While the ‘80s were all about scaring the crap out of you with its decade of spooky movies, the ‘90s were a little, shall we say, gentler. Most of the ghoulish movies geared toward the family-friendly crowd in the ‘90s were just that, super family-friendly (with a few exceptions). Still, some of these definitely left a lasting impression on young ‘90s kids minds — whether that impression was good or bad? Well, that’s up for debate.
But enough talk, let’s get to it… our list of the most memorable ‘90s spooky movies!
More into the ‘80s? Check out our list: The Top 13 ‘80s Spooky Movies You Loved as a Kid
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Directed by Tim Burton and based on a character he created in his youth growing up in Burbank, California, Edward Scissorhands is the story of an incompletely built artificial man with scissors for hands. When a suburban mom comes upon Edward (Johnny Depp), she insists on bringing him into her world, and soon enough he is winning over all of the suburban moms when he starts giving them unique haircuts. But the real story is about his developing relationship/romance with Kim (Winona Ryder), which the beefcakes in town don’t approve of.
The Witches (1990)
If you grew up in the ‘90s and watched The Witches, you’re probably just as scarred as I am — this movie freaked. me. out! If you haven’t seen it, or don’t remember it (how could you not?!), The Witches is about a recently orphaned young boy who goes to a hotel with his grandma that just happens to be hosting a convention for witches while they are there, and those witches are out to rid the world of children, and even turn the boy into a mouse. This plot was super horrifying to many a young child (right?) and while many enjoyed the 2020 remake as well, one thing it doesn’t have is the amazing Angelica Houston as the Grand High Witch.
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
In this sequel to Gremlins (featured in our ‘80s list), everyone’s favorite mogwai, Gizmo, is back, but this time when gremlins start multiplying from him, he’s in a skyscraper in New York City rather than a small suburban town. Gremlins 2 really leans into the camp factor compared to the original, really upping the ante in terms of the anarchy and silly mayhem caused by the gremlins, and really leaning into satire.
The Addams Family (1991) & Addams Family Values (1993)
The Addams Family was (and probably still is) everyone’s favorite ghoulish family, thanks in large part to these two movie adaptations in the ‘90s. In the first, Gomez’s brother Fester turns up after having been missing for years — while the family is happy to see him, they don’t know that he’s hiding a secret. In the second film, the family adds a baby to the mix and must rescue their Uncle Fester from the gold-digging nanny he has decided to marry. That Fester, always causing problems.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
It’s just a little… Hocus Pocus. In what has become a Halloween classic thanks to its Halloween setting, Hocus Pocus is about a teenager named Max who awakens an ancient trio of witches intent on sucking the life out of young children. The witches, otherwise known as the Sanderson sisters, are played by Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy, and Sarah Jessica Parker in great performances that have helped cement this movie as a Halloween must-watch.
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
There is always some debate whether The Nightmare Before Christmas is considered a Halloween or a Christmas movie. But, no matter where you stand on that debate, we can probably all agree that it definitely fits the spooky movie moniker. In this stop motion animated classic, Jack Skellington, tired of being the pumpkin king, wants to spread the joy of Christmas. Of course, good intentions don’t always go as planned, and Jack ends up creating a bit of a nightmare instead.
Double Double Toil and Trouble (1993)
If you were a fan of the Olsen twins in the ‘90s, then you probably loved their made-for-TV Halloween movie, Double, Double, Toil and Trouble. The twins play, you guessed it, twins, who must save their aunt from being trapped in a mirror for all eternity before it strikes midnight on Halloween night. Is this the best Halloween movie in the world? No. But if you’re looking for something nostalgic that’s a little more kid-friendly, then this one would be a good choice.
Casper (1995)
In an adaptation of the original comic books, Casper is all about a friendly ghost named, duh, Casper. While the movie has a lot of goofy humor throughout, it also deals with some real issues around death and moving on after someone has died. Of course, a lot of girls of the ’90s will remember this movie for its ending, where Devon Sawa (read more about Devon here) makes a brief appearance as the human form of Casper.
Matilda (1996)
Yes, we’re stretching the term spooky a bit here to include Matilda, but it does feature some rather scary adult characters. Based on the Roald Dahl novel of the same name, Matilda stars Mara Wilson, a child prodigy who develops psychokinetic abilities and uses them to deal with her less-than-amazing family, as well as the terrible principal of the elementary school Matilda attends. Though the movie was a critical success, it didn’t make a ton of money at the box office. Still, it’s a memorable movie that stays true to the spirit of the original novel.
