With Starbucks recently unveiling its pumpkin spice menu and a crisp breeze beginning to roll in, it’s officially time to declare that the spooky season is almost upon us. To gear up for the festivities, Freeform has released its eye-catching Halloween lineup — although reactions have been even spookier than the list itself.
As per tradition, Freeform features a 31 Nights of Halloween lineup throughout the entire month of October, with an onslaught of Halloweenie movies presenting the perfect binge watch marathon to enjoy while carving up some pumpkins and snacking on some chocolatey goodies. Normally, the lineup is jam-packed with favorable Halloween favorites that keep the spooks and scares turning, but this year’s lineup is already being placed under an investigative microscope.
So, what’s the big uproar? Why are Halloween fanatics around the nation questioning this unexpected lineup and slandering a particular selection of movies? Well, let’s stop yapping and find out.
The 31 Nights of Halloween lineup and reactions, explained
Before I carefully dissect the obvious issues being presented about this list from Halloween stans all across social media, let’s first unveil the full 31 Nights of Halloween lineup in the image below:
Now, the inclusion of classic Halloween staples such as Hocus Pocus, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Halloweentown, Beetlejuice, and Casper is undoubtedly an encouraging sign, but that’s not the issue that folks are directly highlighting. Rather, the issue lies in the collection of otherwise successful movies that have one glaring problem — they have absolutely nothing to do with Halloween.
As much as I do enjoy animated staples such as Aladdin, Despicable Me, and The Incredibles, these projects simply do not present the spooky vibes we have all come to know and love in October every year. I get it, Freeform is doing its best to adhere to its relatively young audience, but trying to squeeze in wholesome family films that don’t fit the Halloween mold is absolutely bizarre, and I’m not alone in feeling that way:
The truth of the matter is that the Spider-Man movies being included on this list are sticking out like a sore thumb, while notable Halloween favorites such as The Addams Family and Hotel Transylvania are nowhere to be found. Seriously, not even The Addams Family?! And what about Halloweentown II?! Coraline? Anyone?
Yes, I realize that other primetime networks likely own the rights to these missing movies and will definitely air them elsewhere, but having a 31 Nights of Halloween lineup without those movies is nothing short of pure blasphemy.