It’s spooky season and that means just about everyone is watching horror movies right now. Even more casual observers of the genre are diving into the world of slashers, hauntings, monsters and more to get into the spirit of the season. The folks at Roku have provided some insight into what people are seeking out in different parts of the U.S. this year for their Halloween viewing. So, what’s the most popular Halloween movie in your state in 2024? Have a look…
There’s a lot to process there. For one, Tim Burton is getting a pretty fair amount of love as Corpse Bride is on top in California, Arizona and several other states. Meanwhile, Roku revealed that the original Beetlejuice was the top-searched Halloween title on Roku in September, representing 1 in 10 Halloween searches for the month of September. That probably had a lot to do with the release of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, which recently arrived on VOD.
Despite the overall popularity, Beetlejuice didn’t take the top spot in any single state. The Northwest was particularly fond of Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers, which is an interesting surprise. As far as big franchises go, Saw and A Quiet Place: Day One also made appearances in Wisconsin and Florida, respectively.
One of the more interesting things is the sheer dominance of Tyler Perry in the South. With Boo 2! A Madea Halloween topping the list in a whopping nine states. Mississippi also had the first Boo! A Madea Halloween as its top film.
Another interesting element is that much of what’s on the map is either gateway or PG-13 horror. Practical Magic, The Addams Family 2, Halloweentown and Coraline were all present, among others. That makes sense, given that this is about broad popularity and there are a lot of families out there looking for stuff to watch.
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that John Carpenter’s original classic Halloween didn’t come out on top in any single state. Yet, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers was number one in West Virginia. Go figure. Hawaii showed some good taste though by making Carpenter’s The Fog its top movie.
It should also be emphasized that these are numbers strictly from Roku, so they don’t represent the entire streaming landscape. That said, it’s a fun little snapshot of what’s popular out in the world right now. Per Roku, 1 in 5 streamers using their devices looked up Halloween content in September. Roku streaming households were also 23% more likely to search for Halloween titles in September 2024 compared to September 2023.
For more, check out the trailer for The Activated Man, starring Candyman himself Tony Todd.
