10 Best Witch Movies Spanning Just About Every Genre

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Witches have stalked through folklore and fairytales for centuries. They hex, they fly, and sometimes they bake kids into pies.

So when movies started rolling, witches rolled right in. From broomstick-riding babysitters to cauldron-stirring queens, the best witch movies give us magic, mischief, and more than a few dark twists.

Witches in film aren't one-note. Some scare us out of our skin. Others charm us with spells and sass. Whether you're into psychological horror, Halloween nostalgia, or Studio Ghibli charm, witch movies span decades and genres.

1. 'The Witches of Eastwick' (1987)

Three bored friends—Susan Sarandon, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Cher—discover their magical potential when Jack Nicholson’s devilish character rolls into town. There's seduction, chaos, and a whole lot of girl power.

It's sexy, satirical, and steeped in love spells and ancient spirit vibes. The movie taps into the archetype of the American woman confronting dark forces with sass and style.

2. 'Kiki's Delivery Service' (1989)

From Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki comes this coming-of-age story about a young girl training as an apprentice witch. She flies off to a small town, starts a delivery service, and finds her place in the world.

This magical world features a young girl discovering her identity outside the structure of Hogwarts or Western fairy tales. With a radio DJ-style soundtrack and a sassy black cat sidekick, it offers a unique perspective on what being a witch can mean.

3. 'The Witches' (1990 & 2020)

Based on Roald Dahl's twisted take on witch tales, both versions of "The Witches" feature the Grand High Witch (famously played by Anjelica Huston and later Anne Hathaway) leading a coven bent on turning children into mice.

With roots in fairy tales and dark spells, the movie flips the sweet old lady stereotype into pure nightmare fuel. Set in a world where witches hide among us, it turns childhood fears into full-blown horror for kiddos.

4. 'Hocus Pocus' (1993)

The Sanderson Sisters, played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy, return to modern-day Salem to steal the youth of children. Cue chaos, musical numbers, and a zombie ex-boyfriend.

It's a Halloween staple. Equal parts comedy and creepy, this one blends fairy tales, ancient curses, and classic horror genre flair. Every bit of this is wicked witch gold for the spooky season.

5. 'Eve's Bayou' (1997)

This underrated gem follows a young girl uncovering her family's secrets, with supernatural undertones and a strong Southern Gothic vibe. The story unfolds in a small town soaked in magic and betrayal.

With themes of latent magical powers, voodoo curses, and psychological horror, it offers a uniquely American woman-centric view of witchcraft.

6. 'Practical Magic' (1998)

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play sisters born into a family cursed in love. Their solution? A mix of dark magic and girl power. This one blends romantic comedy with supernatural horror and a sweet story of sisterhood.

The film explores how latent magical powers intersect with everyday life, especially when your young daughter starts asking questions. It dives into love spells, modern-day witch dilemmas, and the complexity of magical powers inherited from ancient witches.

7. 'The Blair Witch Project' (1999)

This supernatural horror classic redefined the found footage genre. A group of student filmmakers venture into the dark woods to chase a local legend—the Blair Witch. Only their "found" footage remains to tell their tale.

It's low-budget, high-terror, and a masterclass in psychological horror.

Set in a small town and steeped in local legend, the film evokes dark forces and ancient spirit lore. It also sparked renewed interest in occult symbols and folk myths and the use of eerie atmosphere to suggest horror over spectacle.

8. 'The Witch' (2015)

Set in 1630s New England, this folkloric horror tale follows a Puritan family exiled from their colony. They build a farm beside a dark forest, but no sooner have they settled than their infant son vanishes under mysterious circumstances—seemingly the work of an unspeakable witch in the woods.

As fear and superstition take hold, the devout parents and children begin to turn on one another. Director Robert Eggers trades jump-scares for a slow-burning sense of dread, making every creaking branch and whispered prayer feel like a bad omen.

9. 'The Love Witch' (2016)

This visually stunning indie channels 1960s horror films through a feminist lens. A young woman uses love spells to attract men—but things spiral. Fast. Think witch trials meet Technicolor dreamscape.

The film cleverly critiques gender roles while celebrating classic horror genre aesthetics. With its dark spells and exploration of an apprentice witch navigating a patriarchal world, it's part visual feast, part psychological experiment.

10. 'Suspiria' (2018)

Luca Guadagnino's remake of Dario Argento's cult classic dives into a Berlin dance academy hiding a sinister secret: It's run by a coven of witches. What begins as a moody tale of ambition and talent slowly mutates into body horror, blood magic, and ritual possession.

The film embraces grotesque transformation and the clash between old and new power. Tilda Swinton plays multiple roles, including the head witch, giving the coven a clinical chill. This version of witchcraft isn't whimsical; it's visceral, mythic, and soaked in historical trauma.

We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.