A Teen’s Terrifying 31 Days of Halloween 2025 - Your Teen's Perfect Horror Movie Marathon Is Sorted.

Welcome to Knockout Horror. Are you tired of being the uncool parent? Do you want to give your kids an October to remember? How about introducing your teenage kids to the wonderful world of horror with our brand new list – A Terrifying Teen’s 31 Days of Halloween 2025.

Relating to teens isn’t easy. A few months ago, my fiancée and I were at our best friend’s house. While grabbing drinks at the local pub, his tween daughter came over to chat. Trying to be funny, my friend said he was going to “rizz” her boyfriend. Now this was, clearly, a word he only vaguely understood from overhearing the kids. After a quick clarification and a stealthy check to make sure no one else heard, we all shared a laugh.

I’m not telling you this story to illustrate that my friend is a weirdo. I’m telling you to illustrate that relating to teens is hard. If you really want to connect with them this October, however, why not fill their nights with some teen appropriate horror movies? If you can get them off their phones, that is. This list brings you a teen friendly horror movie every day of October and then three potential options for Halloween itself.

All of these movies fall under either a 12, 12A, or 15 BBFC rating (well, apart from one) and all should be suitable for teens. Sure, there might be a few swears, a bit of gore, maybe the occasional boob or butt, and some scary scenes but that’s what is going to make you look just that little bit less cringe. Treat your teens to their very own 31 Days of Halloween. Let’s take a look.

UK Age Rating Guide:

I’ve included the UK age rating and the American MPA rating for a few more specifics. You might want to head on over to IMDB and check the parent’s guide section for more information if a movie seems a little too adult.

• (12/12A): Suitable for ages 12 and over.
• (15): Suitable for ages 15 and over. These are perfect for this age bracket but might be a bit intense for younger viewers.

October 1st – The Black Phone (2021) – BBFC Rating: 15

Let’s kick things off with a movie that I thought was going to suck but actually turned out to be pretty decent. A shy 13 year old boy is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement. His only hope of escape is a disconnected phone on the wall that starts ringing with calls from the killer’s previous victims, who are determined to help him. It’s more of a tense psychological thriller than an outright gory one. There’s a few swears but this is a good jump off point for our October of scares.

• Vibe Check: Supernatural suspense meets a tense escape thriller.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for violence, bloody images, language and some drug use.

October 2nd – A Quiet Place (2018) – BBFC Rating: 15

Being perfectly honest, I think A Quiet Place is a bit overrated but plenty of people absolutely love it. Again, this is less about gore and more about building an intricate tapestry of tension. In a post-apocalyptic world, a family is forced to live in absolute silence to hide from mysterious creatures that hunt by sound. Every step and every whisper could be their last. Which make you bloody wonder why they decided to have a baby during this whole crisis.. So stupid.

• Vibe Check: Non-stop tension and creative creature-feature horror. Not really all that gory at all but quite intense in parts.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for terror and some bloody images.

October 3rd – Lights Out (2016) – BBFC Rating: 15

This is one parents will probably enjoy a lot, too. For newcomers and teens, Lights Out is a great choice. When a young woman’s little brother starts experiencing the same terrifying events that once haunted her. She must confront a malevolent entity that is attached to their mother and only appears when the lights go out. It’s got some great jump scares that should get some hilarious reactions.

• Vibe Check: It’s one of those fear of the dark style movies with a few fantastic jump scares.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for terror, violence including disturbing images, some thematic elements and brief drug content.

October 4th – The Sixth Sense (1999) – BBFC Rating: 15

I am actually surprised that this is rated a 15 in the UK. Man do we ever overdo it? The Sixth Sense is a perfect teen horror movie. A troubled child psychologist begins treating a young boy who claims he can see and talk to the dead. As he delves deeper into the boy’s world, he uncovers a shocking truth. If your kids have never seen this one, you get to enjoy watching them experience that oh-so-famous twist for the very first time. Make a game out of it and see whether they can guess it.

• Vibe Check: A slow-burn psychological ghost story with an all-time classic twist and very little gore.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material and violent images.

October 5th – Happy Death Day (2017) – BBFC Rating: 15

I absolutely love this movie! As an introduction to slashers, you can do a lot worse than Happy Death Day. A university student is murdered on her birthday, only to wake up and realise that she is being forced to relive the same day over and over. She must use the infinite time loop to unmask her killer and break the cycle. Funny, witty, and featuring some great kills, this is an awesome Friday night flick. It’s not all that graphic, either, and the only nudity is the top of the protagonist’s ass crack. Check out our review right here.

