You’re in for a scare: Language and culture experts Preply have revealed the scary movies most likely to grace American screens, along with each US state’s chosen fave spooky flicks!
Whether it’s our obsession with the adrenaline rush, or our need to immerse ourselves in the eerie ambiance of Halloween, there’s no doubt that Americans love a good scare.
Driven by our collective love for spine-chilling films, Preply embarked on a data-driven investigation to discover which spine-tingling classics are most popular on American screens come Halloween. From iconic slashers to the uncannily supernatural, and even a few family-friendly classics, the results might surprise you!
The Most Popular Halloween Movies in America
The results
- It emerged as the most popular horror movie in the United States — unsurprising when you consider just how spooky clowns can be…
- John Carpenter’s masterpiece Halloween also proved popular, showing that America still appreciates the classics!
- Family classics The Addams Family and Hocus Pocus also appear on the list.
- Video game spin-off Silent Hill and the boardgame-based Clue may not have proved overly popular among critics, but US viewers clearly think otherwise!
- New entries to the genre (such as Terrifier and Spirit Halloween) feature too, despite their lukewarm reception by cinemagoers.
Amy Pritchett, a culture specialist at Preply, says, “The results show that Americans’ Halloween viewing habits are based on their love of scary movies.” “Being naturally curious, many of us find it interesting to look into the darker and more mysterious sides of life that are often shown in horror movies.” Of course, going through a harrowing or scary event with other people can bring people together and help them feel like a team, even when they are scared.
For those in pursuit of white-knuckle frights, the spine-tingling experiences offered by adult-only thrillers like It, Halloween, or Insidious are all perfect options. Meanwhile, families with young ones might opt for a more child-friendly scare, with options like Ghostbusters, The Addams Family, or the delightfully mischievous Hocus Pocus showing their lasting appeal.
So, what’s America’s favourite scary movie? Topping the charts is the 2017 adaptation of It! Based on Stephen King‘s 1986 horror classic, It weaves a harrowing tale of a group of friends hailing from Maine, as they grapple with their deepest fears manifested in a shape-shifting, sewer-dwelling monstrosity: Pennywise the Dancing Clown.
The Most Popular Halloween Movies by U.S. State
Analysing the state-wide data, we can see that there’s plenty of variation when it comes to America’s spooky favourites.
It might’ve come top of the pile — it’s the most popular horror film in 15 of the 50 U.S states — but plenty of other flicks shone through too. Cult classics like Coraline and Ginger Snaps still enjoy a strong viewership in multiple states, as well as alternative movies like Dracula.
Clue proves popular in the Midwest, beating both Halloween and It to the top spot, with five states placing the boardgame-based fright fest as their number one pick for a scary movie night.
New-Mexico, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia are quite the film buffs, too — each having three or more favourites! Could they be the most horror-obsessed states in America?
The people of Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia love movies and each have at least three favorite scary movies. Could these be the most Halloween-obsessed states?
The Most Popular Halloween Movies Across the 50 U.S. States
- Alabama: The Babysitter
- Alaska: The Witches, Cursed
- Arizona: Coraline
- Arkansas: The Addams Family
- California: It
- Colorado: Dracula
- Connecticut: It
- Delaware: Clue
- Florida: It
- Georgia: It
- Hawaii: It, The Witches
- Idaho: Dracula
- Illinois: It
- Indiana: Hocus Pocus 2
- Iowa: Clue
- Kansas: The Batman
- Kentucky: Dracula
- Louisiana: My Babysitter’s a Vampire
- Maine: Hocus Pocus 2
- Maryland: Poltergeist
- Massachusetts: Ginger Snaps
- Michigan: It
- Minnesota: Clue
- Mississippi: The Addams Family
- Missouri: It
- Montana: Spirit Halloween
- Nebraska: Clue
- Nevada: Terrifier, My Babysitter’s a Vampire, Terrifier 2
- New Hampshire: The Craft
- New Jersey: It
- New Mexico: Coraline, The Addams Family, Insidious, The Crow
- New York: Ginger Snaps
- North Carolina: It, Monster House
- North Dakota: Scary Horror Stories to Tell in the Dark
- Ohio: Halloween
- Oklahoma: Silent Hill, Scooby-Doo
- Oregon: Silent Hill, Dracula
- Pennsylvania: It, Halloween
- Rhode Island: Hocus Pocus
- South Carolina: It
- South Dakota: Clue
- Tennessee: It
- Texas: It
- Utah: It, My Babysitter’s a Vampire, Monster House
- Vermont: Clue, Sleepy Hollow, Doctor Sleep
- Virginia: The Batman
- Washington: Ginger Snaps
- West Virginia: Halloween, Dark Shadows, Poltergeist
- Wisconsin: Clue
- Wyoming: Ghostbusters, Casper
