After months of anticipation, the motion picture adaptation of Wicked is finally in theaters. And so far, the film is off to a hot start, garnering rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike. In just a few days, Wicked has already grossed over $359 million and is the 13th highest-grossing film of 2024. It’s too early to tell, but this movie might just be the most popular film of the year.
Based on the bestselling novel and Broadway musical of the same name, Wicked puts a fresh spin on the classic tale of The Wizard of Oz, telling it from the point of view of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. It features a talented cast that includes Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch of the West and pop phenomenon Ariana Grande as her polar opposite counterpart, the witch known as Glinda the Good.
Has Wicked enchanted you, and now you’re looking for other movies that feature witches and witchcraft? Have no fear, MovieWeb’s got you covered. To celebrate Wicked’s release and satisfy that craving, here are ten films that revolve around witches and witchcraft.
10 ‘Wicked’ (2024)
Release Date November 22, 2024
Cast Cynthia Erivo , Ariana Grande , Michelle Yeoh , Jeff Goldblum , Jonathan Bailey , Ethan Slater , Marissa Bode , Bowen Yang , Bronwyn James , Keala Settle , Peter Dinklage , Aaron Teoh , Grecia De la Paz , Colin Michael Carmichael , Adam James , Andy Nyman , Courtney Mae-Briggs , Sharon D. Clarke , Jenna Boyd
Runtime 160 Minutes
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Let’s get this one out of the way first. After months of anticipation, the motion picture adaptation of Wicked is finally in theaters. Based on the bestselling novel and Broadway musical of the same name, Wicked puts a fresh spin on the classic tale of The Wizard of Oz, telling it from the point of view of the infamous Wicked Witch of the West. It features a talented cast that includes Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch, known here as Elphaba, and pop phenomenon Ariana Grande as her polar opposite counterpart, the witch known as Glinda the Good.
So far, Wicked is off to a hot start, garnering rave reviews from both critics and audiences alike. It’s already grossed over $359 million and is the 13th highest-grossing film of 2024. It’s too early to tell, but this movie might just prove to be the most pop-U-lar film of the year.
9 ‘Bewitched’ (2005)
Bewitched is a comedy based on the classic 1960s TV show of the same name. Rather than being a direct remake, Bewitchedtakes a more meta approach to its source material, referencing and paying homage to the TV show while also setting itself apart from it.
A failing Hollywood actor is offered the role of Darrin in the remake of Bewitched, where he casts an unknown actress to play the iconic witch, Samantha. The twist? The actress turns out to be a witch herself. Bewitched pairs Nicole Kidmann with Will Ferrell in the lead roles, although not even these two A-listers could capture the magic of the original series.
8 ‘Halloween III: Season of the Witch’ (1982)
Release Date October 22, 1982
Cast Tom Atkins , Stacey Nelkin , Dan O’Herlihy , Michael Currie , Ralph Strait , Jadeen Barbor
Runtime 98 minutes
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the estranged, oddball cousin of the Halloween franchise. In the early 1980s, the plan was to retire Michael Myers, the blade-wielding murderer of the first two films, and turn Halloween into an anthology series. Each film would focus on a different horror element and take place on Halloween night. While the first two movies revolved around a serial killer, Season of the Witch focused on — yep, you guessed it — witchcraft.
Season of the Witch is the only film in the Halloween series to exclude Michael Myers. And due to poor reception and box office performance, the anthology plan was scrapped, and Michael Myers was brought back to become the antagonist of the Halloween franchise. However, in the years since its release, Halloween III: Season of the Witch has garnered a cult following among the Halloween fanbase.
7 ‘Bedknobs and Broomsticks’ (1971)
Release Date October 7, 1971
Runtime 117 Minutes
Director Robert Stevenson
Disney’s Bedknobs and Broomsticks is the Mary Poppins of the 1970s, though it’s considerably less famous. Like Mary Poppins, Bedknobs and Broomsticks is a musical that combines live-action with animation, is based on a series of children’s books, and follows a magical woman (there’s a lot of debate about whether Mary Poppins herself is a witch, but the character’s creator, P. L. Travers, always insisted that she was “an extraordinary nanny”; not a witch).
Set during World War II, Bedknobs and Broomsticks follows a group of children led by a witch known as Miss Price (Angela Lansbury). Together, they search for the missing component to a magical spell that can be used against the Nazis and in defense of Britain. A Disney movie about fighting Nazis? Now that’s something Disney would never make today.