• Vibe Check: Groundhog Day meets ’90s slasher. Witty, fast, inventive, and fun.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence/terror, crude sexual content, language, some drug material and partial nudity.

October 6th – Insidious (2010) – BBFC Rating: 15

How about a proper old fashioned haunted house style horror movie from horror aficionado James Wan? Insidious might be a bit scary but shouldn’t really be too much for older kids to handle. The story follows a family’s struggles as they try to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a supernatural realm called “The Further.” It’s a scary fun journey into a classic haunting with a modern, nightmarish edge.

• Vibe Check: A pretty relentless funhouse full of jump scares and creepy demon designs.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic material, violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language.

October 7th – Get Out (2017) – BBFC Rating: 15

Look, I am not saying that you won’t have to explain some of the social connotations of Get Out to some curious teens. But is that really a bad thing? This is one of the best horror movies in years, as well. A young African-American man goes on a weekend trip to meet his white girlfriend’s parents. What starts as awkward nervousness soon descends into a sinister and terrifying discovery about the true nature of the family. Check out our review right here.

• Vibe Check: A mind-bending social thriller that’s smart, funny, and rather unsettling. There’s isn’t too much in the way of gore, though.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for violence, bloody images, and language including sexual references.

October 8th – Attack the Block (2011) – BBFC Rating: 15

This one is a lot of fun and should prove popular with teens who probably relate to the idea of fighting off a group of aliens with their mates. The story follows a gang of teenage delinquents in a South London council estate who have to team up with a trainee nurse to defend their turf from a savage alien invasion on Bonfire Night. There’s tons of action, a lot of laughs, and some seriously enjoyable sci-fi scares.

• Vibe Check: Fast, funny, and thrilling British sci-fi action-horror.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for creature violence, drug content and pervasive language.

October 9th – Jaws (1975) – BBFC Rating: 12A

How about an absolute classic for the 9th? The great thing about Jaws is that it still holds up really well and it’s actually quite scary. When a giant man-eating great white shark begins to attack a small island community, a police chief, a marine biologist, and a grizzled shark hunter must team up to stop it. It will probably feel a bit old now but I bet the kids will still love it.

• Vibe Check: It’s the definitive creature feature. Pure, heart-pounding suspense and I bet that underwater jump scare still gets them.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG for intense scenes of shark attacks, brief language and some suggestive material.

October 10th – Cloverfield (2008) – BBFC Rating: 15

I think you could probably count Cloverfield as the biggest found footage horror blockbuster when it comes to ambition and budget. Told entirely through a handheld camera, this film follows a group of friends trying to survive a chaotic night in New York City as a gigantic monster lays waste to everything in its path. I never realised that Kaiju could work so well in found footage format but this movie proves it. Cloverfield is still a damn good time.

• Vibe Check: Shaky-cam monster movie that feels like you’re right in the middle of the action. It’s not really gory at all.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for violence, terror and disturbing images.

October 11th – Signs (2002) – BBFC Rating: 12A

I’ve got to put my hands up here. This one was suggested by my fiancée. Somehow, I have never watched Signs and am always confused when her and my mate talk about it. A former priest who has lost his faith discovers a series of intricate crop circles in his fields. He and his family are forced to confront their beliefs as they witness the signs of an impending global alien invasion. It’s M. Night Shyamalan so there’s probably some weird twist in there that will be a lot of fun for the whole family.

• Vibe Check: I don’t think this one is gory or particularly adult. It’s more of a slow-burn, atmospheric alien suspense that focuses on family and faith.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for some frightening moments.

October 12th – The Meg (2018) – BBFC Rating: 12A

How about a Jaws style adventure for the modern age? I went to watch this one in Imax and had a surprisingly great time. A deep-sea rescue diver is recruited to save a crew trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Only to come face-to-face with the largest marine predator in history: the prehistoric Megalodon. It’s a massive creature feature with tons of laughs, some utterly silly kills, and a few moments of action. What’s not to love?

• Vibe Check: Big, loud, and ridiculously fun blockbuster creature feature.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for action/peril, bloody images and some language.

October 13th – Super 8 (2011) – BBFC Rating: 12A

It’s by J.J. Abrams, Spielberg produces, it’s got a plucky group of kids, a retro 70s vibe, and an interesting conspiracy. What more could you want for an October teen horror movie? In the summer of 1979, a group of friends filming their own zombie movie witness a mysterious train derailment and soon discover that something inhuman has escaped.