Tower of Terror (1997)
The first Disney film to be based on one of their theme park rides, Tower of Terror stars Steve Guttenberg as a disgraced reporter who investigates an abandoned luxury hotel where five people disappeared decades earlier. The Tower of Terror ride in Orlando was actually used for some parts of the filming of the movie, though not much. This film is also the only movie based on a Disney attraction that was made for television and not released in theaters.
Under Wraps (1997)
If you haven’t noticed already, the ‘90s had way more spooky movies for kids that were made for television than ones that actually came out in theaters. That trend became especially apparent in the late ‘90s, in part thanks to Under Wraps, the first Disney Channel Original Movie. In this TV movie, three teenagers help a mummy race against time to reunite with his long-lost love from 4500 years ago. The movie was so influential in the spooky movie space, that Disney actually made a remake in 2021 that also debuted on the Disney Channel.
Halloweentown (1998)
You know you have a Halloween classic on your hands when the title of the movie is Halloweentown. A trio of siblings discover that their grandmother is a witch, and that she lives in a place called Halloweentown, where they must work with her to help save the town from a mysterious hooded figure. The movie eventually led to a bunch of sequels, though for some reason, the fourth movie of the franchise, Return to Halloweentown, has someone else playing the lead role of Marnie. What the heck!
Don’t Look Under the Bed (1999)
Yep, it’s another Disney Channel Original Movie! Don’t Look Under the Bed is all about the idea that kids have to “grow up” and not believe in imaginary, playful things anymore — in particular, imaginary friends. But, when a Boogeyman starts harassing their neighborhood, a pair of siblings must work with one such imaginary friend in order to stop the Boogeyman. The lesson here, of course, is that while it’s okay to grow up, that doesn’t mean you have to lose your sense of wonder and whimsy.
What spooky movie from the ‘90s did you love as a kid? Let us know in the comments!
- A few different actors were approached for the role of Edward Scissorhands, including Tom Cruise, who 20th Century Fox insisted Tim Burton meet with. Cruise was never offered the role, but both Tom Hanks and Gary Oldman were, and turned it down.
- The Witches movie features a different ending to the novel by Roald Dahl that the film is based on. In the book, Luke remains a mouse, but in the movie, he is turned back into human form. Dahl was so mad about this change, he almost had his name removed from the film (and threatened to pursue a publicity campaign against the film), but Jim Henson, who produced the movie, convinced him not to.
- The Addams Family marked Barry Sonnenfeld’s directing debut (he was previously a cinematographer). He has since directed such memorable films as the Men in Black original trilogy and Get Shorty, as well as the television series A Series of Unfortunate Events and Schmigadoon!
- Casper used a lot of CGI to create the ghosts, and was the first feature film to actually have a fully CGI character in a leading role.
- The original version of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride that the Tower of Terror movie is based on opened in 1994 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then named Disney-MGM Studios), and was later added to Tokyo DisneySea, Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris, and was also once at California Adventure (that ride has since been updated to the Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout!).
- A few different actors were approached for the role of Edward Scissorhands, including Tom Cruise, who 20th Century Fox insisted Tim Burton meet with. Cruise was never offered the role, but both Tom Hanks and Gary Oldman were, and turned it down.
- The Witches movie features a different ending to the novel by Roald Dahl that the film is based on. In the book, Luke remains a mouse, but in the movie, he is turned back into human form. Dahl was so mad about this change, he almost had his name removed from the film (and threatened to pursue a publicity campaign against the film), but Jim Henson, who produced the movie, convinced him not to.
- The Addams Family marked Barry Sonnenfeld’s directing debut (he was previously a cinematographer). He has since directed such memorable films as the Men in Black original trilogy and Get Shorty, as well as the television series A Series of Unfortunate Events and Schmigadoon!
- Casper used a lot of CGI to create the ghosts, and was the first feature film to actually have a fully CGI character in a leading role.
- The original version of The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror ride that the Tower of Terror movie is based on opened in 1994 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (then named Disney-MGM Studios), and was later added to Tokyo DisneySea, Walt Disney Studios Park in Paris, and was also once at California Adventure (that ride has since been updated to the Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission: Breakout!).
