Cozy and fun spooky stories aren't just best suited for scaredy-cats who have a fear of missing out when it comes to horror. Some are so particularly clever that they can even appeal to fans of true horror. Netflix's Haunted Hotel is one of these series—funny, grim at times, and surprisingly wholesome as a spooky haunted adventure, it delivers a solid, lighthearted escape. The concept of a cozy haunted hotel is a gripping juxtaposition because being haunted isn't generally a desired pastime, but still, where fiction is concerned, it often provides a fun escape that can be thoroughly engrossing when the characters are unique enough to deliver something fresh.
Haunted Hotel isn't a unique concept by any stretch of the imagination, but the characters are captivating enough to provide something enticing in every episode. It's easy to press play on the next episode because the series delivers a relatively good time without trying too hard in the process. It allows its characters to be messy while also allowing the paranormal beats to simply exist in a manner that's both hilarious and oddly cozy. And luckily, there are quite a few shows with glamorous estates and not-so-scary monsters lurking in the corridors. Here are some more fun TV shows and movies to watch after binging Haunted Hotel. Head over to Apple TV+, Paramount+, and more to watch them now.
Ghosts (2021-present)
As a spin-off from the original BBC series of the same title, Ghosts on CBS isn't just a cozy comedy full of various ghosts from diverse decades and upbringings, but it's also a wholesome series about legacies and second chances. The premise of both series (and likely any other adaptations that'll follow) deals with a married couple inheriting a haunted estate. Rose McIver's Sam trips and falls at Woodstone Manor, and because she dies before she's resuscitated, she can then see all the ghosts residing within. As she and her husband Jay attempt to make the place into a B&B, the series allows viewers to intimately get to know all the ghosts and watch them experience bits of life again through Sam's ability to see them.
Ultimately, there are a few things like Ghosts on TV right now. For the viewers who are looking for stories about redemption, second chances, legacies, and found families, look no further. Between the thoughtful writing and incredible performances from the whole cast, the series evokes all sorts of heartwarming emotions, all while keeping up the clever humor through and through.
The Addams Family (1991)
In more ways than one, The Addams Family is the gateway into the world of the macabre. Dark and grim but not at all scary, because it's appropriate for all ages, you either go into it developing a love for spooky horror, or it makes you want to later dive into even darker stories. With all the various versions, there's something in it for every type of viewer. The titular family's house is gaudy, cold, and full of cobwebs, yet every part of it is a place we want to stay in. With the easy trust we have in Thing (the lone hand), Lurch the Frankenstein-esque butler, and the main family members hating everyone but themselves, it's easy to care for them in a way that's a direct result of how exceptional the writing and performances are.
While The Addams Family isn't as colorful as Haunted Hotel (animated films included into the mix), it still provides the same familiar coziness that comes from knowing that in this house, nothing bad can happen to the residents, no matter who tries what. They're safe in a way that makes the grotesque and bleak things in life delightful. If you want cozy horror, you get it here.
Muppets Haunted Mansion (2021)
If there's one belief I fully stand by in the world of film and television, it's that anything the Muppets touch will instantly be made better than its original property. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) is, quite literally, the best adaptation of Charles Dickens' story, and Muppets Haunted Mansion is an absolute delight from start to finish. It's the kind of ridiculously fun and genuinely hilarious narrative you want to leap right into and experience right alongside the characters because every silly beat provides the best type of escapism.
In true Muppets fashion, the titular stars play themselves alongside human actors in various renowned roles. In Muppets Haunted Mansion, they're all themselves, except Gonzo and Pepe entered the Haunted Mansion on the night of a Halloween party, and everything is chaotically glorious as the film takes viewers throughout the ride's infamous corridors. As it attempts to marry Pepe to Taraji P. Henson's Constance Hatchaway, otherwise known as the ride's alluring bride, and challenges Gonzo's beliefs on his favorite magician, it provides enough entertainment to make the whole debacle an actual treasure. With a number of fun Easter eggs, hilarious antics, and clever writing, Muppets Haunted Mansion is essential viewing for every kind of viewer, but especially for those who love the Disneyland ride.