• Vibe Check: A nostalgic sci-fi adventure that feels very much like a classic Steven Spielberg film.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, language and some drug use.

October 14th – Shaun of the Dead (2004) – BBFC Rating: 15

Is Shaun of the Dead the best loved zombie comedy movie of all time? It might well be and it came right in the middle of an undead renaissance in the early 2000s. Loads of fun and more silly than scary. There is a decent amount of gore, though to keep the horror vibes up. An aimless electronics salesman and his slacker best friend have to step up their game to save their friends and family when a zombie apocalypse unexpectedly breaks out in their London neighbourhood.

• Vibe Check: The original “Zom-Rom-Com.” Hilarious, kinda heart warming, and surprisingly gory.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for zombie violence/gore and language.

October 15th – The Ring (2002) – BBFC Rating: 15

If any movie on this list is going to leave a few mental scars, it is probably The Ring. While I much prefer the Japanese original, Ringu, we are going to go with the remake because it is a lot more polished and should be more palatable to younger viewers. A journalist investigates a cursed videotape that seemingly causes the death of anyone who watches it exactly seven days later. After she and her son watch the tape, she must race against time to unravel the mystery. If this one’s too scary, why not substitute it out with a movie from our Family Friendly 31 Days of Halloween list? There’s plenty on there that should be great for teens, too.

• Vibe Check: Iconic and genuinely creepy supernatural mystery that defined ’00s horror. Nothing too gory, though.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, disturbing images, language and some drug references.

October 16th – The Visit (2015) – BBFC Rating: 15

I seriously enjoyed this found footage movie. I’m not the world’s biggest M. Knight Shyamalan fan but I though this one kept it simple and remained fun throughout. Two siblings are sent to spend a week at their estranged grandparents’ remote farm. They are soon seriously alarmed as their grandparents’ behaviour is becoming increasingly disturbing. There’s loads of laughs here and it is more creepy than disturbing.

• Vibe Check: Creepy, quirky, and surprisingly funny found-footage thriller.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic material including terror, violence and some crude sexual content, and for brief language.

October 17th – Ghostbusters (1984) – BBFC Rating: 12A

More fun for the whole family. You really can’t go wrong with Ghostbusters. Whether you are an adult, a child, or a teen, everyone loves it. Three parapsychology professors set up shop as a ghost removal service in New York City. They soon find themselves facing a gateway to another dimension that could destroy the world and an encounter with a ginormous Marshmallow Man. I still think this movie holds up fantastically well and it’s a holiday staple.

• Vibe Check: A fun, lighter choice that even younger kids should enjoy. An absolute classic for a reason.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG for thematic elements, some scary and suggestive content.

October 18th – Split (2016) – BBFC Rating: 15

I guarantee that teens are going to absolutely love Split. It’s one of those movies that is quirky enough to keep the attention of younger people while making them laugh thanks to James McAvoy’s dazzling variety of characters. Three teenage girls are kidnapped by a man who suffers from a severe dissociative identity disorder, manifesting 23 distinct personalities. They must try to escape before the sinister final personality, “The Beast,” emerges. It’s actually quite scary later on but has plenty of laughs and a few genuinely quotable moments.

• Vibe Check: A tense and twisty psychological thriller with a quirky and fantastic central performance.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic content and behaviour, violence and some language.

October 19th – Crawl (2019) – BBFC Rating: 15

Time for another creature feature! This time, the antagonist is an enormous gator. A young woman, against all evacuation orders, attempts to save her father during a massive hurricane in Florida. She finds him gravely injured in the crawl space of their family home, where they become trapped by rising floodwaters and a pack of giant, hungry alligators. Crawl is one of the best creature features in a long time. There’s tension, high stakes, and some very entertaining action to keep younger viewers interested.

• Vibe Check: A fast, vicious, and incredibly tense creature feature. Non-stop survival action.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for bloody creature violence, and brief language.

October 20th – Final Destination (2000) – BBFC Rating: 15

Let’s introduce your kids to the fate filled world of Final Destination. After a teenager has a terrifying premonition of a plane crash and saves himself and his friends, he learns that you can’t cheat Death. The survivors are hunted down one by one in a series of elaborate and gruesome “accidents.” There are some fairly violent moments but it’s all handled with a sort of tongue-in-cheek silliness that makes it very digestible for teens. Check out our review right here.

• Vibe Check: A teen splatter horror where the killer is an invisible force. It’s quite silly and just a little bit camp.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for violence and terror, and for language.

