Monthly Update
New Family Movies & Shows This Month: October 2026
October is Halloween month, so most of what's new for families leans spooky. The trick is sorting the gently spooky from the genuinely scary. This page is refreshed every month, and everything below is sorted by how it will land with different ages.
Titles come from streaming schedules published in early October 2026. Catalogs change and can differ by country, so check the service before you plan a movie night. Age notes are our own judgment. For the exact content of a specific film, use our parent guides (for example Toy Story 5), or the filters on WatchWithKids.
Gently spooky: good for younger kids
These have a Halloween feel without real scares. They are the safer picks for ages 4–8 and for mixed-age groups.
Monsters run a hotel and a human walks in. It's slapstick and silly more than scary, which makes it the easy choice for a first Halloween movie night.
No Halloween theme, but a warm, brightly colored pick if you want something calm and friendly this month.
A grumpy green recluse and a small town. It reads as seasonal rather than scary and works for the whole family.
Short Halloween episodes, ideal for a weeknight when a full movie is too much. Vampirina: Teenage Vampire Season 2 also arrives on Disney+ the same day.
Action-comedy with cartoon fights and no real horror. A good fit for kids who want something energetic rather than spooky.
Properly spooky: best for ages 8+
These are well made and loved by many kids, but they have unsettling imagery that can stick with younger children. Preview them first if your child scares easily.
A stop-motion run from Laika, with Corpse Bride also on HBO Max. They are creative and atmospheric, with creepy moments and real emotional weight. Good for confident 8-year-olds and up.
Monster House is the scariest of this group. Hook and The Spiderwick Chronicles are adventure first, with some tense scenes.
New this month, by service
Quick scan of what has been announced for October 2026. Dates are US dates from published schedules.
- Netflix: Horton Hears a Who! (Oct 1), Unicorn Academy: Secrets Revealed Chapter 2 (Oct 8).
- Disney+: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse+ Season 2 (Oct 1), Pupstruction Season 3 (Oct 2), Halloween specials of Kiff and Phineas and Ferb plus Vampirina: Teenage Vampire Season 2 (Oct 7), Marvel's Iron Man and his Awesome Friends (Oct 28).
- HBO Max: Coraline, ParaNorman, The Boxtrolls, Kubo and the Two Strings, Corpse Bride, Scooby-Doo and Space Jam titles (Oct 1), Batwheels Season 3 (Oct 2).
- Hulu: Hotel Transylvania 1 and 2, Soul, Surf's Up, Night at the Museum films, Big City Greens.
- Peacock: The Grinch (Oct 5), Migration (Oct 19), Minions & Monsters (Oct 28).
- Paramount+: Hotel Transylvania 1 and 2 (Oct 1), Avatar: Seven Havens (Oct 9), The Loud House Season 9 (Oct 28).
- Apple TV: The Sisters Grimm Season 2 (Oct 2).
- Prime Video: We found no dated family premieres for October, but Kung Fu Panda 1–3 and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul are in the catalog.
Looking for a specific service? Our guides to Disney+ by age and Prime Video are good places to start.
Not for young kids
A few popular October arrivals are aimed at older audiences. The Hunger Games films (Disney+ and Hulu, October 14) are rated PG-13 and deal with violence, so they suit teens, and are best previewed by a parent for anyone younger. Several horror titles also arrive this month on Prime Video, Peacock and HBO Max. Those are adult titles, not family viewing.
Coming in November and December
These are announced, but they are not out yet. Ratings are noted where one is confirmed.
A family comedy-drama about a teenager, her grandfather and a basset hound named Winstead, with Dennis Quaid, Milo Ventimiglia and Mary Steenburgen. Thomas Haden Church voices the dog. No rating confirmed yet.
An animated take on the Dr. Seuss classic with Bill Hader as the Cat. No rating confirmed at the time of writing.
Billie, a teenager, discovers magical powers and enters a hidden witch realm with her mother. Voiced by Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones. Not yet rated, so check the rating before taking younger kids.
Also announced: Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: The Getaway on Disney+ in December, and The Man With The Bag on Prime Video on December 2. We will publish parent guides as ratings and reviews arrive. In the meantime, see what's already on Prime Video or our rainy day list.
FAQ
What are the best Halloween movies for young kids?
Start with the gentle options: Hotel Transylvania, The Grinch (2018) and the Halloween specials on Disney+. Save Coraline, ParaNorman and Corpse Bride for kids around 8 and older, because their imagery is genuinely creepy.
Is Coraline okay for a 7-year-old?
It's rated PG, but it's one of the scariest family films on this list. Many parents hold it until about age 8 or older, and preview it for kids who get frightened easily.
How often is this page updated?
Once a month, around the start of the month, with the date at the top. If a title has moved services, we correct it.
Why does a title I see here not appear on my streaming service?
Streaming catalogs differ by country and change often. Use the platform filter on WatchWithKids for current availability in your region, and check the service before you start the movie.
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