25 films about witches that will leave you spellbound
Films about witches have been a favourite 'dark' element for Halloween movie storytellers for decades. From the classic witch with her green skin, warts, and long crooked nose stirring spells in her cauldron to the cartoonish version of broomsticks and pointy hats to everyday folks with a dark secret, witches have been injected into countless movies over the years.
Whether they come in the form of evil, such as the Sanderson Sisters in Hocus Pocus and Angelina Jolie's Maleficent, or those that just want to use their powers to do good, such as Hermoine Granger in Harry Potter and Sabrina, The Teenage Witch, there are all sorts of bewitching movies that have been available for us. And if you want things to get seriously chilling, there are movies such as The Blair Witch Project and Suspiria, which we'll be watching tentatively behind our cushions.
It's so frighteningly good!
So, if you're over ghosts, monsters and vampires and need something a little bit more spellbinding, here are the best 25 films about witches to watch for the spooky season.
Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)
We missed the reign of terror the Sanderson Sisters caused in the town of Salem for 29 years. So much so that the trio certainly had something to cackle over as they returned to wreak havoc on a fresh new set of teens in the second instalment of the cult classic.
Twitches (2005)
A far cry from the sitcom Sister, Sister, Tia and Tamera Mowry play twin sisters Alexandra Fielding and Camryn Barnes, who, after being reunited on their 21st birthday, realise that they both have magical powers which they must use to defeat The Darkness.
Randy HolmesSabrina: The Teenage Witch (1996)
16-year-old high schooler Sabrina discovers that she is a witch when she is sent to live with two aunts who guide her on the life-changing journey and teach her how to use her magical powers as she attempts to navigate the everyday horrors of school, the mean girl, and her crush on the cutest boy in school.
Eve's Bayou (1997)
Set in the bayous of Louisiana, Jurnee Smollett stars as the titular Eve, who is completely shaken when she catches her father having an affair with another woman in a barn. She spends the summer visiting a voodoo priestess when her belief in her family begins to fall apart.
Halloweentown (1998)
Marnie and her fellow siblings witness their grandmother Aggie's (Debbie Reynolds) magic when she visits. Curious, they follow her back to Halloweentown, where the family go on an adventure against all evil.
Warner BrosRoald Dahl's The Witches (2020)
In this remake of Roald Dahl's classic book, The Witches, Anne Hathaway stars as the Grand High Witch, whose diabolical plans are exposed by a young boy and his grandmother who end up staying at the resort where she has gathered all her witchy companions.
Suspiria (2018)
In Suspiria, which is a remake of the 1977 supernatural horror film of the same name, a young American woman travels to Germany to study at a renowned dance academy, where she learns after a series of murders that an evil coven of witches actually runs the school.
Rex FeaturesWizard of Oz (1939)
The Wicked Witch of the West (played by Margaret Hamilton) from the 1939 movie Wizard of Oz is indeed a classic. With her green face paint, pointy hats and broomsticks casting sleeping spells, she was one of the first who cast a (sleeping) spell on us.
Rex FeaturesI Married A Witch (1942)
Veronica Lake took on the role of beautiful 17th-century witch Jennifer in the 1942 movie I Married A Witch, who, after being burnt at the stake during the Salem witch trials, is released by a spell and sent back to claim revenge on her executioner's ancestor, politician Wallace Wooley.
Rex FeaturesMaleficent (2014)
A spin-off of the classic Sleeping Beauty, Maleficent sees Angelina Jolie in the titular role. Her character has every right to be angry after her cruel lover cuts off her fairy wings, forcing her to transform from good to evil.
Rex FeaturesThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005)
The White Queen (Tilda Swinton) from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe looked like a vision in white from the outside, but it quickly became apparent that she was rotten inside as she turned anything and anyone to stone as she pleased.