October 21st – The Blair Witch Project (1999) – BBFC Rating: 15

I still think this legendary found footage horror movie holds up, even if people like to try and drag it down. Three student filmmakers hike into the Black Hills of Maryland to shoot a documentary about a local legend known as the Blair Witch. They are never seen again. One year later, their footage is found, documenting their terrifying descent into paranoia and fear in the woods. It was never as scary as the hype made out but it is still an intriguing story with some great scares that hit better with teens than adults. Check out our review of The Blair Witch Project right here.

• Vibe Check: The original found-footage phenomenon. All atmosphere and psychological terror and no gore.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for language.

October 22nd – The Lost Boys (1987) – BBFC Rating: 15

Still absolutely essential viewing and a great introduction to 80s horror for budding genre fans. Two brothers move to a new town in California and soon discover it’s a haven for a stylish gang of punk-rock vampires. The older brother falls in with the gang, leaving the younger one to team up with some local vampire hunters. There’s a growing appetite for 80s nostalgia and even teens are getting in on it so this is the perfect time to introduce them to The Lost Boys.

• Vibe Check: Effortlessly cool ’80s vampire flick with great style, music, and humour.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for graphic vampire violence and gore, and for language.

October 23rd – Sleepy Hollow (1999) – BBFC Rating: 15

There’s a surprising amount of gore in Tim Burton’s absolutely fantastic Sleepy Hollow but it is all done in a very over-the-top manner. It’s quite scary in parts but nothing that most teens can’t handle. Eccentric constable Ichabod Crane is sent to the small village of Sleepy Hollow to investigate a series of decapitations, allegedly at the hands of the legendary Headless Horseman. There are some serious autumn vibes here, as well, that should go down very well during the final week of October. Check out our review of Sleepy Hollow right here.

• Vibe Check: A gorgeous, gothic, and action-packed murder mystery. No nudity but a whole lot of cleavage.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for graphic horror violence and gore, and for a scene of sexuality.

October 24th – Poltergeist (1982) – BBFC Rating: 15

This was one of my first introductions into the world of horror years ago. Rated only a PG in the US, Poltergeist really pushed the boundaries of what you can get away with under that rating system. A typical suburban family’s life is turned upside down when their home is invaded by a host of malevolent ghosts who abduct their youngest daughter, communicating with her through the television static. It’s still a ton of fun and remains one of the best haunted house horror movies of all time.

• Vibe Check: The definitive haunted house movie that set the standard for everything that came after.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG for intense scary moments, some gore and brief language.

October 25th – Gremlins (1984) – BBFC Rating: 12A

Another movie that is absolutely perfect for teens and even tweens. A young man receives a strange, cute creature called a Mogwai as a pet, but he breaks the three crucial rules of its care. This unleashes a horde of mischievous, destructive, and deadly Gremlins on his small town. The antics of the gremlins are hilarious and even teens will probably find Gizmo adorable. Well, in saying that, my fiancée doesn’t think he is cute at all. It’s okay to be wrong, though. Check out our review of Gremlins right here.

• Vibe Check: A chaotic and fun creature feature that perfectly balances horror and comedy.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG for scary sequences and violence.

October 26th – Beetlejuice (1988) – BBFC Rating: 15

How about another 80s comedy horror? After a recently deceased couple find their home has been sold to an obnoxious new family, they hire a devious and manic “bio-exorcist” from the Netherworld to help scare the new inhabitants away. You really can’t go wrong with Beetlejuice in the lead up to Halloween. It’s still an absolute classic and is infinitely quotable. Check out our review right here.

• Vibe Check: A wonderfully weird, inventive, and hilarious supernatural comedy.
• MPA Rating: Rated PG for thematic elements, some suggestive content and language.

October 27th – The Cabin in the Woods (2011) – BBFC Rating: 15

The Cabin in the Woods made this type of horror cool again when it released in 2011. It still gets tons of praise to this day. Five friends go for a break at a remote cabin, where they get more than they bargained for. To say any more would spoil it, but this film brilliantly turns the entire horror genre on its head. It’s clever, meta, and still quite surprising if you don’t know what happens. Definitely one that should provoke a few surprise reactions.

• Vibe Check: A must-see meta-horror-comedy. Make sure your teens go in knowing as little as possible.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for strong bloody horror violence and gore, language, drug use and some sexuality/nudity.

