The spooktacular wind has officially picked up now that we’ve entered October, and with that the urge to binge watch Halloween-themed Marvel shows and movies also comes naturally. Some of our constant choices for this list have now gained a couple of new partners and though the Marvel craze may not be as strong and firm as how it was in what seems like the olden days, we also can’t deny that there’s a kind of wholesome goodness attached to this category of cinematic experiences, especially considering how many new friendships it has helped us form and keep for life.
Channeling and reminiscing those golden memories of the years gone by, we’re ready to dig into these Marvel movies and shows for Halloween that we’ve already watched a bazillion times. Plus, a new movie or TV show, regardless of how unique it may be, can never impart us with the same extent of feel-goodness that the safety of a title we’ve watched previously has to offer again.
Halloween-Themed Marvel Shows and Movies
1. What If Episode 5 (“Zombies”)
The episode title should be enough to spell it out for you. Presenting one of the most quintessential spooky creatures that will never not give us the heebie-jeebies, this What If episode is practically a Halloween special! Imagine what would happen if your favourite Avengers had been infected by the zombie plague. Well of course, the remaining ones would search high and low for a cure, but now also consider the fact that even after turning into zombies, their original powers didn’t deaden along the way. Yes, monsters like “Baby Yaga” will be out for your blood in such a situation, quite literally as this episode of the animated Marvel TV show has taught us well.
Additionally, the What If Doctor Strange Episode 4 (“Doctor Strange Lost His Heart and Not His Hands”) is also an epic example of one of the most enjoyable dark Marvel shows and movies out there. We’d all imagined the live-action third instalment of Doctor Strange to be a lot like this, but unfortunately we got a dampened version that completely forgot its own title and also the fact that it was a Doctor Strange standalone film and not a Scary Wanda episode. Although Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is also something that you could watch as one of your mood-appropriate Halloween movies, the animated episode of the TV series definitely drives a harder bargain.
2. WandaVision Episode 6 (“All New Halloween Spooktacular”)
This is one is a classic addition to the list of Marvel Halloween content that will keep things lighthearted but also get you questioning some Marvel characters’ identities and the several timelines that exist in this alternate fictional universe we love. Not only does this episode take you back to a happy place when Wanda was still Mommy of the Year (so what if none of it was real?) and not the Villain of the Year.
It’s fun to see how this episode takes a fun dig at the Scarlet Witch outfit on Halloween way before Wanda finally gets her outfit upgrade. Plus, seeing Evan Peters back as a convoluted version of Pietro/ Quicksilver really helps kick in the old X-Men nostalgia.
3. Moon Knight
It’s dark and absurd, and you’ve got two men’s voices stuck in the same body, with the added advantage of Oscar Isaac playing this role, so yes Moon Knight is a great addition to your dark content binge fest for Halloween 2023 too. I agree that the series has garnered quite the extremely vehement varied responses, but there’s no denying that Isaac really outdid himself in humanely playing out such a morally grey and existential character, and all those moods fit right in with the chilling vibe of this festive season.
Also read: Loki Season 2 Episode 1 Recap/Ending Explained: The Past, Present and the Future
4. Werewolf by Night
One just can’t go wrong with this black and white combination. As the first Marvel Special Presentation, Werewolf by Night set the bar really high with Gael García Bernal helming the titular role of Jack Russell with Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone. On top of the already gloomy aura set by the sombre cinematography of the show, its plot also follows the events of a dark night when a secret gathering of monster hunters convenes at the Bloodstone Temple after their leader’s death. As soon as the deadly competition to win over a powerful relic kicks in, each of these characters’ worst sides start showing, and ironically, one of them even has a beastly secret to hide, quite literally.
5. X-Men Movies
Looking back at all the instalments of this old franchise, I’ve come to acknowledge and appreciate their overall campy aesthetics, regardless of how flawed some of its chapters were. When it comes down to pure entertainment, this OG crowd of mutants were at times so unserious that it was hilarious in the best way possible. We may be complaining about the superhero content fatigue, but back then we all awaited the premieres of each of these movies and their spin-offs.
There is no greater form of nostalgic entertainment than watching a rather young Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, facing off against James Marsden’s Cyclops. And then to watch it all be fuelled with a breath of fresh air in the prequel chapter of X-Men: First Class, it all makes room for the right amount of fun that is needed for us to kick back and enjoy our laid-back movie marathon party.
6. The New Mutants
Probably a lot of Marvelites have already forgotten about this one. While this horror superhero flick doesn’t add much to the whole MCU saga, it is possibly the most fitting watch for this time of the year. Honestly, the cast was too good, but the writing failed all of us. Anyhow, it still works for Halloween considering it’s about five mutants who’ve been admitted into a secret facility owing to their respective traumatic experiences.
Once these fears of the past start manifesting into unbelievable, almost real visions, they start doubting their safety at this place. The movie otherwise offers the classic premise for a Halloween movie night because not only does it trap its characters into a haunted house kind of a location, it also suggests that their minds are equally capable of conjuring up the most frightening visions of all.
7. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
The second instalment of the Captain America trilogy works so well for so many reasons and while it’s an evergreen pick among some of the best Marvel movies made till date and we don’t need a reason to tune into it again, it’s also perfect for this festive season. With Bucky dealing with his own identity crisis and Hydra still being one of the most sinister evil forces in the MCU, this movie goes really dark.
It cuts down on the unnecessary jokes and makes us question the credibility of the one big standing pillar for these superheroes – S.H.I.E.L.D. Plus, I would never say no to retracing my steps back to the time Bucky had gone rogue, because his character development from there to the present moment is phenomenal, especially with his arcs being one of the darkest paths undertaken by Marvel.
8. Venom
You don’t even need to ask why this movie is on this list. In fact, not just the Tom Hard movies, but even Spider-Man 3 is a good dark choice for Halloween at least. However, Brady’s portrayal of this character sparks the anti-hero side of the Spider-Verse with witty banter and hilarious crossfires with oneself. After losing his job, fiancee and everything consequential, Eddie Brock hits rock bottom, and it’s at this point in his life that an alien symbiote takes over his consciousness, which at least cures him off his loneliness in the unlikeliest way possible but at the cost of turning him into to the disorderly Venom.
Which of these Disney+ Halloween shows and movies will you be watching this upcoming Halloween season? Let us know your picks in the comments section below.