Rex FeaturesStardust (2007)
Lamia, the head witch from the movie Stardust, is joined in her exploits by fellow witch sisters Mormo and Empusa to steal the heart of a young maiden named Yvaine (Claire Danes) who has journeyed into their land while being pursued by a man from her village who is trying to prove his love to her.
Rex FeaturesThe Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Susan Sarandon play single besties Alexandra, Jane and Sukie, who are in for a real treat when a mysteriously handsome man, played by Jack Nicholson, arrives in town. However, things take a turn when the ladies discover the depths of their own power when they unknowingly summon him in the form of a devil.
Rex FeaturesThe Blair Witch Project (1999)
Probably one of the most terrifying witchy watches on our list, the found-footage style cult film The Blair Witch Project sees three students journey into the Maryland backwoods to investigate the mysterious Blair Witch folklore. However, things go terribly wrong after they take an unexpected turn…
Rex FeaturesClash of the Titans (1981)
In 1981's Clash of the Titans, Ross Mullan, Robin Berry and Graham Hughes played the three old blind witches, better known as the Stygian Witches, who predicted the future with a shared magical eye as well as a craving for human flesh.
Rex FeaturesHocus Pocus (1993)
There's no set of witch sisters more iconic than Winifred, Mary and Sarah Sanderson in 1993's Hocus Pocus. Played by Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy and Bette Midler, the sisters exact a reign of terror after being resurrected after 300 years when a young boy accidentally lights the curse Candle of Black Flame when he moves to Salem with his family.
Harry Potter (2001-2011)
Hermione Granger, as seen in the Harry Potter movie instalments, is the witchy heroine we all deserve in our lives. A "muggle-born" witch with great intentions, Hermoine battles to bring Lord Voldemort's evil reign to an end.
Rex FeaturesThe Craft (1996)
Fairuza Balk’s Nancy Downs has pointed shoes that scrape along the carpet and still give us nightmares. Needless to say, the casting for the movie was spot-on, as Fairuza owned an occult shop in Los Angeles before she hit the big-time with The Craft.
DisneyThe Little Mermaid (1989)
Ursula, the Sea Witch from The Little Mermaid, terrorised the underwater world with her fine set of tentacles and superpowers. Ariel, beware!
Universal Studios 2016Snow White And The Huntsman (2012)
Queen Ravenna from Snow White And The Huntsman, is the beautiful stepmother of Snow Queen, who is also (originally) the fairest of all the land and doesn’t do broomsticks and warts. One thing she does is cruelly rule the kingdom of Tabor, where she is determined to kill her stepdaughter and consume her heart, which would grant her eternal youth and evergreen beauty.
Rex FeaturesRosemary’s Baby (1969)
Minnie Castevets, the demonic neighbour in the 1969 film Rosemary’s Baby, left us truly unsettled. The film focuses on the titular Rosemary, who experiences creepy goings-on when she moves into a new apartment with her husband, Guy, which only escalates when she gets pregnant.
Rex FeaturesPractical Magic (1998)
Sally and Gillian Owens (Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman) from the movie Practical Magic play beautiful witch sisters who are forced to deal with witchcraft stereotypes when they struggle to use their powers to bring back a boyfriend who unexpectedly dies.
Rex FeaturesSnow White and The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
With her bid ol' warty nose to boot and a handful of poisoned apples, the Wicked Witch from the Disney classic Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs is legendary. But don't worry, she isn't after you. She only has her evil sights set on the stunning Snow White despite her being protected by the seven dwarfs.
Rex FeaturesReturn to Oz (1985)
The Wicked Witch from the North, aka Mombi, in Return to Oz, terrified the living daylights out of us in this movie, which is about Dorothy, who, after saving herself from a psychiatric experiment by a mysterious girl, sets off on a journey to fight a vain witch and evil king who have promised to destroy the magical land that she lives on.
DisneyBedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)
Miss Price from Disney's iconic movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks is an apprentice witch who is looking after three children: Charlie, Carrie and Paul. When the kids discover her dark secret, they blackmail her to get something in return. Does she give in?