October 28th – A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) – BBFC Rating: 18

This is one of only a couple of 18 rated movies on this list. I can assure you, though, time has taken its toll on the gory elements of this one. It shouldn’t be too much for teens to handle. They will probably view it as more camp than scary. It’s still a horror essential, though. A group of teenagers are stalked and killed in their dreams by Freddy Krueger, a disfigured murderer with a bladed glove. If he kills you in your sleep, you die in real life. Wes Craven turned the slasher genre on its head with this one. Check out our review of A Nightmare on Elm Street right here.

• Vibe Check: The introduction of an iconic, creative, and terrifying horror villain.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for strong horror violence, gore, and language.

October 29th – Scream (1996) – BBFC Rating: 18

Another 18 rated movie but I really don’t think there are too many scenes here that should impact older teens. Maybe keep it for the 14-15 year old and above range. Scream is absolutely iconic, though, and teens will love the meta, self-aware nature of the story. A year after her mother’s murder, a teenage girl and her friends are terrorised by a new killer, Ghostface, who uses scary movies and horror tropes as part of a deadly game. This is a great gateway to teen slashers and remains one of the best of all time.

• Vibe Check: The essential teen horror movie. It’s smart, scary, and teaches you all the rules of the genre.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for strong graphic horror violence and gore, and for language.

October 30th – Paranormal Activity (2007) – BBFC Rating: 15

Supernatural horror always seems to go down well with teens. Paranormal Activity was absolutely packed with 14 and 15 year olds when we went to watch it in the cinema back on its UK release in 2009. It’s a great option for some Halloween eve thrills. A young couple becomes increasingly disturbed by what appears to be a supernatural presence in their suburban home. They set up a camera to document the activity and capture the escalating terror. Check out our review right here.

• Vibe Check: Low-budget found footage that relies entirely on suspense and things that go bump in the night.
• MPA Rating: Rated R for language.

Halloween Evening: Ghostwatch (1992) – BBFC Rating: 12 – UK Cult Classic

I’m not sure how well this one will go over with non-British audiences but I know a few people that watch this with their kids every Halloween. It has the perfect October 31st feel and still holds up brilliantly to this day. Originally broadcast on Halloween night in 1992, this infamous BBC special is presented as a live paranormal investigation from a supposedly haunted house in Northolt, London. Hosted by beloved TV personalities, the show slowly descends from a light-hearted exposé into genuine, terrifying chaos. You should check out our review of Ghostwatch to learn some of the history behind it. It’s utterly fascinating. An awesome way to start of Halloween.

• Vibe Check: The original found-footage film that terrified a nation. A legendary piece of British TV history that feels unnervingly real.
• MPA Rating: Not Rated (Originally a TV special).
• Parental Guidance Note: This is a fantastic one to watch with parents who may have seen the original 1992 broadcast and thought it was real. It’s a great conversation starter about the power of media and what was considered terrifying thirty years ago.

Halloween Evening: WNUF Halloween Special (2013) – Not Rated – US Cult Classic

I can’t leave you US readers out (especially since you make up the vast majority of my reader base – love you guys!). So let’s give you an alternative that might feel a bit more representative of the television you grew up with – WNUF Halloween Special. A found-footage masterpiece presented as a single VHS recording of a cheesy, local news station’s live 1987 Halloween broadcast. The story follow a news crew as they investigate the infamous Webber House, complete with awkward on-air personalities and hilarious, era-perfect fake commercials. I absolutely love this film. I spend way too much time watching old American commercials on YouTube and this captures that vibe perfectly. Check out our review right here.

• Vibe Check: A perfect, funny, and nostalgic recreation of 80s local TV. A must-watch for found footage fans and nostalgia-hounds alike.
• Note for Readers: While Ghostwatch terrified the UK (quite literally) by feeling real, this special charms US audiences by feeling incredibly authentic to a specific time and place that many of you grew up with. They make for a brilliant double feature to see two very different takes on the same idea so why not watch both?

Halloween Night – Trick ‘r Treat (2007) – BBFC Rating: 15

There’s a bit of nudity in here and some fairly strong violence but it’s probably nothing compared to what your teens have seen on X and TikTok. The Halloween vibes are absolutely immaculate, as well. Trick r’ Treat is an anthology horror that features four interconnected stories which all take place on the same spooky Halloween night. Each linked by the presence of Sam, a small, mysterious trick-or-treater who enforces the rules and traditions of the holiday. There aren’t too many films that feel more fitting of Halloween than this. I love it. Check out our review right here.

• MPA Rating: Rated R for strong horror violence, some sexuality/nudity and language.
• Vibe Check: The ultimate Halloween movie. Perfectly captures the spooky, fun, and dangerous spirit of the night.

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