The Haunted Mansion (2003)
There's a recent remake that's a bit spookier, but the original film, inspired by the Disneyland ride of the same name, is everything viewers could want and more for a lighthearted narrative that's both ridiculous, a little scary, and surprisingly cozy. Starring Eddie Murphy, the late Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, Wallace Shawn, and more, The Haunted Mansion is a story about a family reconnecting more than anything, but it's also a story about second chances and the truth about betrayals coming to light. The plot twist of an evil butler isn't original or unique, but it still provides enough of a shock to make the story relatively gripping and satisfying in the end.
More than anything, it's a delightful film to accompany the gloriously ridiculous ride, providing backstories and fascinating arcs to all the different characters, including the pun-filled gravestones. The fortune teller, Madame Leota, the singing busts, and every little detail within the estate itself are present throughout the film, providing a clever nod to the ride. While the newer version is a bit scarier, this one's more appropriate for viewers who are a bit more faint-hearted.
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
Hotel Transylvania and each of the following films are the epitome of fun, cozy, and spooky. Few people would actually thrive in a world full of vampires, werewolves, and witches, but if they look like they do in these wildly hilarious spooky movies, then why not? Especially when there's exceptional voice acting coming from revered comedians like Adam Sandler, Andy Scott, Selena Gomez, and more. While the human world doesn't blend with the paranormal until the end of the film, like Haunted Hotel, Hotel Transylvania explores all sorts of different monsters in one space, and it does so in a compelling manner that places familial bonds at the center.
The domestic story about Dracula and his daughter looks similar to the family story we get with Katherine, her brother, and the kids, delivering a specific warmth that makes it feel like the feel-good comedy it is. By placing relatable themes like families and all the complicated, messy dynamics at the forefront of the narratives, the haunted location becomes one that's not-at-all unpleasant to live in. There's a reason the film performs so well with younger audiences, and it's entirely because of how joyous the themes are at the end.
Scooby Doo and the Ghoul School (1988)
In most Scooby-Doo stories, the Mystery Gang is trying to catch anyone and anything that goes bump in the night. But in Scooby-Doo and the Ghoul School, which mostly only involves Scooby, Shaggy, and Scrappy-Doo, the trio slowly but surely embrace the paranormal. The standalone film takes place primarily in Miss Grimwood's Finishing School for Girls, where all the students are daughters of infamous monsters like Dracula. We've got Frankenstein monsters, mummies, phantoms, and werewolves, and on the other side of the wall, an all-boys school that's determined to terrorize the girls, as well as an evil witch who's trying to catch them all. What's not to love?
Like all Scooby-Doo adventures, this one's cozy, delightful, and surprisingly wholesome as the normally terrified duo finally embrace the strange and weird despite their fears because, at the end of the day, the girls are just regular kids. The scary elements are all delightfully lighthearted in this film, and there's so much to appreciate about the approach the film takes to emphasize the importance of a community that welcomes all kinds of people. While some Scooby-Doo films can be a bit on the scarier end, this one's all fun and fully cozy.
Beetlejuice (1988)
Beetlejuice might not exactly be wholesome or cozy, but it's a cult classic for a reason, and some viewers even ship Michael Keaton's titular ghost and Winona Ryder's Lydia Deetz. So, really, anything can be cozy to the right person. But the film is perfect and essential for spooky season viewing as a deliriously delightful time all around. Between the haunting that comes from the deceased Maitlands to the havoc that Betelgeuse wreaks when his name is called three times, even fans who haven't seen the movie are perhaps still aware of the ridiculously fun lore.
The possessions in the film aren't gruesome, but instead they result in a ridiculous sing-along of "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)," and feature a perfectly iconic performance from Catherine O'Hara. Interestingly enough, a bit similar to Haunted Hotel, the location itself holds countless secrets, all while the practical effects add a comforting layer of nostalgia that animated properties tend to as well. Beetlejuice and even its recent sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024), leave a mark because of the cast and Tim Burton aren't afraid of allowing the spooky to be delightfully fun. They're outlandish and bold and genuinely enjoyable for the whole family, even for those who might typically shy away from gritty matters.
