Freeform Announced Its Halloween Lineup For October, But I’m Really Confused By One Movie’s Inclusion

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Each October, Freeform’s lineup of Halloween-themed shows, including timeless classics like “Hocus Pocus,” “Beetlejuice,” and “The Nightmare Before Christmas” alongside more recent hits such as “Hotel Transylvania” and “Maleficent: Mistress of Evil,” has become as synonymous with fall as pumpkin spice lattes and temporary Halloween stores. However, one title this year among the scheduled movies leaves me puzzled.

The complete schedule was unveiled on Freeform’s official account (previously known as Twitter), announcing “a month of frightful fun” with a visual calendar detailing each movie. As anticipated, popular horror selections like Tim Burton’s iconic films, humorous haunters, and Disney-endorsed terrors are included. However, as you will find in the schedule below, the unexpected addition is the 1996 film Matilda, directed by Danny DeVito and based on Roald Dahl’s novel about a clever young girl with psychic abilities.

Let me clarify, I hold Matilda in high regard – it’s undeniably one of Roald Dahl’s finest film adaptations. Mara Wilson delivers an iconic performance as Matilda, Pam Ferris terrifies as Miss Trunchbull (she still lingers in my nightmares from childhood), Miss Honey emerges as a traumatized survivor, and the cake scene remains one of the most memorable moments in ’90s cinema. However, I question whether it truly qualifies as a Halloween movie. When I envision October programming, I picture ghostly pranks, zombies, and Jack Skellington singing on a spiral hill. Despite its quirky nature – at times resembling “My First Carrie Adaptation” – it seems more fitting for the spring or back-to-school season compared to a lineup of spine-tingling movies.

The rest of the lineup is logical, as Halloween classics like Hocus Pocus and Beetlejuice are repeated since October isn’t complete without them. Tim Burton’s works such as Edward Scissorhands, Sleepy Hollow, and The Nightmare Before Christmas are also present. Shows like Halloweentown and Twitches that were popular on Disney Channel are included for nostalgic purposes. Even less conventional choices, such as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and a double feature of The Incredibles and Haunted Halloween, have reasons behind them. However, I’m a bit puzzled by the inclusion of Matilda – it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the lineup.

It’s important to note that “Matilda” does have instances that can be genuinely unsettling. Miss Trunchbull, with her terrifying character, could rival some of today’s horror movie villains in a children’s story. Her punishment chamber known as the chokey might transition from a family-friendly scene to something more nightmarish if it were rated R. Earlier, I mentioned a similarity between the telekinesis plotline and the movie “Carrie,” especially considering the school setting. Perhaps Freeform is capitalizing on that connection?

Despite the suggestion, categorizing “Matilda” as a Halloween movie seems rather unusual – particularly considering there are other choices that would more appropriately suit Freeform’s “31 Nights of Halloween“. Here are several films I believe could have been a better fit:

1. Hocus Pocus (1993)
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
3. Beetlejuice (1988)
4. Goosebumps (2015)
5. Coraline (2009)

  • The Halloween Tree— I’m a die-hard Halloween holiday fanatic, and my family watches this classic every year. Ironically, I first caught it on Fox Family’s (Freeform’s predecessor) 13 Nights of Halloween.
  • Something Wicked This Way Comes — A Disney-produced Ray Bradbury adaptation that’s creepy, melancholic, and tailor-made for October nights.
  • The Frighteners — Peter Jackson’s ghost-filled dark comedy delivers scares and laughs, plus it’s an underrated gem that deserves more love.
  • The ’Burbs— Tom Hanks and suburban paranoia at its finest; it’s the perfect blend of horror and comedy for a neighborhood-themed fright fest.
  • Ernest Scared Stupid — Pure nostalgic Halloween energy, slime and all, and one of the few kids’ comedies that really embraces the holiday vibe.
  • Arachnophobia — Creepy crawlies galore; it’s funny, terrifying, and guaranteed to make you side-eye every corner of your living room.

Despite some confusion, I’ll still tune in since Matilda is a timeless classic for comfort viewing. A bit of thematic contrast in an otherwise scary month isn’t too awful, especially when Freeform had other seasonally fitting choices they could have used instead.

At the end of the day, “31 Nights of Halloween” is less focused on adhering to strict horror genre norms and more about a nostalgic month-long celebration. If this implies serving desserts like chocolate cake alongside broomsticks and black cats, then that’s simply part of the fun experience of Halloween!

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2025-09-02 21:39