With a theatrical release set for October 9, 2020, The Witches - the newest movie from Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis (Back to the Future, Forrest Gump) - hopes to avoid the coronavirus-related delay that several other movies have already experienced.
Based on the 1983 Roald Dahl book of the same name, The Witches tells the funny and frightful story of a young boy who must fight back against overwhelming odds to stop a coven of witches planning to turn all the world's children into mice. With plenty of time before its release, here are some great witch-based movies to prepare yourself with!
The Harry Potter Series (2001 - 2011)
There are over five months to kill between now and October, so if you need some serious runtime, look no further than the eight-movie Harry Potter franchise. Launching the careers of stars like Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson, the series immerses the viewer in an enchanting world of witches and wizards, demonstrating the range of tools and abilities they can possess.
The series is a masterclass in storytelling, and if you still need time to kill after watching the series, there's always the seven-book series that the movies are based on, along with the subsequent Fantastic Beasts franchise.
The Witch (2016)
The feature-length debut of horror filmmaker Robert Eggers, The Witch tells the haunting story of a Puritan family banished from their New England community over a religious dispute in the 1630s.
Shortly after the family settles and builds a new home outside of town, a witch living in the nearby woods steals their newborn baby, the first in a series of horrifying supernatural events that tears the family apart. The story is terrifying in its simplicity and it demonstrates a witch's ability to manipulate and turn people against each other.
The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
Between Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937) and The Wizard of Oz, the late 1930s was a big time for cinematic witches, but it was the black-cloaked, pointy hat, broomstick riding, green-skinned look from The Wicked Witch of the West (Margaret Hamilton) that set the stereotypical witch look for decades to come.
Aside from highlighting classic witch strengths and weaknesses, the story demonstrates conflict among different kinds of witches, which is explored further in Oz the Great and Powerful (2013) and the Broadway musical Wicked, inspired by the novel of the same name.
Into The Woods (2014)
Witches are a common antagonist in several fairy tales, and what makes Disney's Into the Woods such a great addition to this list is how referential it is to so many of those classic tales.
Originally a 1980s musical production, the story follows a baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt), who are childless thanks to a witch's (Meryl Streep) curse. They venture into the woods to procure several items from various legends (Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty) in the hopes that they will reverse the curse.
The Crucible (1996)
Another cinematic adaptation of a stage production, The Crucible is unfortunately anything but a fairy tale, as it's a dramatized version of true events during the infamous Salem witch trials.
After John Proctor (Daniel Day-Lewis) tries to walk away from his affair with the young Abigail (Winona Ryder), Abigail accuses John's wife (Joan Allen) of being a witch to get revenge, setting in motion a chain of events with tragic consequences for several innocent people. The story demonstrates the fear once associated with witchcraft, and how dangerous mass hysteria and mob mentality can be.
Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)
Don't be fooled by the animation, this heartfelt witchy anime classic is just as entertaining for adults as it is for children. From Japanese animated filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Kiki's Delivery Service focuses on witch-in-training Kiki, who upon turning 13 must spend a year living independently as part of her training.
With her useful flying ability, Kiki soon finds a job delivering for a bakery in exchange for living accommodations. Kiki goes through entertaining ups and downs and meets memorably colorful characters on her inspiring journey of identity and self-discovery.
Suspiria (2018)
While set in the 1970s, the sinister and secretive coven of witches in Suspiria will likely bear similarities to the ones in The Witches. Featuring a nearly all-female cast, the story follows American dancer Susie (Dakota Johnson) who joins a world-renowned dance company in Berlin.
Shortly after Susie's arrival, suspicious activity becomes all too common, as other dancers curiously become injured and go missing while she becomes closer with the company's mysterious and inclusive leaders. A remake of a 1977 Italian horror film, the movie is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
The Witches (1990)
Robert Zemeckis isn't the first to adapt Roald Dahl's book. British director Nicolas Roeg (Don't Look Now) was the first to bring the story to the silver screen in 1990 with Anjelica Huston portraying his Grand High Witch.
Lots of details, plot points, and character arcs deviate from the book's story and are new creations made just for the movie, which enjoyed critical success (it currently holds a 97% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes) despite underperforming at the box office.
The Witches Of Eastwick (1987)
A charming blend of comedy and horror that could be similar tonally to The Witches, the cast of Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer form a powerhouse acting trio of witches in the Oscar-nominated Witches of Eastwick from director George Miller (Happy Feet, Mad Max franchise) and based on the novel by John Updike.
The three single women, who are unaware that they're witches, accidentally perform a ritual that summons a demonically mysterious man named Daryl (Jack Nicholson) into their lives, which results in some comically horrific consequences for all parties involved.
Hocus Pocus (1993)
Setting the standard for PG comedic witch horror is Disney's Hocus Pocus. Like The Witches, the plot follows a new-in-town young boy (Omri Katz) whose curiosity gets him and others into trouble when he accidentally releases three evil witches (Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy) while exploring an abandoned haunted house with his friends.
The kids team up with a magic cat to try and steal the witches' spellbook and keep them from becoming immortal. The film may have scared you as a child, but it'll charm you as an adult, and the Halloween-time favorite is currently streaming on Disney+.