Roald Dahl's The Witches
In late 1967, a young orphaned boy goes to live with his loving grandma in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks him away to a seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world's Grand High Witch has gathered.
Why it matters
A visually inventive but uneven family horror that reimagines Dahl’s dark fairy tale with modern flair and a star-studded cast.
- Guillermo del Toro’s production influence shines in the creature design and atmosphere, blending whimsy with genuine creepiness.
- Anne Hathaway’s Grand High Witch divides opinion—her performance is bold and theatrical, but lacks the sinister precision of Anjelica Huston’s original.
- Balances dark humor and horror, making it a suitable introduction to spooky tales for older kids and genre-curious adults.
- Struggles with pacing and tone, leaving purists wanting but offering enough imaginative moments to reward viewers open to a fresh take.
Director
5 horror films in catalog
Cast
Horror DNA
Gore
28
Slow Burn
17
Psychological
57
Supernatural
40
Creature
36
Disturbing
67
Fun Factor
83
Cerebral
43
Survival
50
Transformation
