version streams on Netflix.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (R)
In this film based on the novel by Lois Duncan, four friends share their final summer before heading to college, but accidentally kill a pedestrian on a drive home. Scared and confused, they make a fateful decision that will come back to haunt them.
The Silence of the Lambs (R)
You may not know this film was based on a book by Thomas Harris, but there’s a good chance you know the name of his villain, Hannibal Lecter. Watch as FBI trainee Clarice Starling ventures into a maximum-security asylum to pick the diseased brain of Hannibal Lecter, a psychiatrist turned cannibal.
Pet Sematary (R)
We would be remiss if we didn’t include Stephen King’s horror masterpieces in this list. There’s so many of his book-to-film projects to choose from, but one of the more recent examples is Pet Sematary, in which a couple move to rural Maine only to discover a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near their new home.
The Haunting of Hill House (TV-MA)
![The Haunting Of Hill House Official Trailer (2018) Netflix [HD]](https://film-14.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/c05c4ec0dc2e9ed4c1bbe06919766cb1.jpg)
Though the book was first published in 1959, Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House has inspired numerous haunted house stories that came afterwards. It’s also the inspiration behind Netflix’s 10-part mini-series of the same name in which a fractured family confronts haunting memories of their old home and the terrifying events that drove them from it.
New for Halloween 2026
Ten adaptations that landed since we first wrote this list. Most of them are Stephen King, which tells you something about who still owns October.
Frankenstein (R)
Guillermo del Toro finally made his Mary Shelley. Oscar Isaac plays Victor, Jacob Elordi plays the Creature, and the film treats the novel as tragedy first and horror second.
It: Welcome to Derry (TV-MA)
A prequel series set in 1962, built from the interludes in Stephen King’s It. Bill Skarsgård returns as Pennywise.
The Long Walk (R)
King wrote this one as Richard Bachman in 1979. One hundred boys walk until only one is left standing. The adaptation is lean, brutal, and one of the best-reviewed King films in years.
Salem’s Lot (R)
The 2024 film compresses King’s vampire novel into a tight two hours as a small Maine town empties out one house at a time.
The Monkey (R)
Osgood Perkins turns a King short story into a horror comedy about a wind-up toy that kills whoever is nearby when it drums.
Read the Story in Skeleton Crew
Nosferatu (R)
![NOSFERATU - Official Trailer [HD] - Only In Theaters December 25](https://film-14.com/wp-content/cache/flying-press/9865d2dca7b08a256fdad8fc70bd50e0.jpg)
Robert Eggers remakes the 1922 film that was itself an unlicensed Dracula. Bill Skarsgård again, this time as Count Orlok.
Goosebumps: The Vanishing (TV-14)
Season two of the Disney+ series, this time with David Schwimmer and a new set of R.L. Stine mysteries.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) (R)
A legacy sequel that brings back Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. alongside a new group of friends with a new secret.
Carrie (TV-MA)
Mike Flanagan, the man behind The Haunting of Hill House, takes on King’s first novel as a series. Premieres October 7 on Prime Video.
Verity (R)
Colleen Hoover’s dark thriller reaches theaters October 2 with Anne Hathaway and Dakota Johnson. Not strictly horror, but it will own BookTok this October.
Film 14 shot this trailer for Rod Hewitt’s debut novel Days of Rain and Blood: two women, a red Porsche, and a trail from Las Vegas to the sea. How we made it · Watch more trailers
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There are so many more spooky movies out there! Which ones will you be adding to your Halloween watch list? Tell us in the comments below.
Megan Barlog loves great stories, be they books, movies, TV shows, or anything in between! She has studied both creative writing and screenwriting, and worked for both a library and a major NYC publisher. When she’s not writing a novel or screenplay, she’s probably out for a run or binge-watching something on Netflix.
Updated September 2026 by the Film 14 team with current streaming availability and ten new titles.
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More reading: Mary Maddox: Books That Aren’t Afraid of the Dark · The Best of ThrillerTok 2025 · The 14 Best Movie Novelizations of Classic Films
Halloween Book Adaptations: Quick Answers
What Halloween movies are based on books?
Dozens, from picture books like Room on the Broom to Stephen King novels like Pet Sematary and Salem’s Lot. This list sorts 31 of them by age group with where to stream each one.
Is Coraline based on a book?
Yes. Neil Gaiman’s 2002 novella Coraline became the 2009 stop-motion film from Laika. It streams on Hulu.
What Stephen King adaptations are new for Halloween 2026?
It: Welcome to Derry and The Long Walk on HBO Max, The Monkey on Hulu, and the Carrie series premiering October 7 on Prime Video.
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