Every year, favorite holidays come and go. As Halloween approaches, more and more classic titles resurface to streaming platforms. “Halloweentown,” “Hocus Pocus,” “Scream,” — the list goes on, and Disney+, Netflix or another streaming giant most likely has them. Nothing beats lighting a pumpkin spice candle, making some popcorn, cozying up with a fluffy blanket and rewatching a Halloween classic. But, what keeps audiences coming back to these same iconic titles every year?
Nielsen reported that cable movie viewing increased 7% from September to October 2025 as audiences began looking to watch Halloween movies. From Oct. 1-20, 2024, only two of the 10 most watched Halloween movies were released that year, according to Forbes. The 1993 “Hocus Pocus” was ranked No. 1, showing that even movies that are decades old are still fan favorites.
Valentina Bellagamba, a junior studying psychology at USC, does not typically like to rewatch movies or shows.
“I just don’t like the repetition. But when it comes to seasonal movies, like Halloween and Christmas, I definitely find myself rewatching my favorite movies. It feels nostalgic and reminds me of when I was a kid,” Bellagamba said.
Psychologist and “nostalgia expert” Krystine Batcho explains that holidays often bring back memories of simpler times, reminding people of the security and carefreeness that come with childhood.
But, even deeper than the reminiscent aspect, there is comfort that these traditional films bring us.
Beyond the powerful nostalgia people get when rewatching seasonal films, there is something to be said for the familiarity aspect as well. People don’t rewatch “Scream” to experience the same jump scares over and over, but rather, they watch it because they love to know exactly when the jump scares are coming. The nostalgia and familiarity work together to create the special feeling that brings viewers back to the Halloween classics.
Grey Duck, a junior studying political science at USC, says she loves to rewatch “Twitches” every year around Halloween.
“It’s just so nostalgic for me. I mean, my sister used to watch it all the time, so it’s really good memories for me. I like being able to have it on and just not have to think about what’s going to happen next,” Duck said.
Ultimately, rewatching favorite Halloween movies is about much more than just the movies themselves. They bring audiences back to their childhood and allow them to embrace the magic of the holiday that can sometimes be lost with age. People may already know what’s coming next in every scene, but that’s just part of the fun. Sometimes, there is nothing more comforting and exciting than knowing exactly what’s going to happen next.