6 ‘The Blair Witch Project’ (1999)
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project was a phenomenon that took the country by storm when it came out in 1999. It follows a group of friends through the wilderness to explore the local legend of the Blair Witch. But they find only madness and terror waiting for them, after getting lost and tormented by a dark, unseen entity. Witchcraft fans hoping for a shot of the Blair Witch will be severely disappointed; you never actually see the character. The horror comes from the blurring of fiction and reality and the film’s documentary-style cinematography.
Shot for less than a million dollars, The Blair Witch Project saw tremendous success at the US box office, grossing $291 million. To this day, it remains one of the most successful horror and independent films ever made.
5 ‘The Witches’ (1990 or 2020)
Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book has been adapted to the silver screen twice before: in the 1990 film starring Anjelica Huston and in the 2020 movie starring Anne Hathaway, both of whom play the Grand High Witch. Regardless of which movie you watch, the story remains the same: a young boy and his grandmother team up to fight a secret society of witches masquerading as ordinary women.
If it’s family movie night with the kids, then you can’t go wrong choosing either one of these films. Just make sure you’re selecting The Witches rather than the next entry on our list.
4 ‘The Witch’ (2015)
Release Date February 19, 2016
Cast Kate Dickie , Wahab Chaudhry , Ellie Grainger , Ralph Ineson , Sarah Stephens , Lucas Dawson , Anya Taylor-Joy , Bathsheba Garnett , Harvey Scrimshaw , Julian Richings
Runtime 92minutes
Not to be confused with The Witches, The Witch is a very different kind of movie. Set in 1630s New England, it follows a teenage girl and her Puritan family, who encounter evil forces in the woods beyond their farm. Since its release, The Witch has become a modern horror classic. It’s also known for being the official film debut for superstar Anya Taylor-Joy.
The witchcraft is more subtle in this film, but it’s still a big part of the story, especially with that chilling finale. The Witch also includes one of the most unique cinematic interpretations of the Devil. If you ever get tired of watching cheerful holiday movies, then go ahead and shake things up with The Witch.
3 ‘Rosemary’s Baby’ (1968)
Release Date June 12, 1968
Runtime 136
Despite being released in 1968, Rosemary’s Baby can still bring the scares. Here, soon-to-be mother Rosemary (Mia Farrow) learns that she’s surrounded by witches and members of a Satanic cult, who are grooming her unborn child to be the Antichrist.
Unlike other entries on our list, witches aren’t the focus of the movie; its story pays more attention to Rosemary and her psychological horror. Rosemary’s Baby has become a horror classic since its release and continues to terrify audiences today.
2 ‘Hocus Pocus’ (1993)
Release Date July 16, 1993
Runtime 96
Hocus Pocus stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters, a villainous yet comedic trio of witches who are accidentally resurrected in 1990s New England.
This movie bombed at the box office when it was first released. But in the years since then, Hocus Pocus has become a holiday classic and a must-watch during the Halloween season, especially among Millennials. A fun and enchanting film, Hocus Pocus is sure to put a spell on you, bringing you back for more every Halloween season.
Related 25 All-Time Best Witches in Movie and TV History, Ranked
Witches are a staple in supernatural stories, whether on the good or bad side. Here are the best witches in movie and TV history.
1 ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)
Release Date August 25, 1939
Cast Margaret Hamilton , Jack Haley , Judy Garland , Bert Lahr , Ray Bolger
Runtime 102 minutes
And here we have the film that started it all, the reason that Wicked even exists in the first place. Based on the iconic fantastical children’s book by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz is the Alice in Wonderland of America. It whisks Dorothy Gale (Judy Garland in her most famous role) and her little dog Toto away from their dull, gray life in rural Kansas, transporting them into the colorful and wonderful world of Oz. Now in order to return home, Dorothy and her three new companions must follow the yellow brick road and seek the help of the mysterious wizard of Oz.
This film had a tremendous impact on the popular perception of witches. It introduced the concept of a “good witch”, paving the way for more positive portrayals of witches. It also popularized the image of the more traditional evil witch as a pointy-hat-wearing, broomstick-riding, green-colored figure. To this day, The Wizard of Oz is regarded as one of the greatest films ever made. Definitely check out this film if you want the original, good vs. evil take on Glinda and Elphaba (a name that the Wicked Witch actually didn’t get until Gregory Maguire’s novel, Wicked).
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