Tim Burton movies are a Halloween tradition of their own: crooked houses, pale heroes, black-and-white stripes and a soft spot for outsiders. Here is every feature film Tim Burton has directed, ranked from our favorite to the one you can skip, with ratings and a quick note on each.
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Is The Nightmare Before Christmas a Tim Burton Movie?
Not as director. Tim Burton came up with the story and produced it, but Henry Selick directed it. Coraline is also often called a Tim Burton movie, but it is Henry Selick's film, and Burton was not involved. We include both at the end as honorary picks, because they belong on the same Halloween night.
Every Tim Burton Movie, Ranked
1. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Rated: PG-13. A gentle man with scissors for hands moves to a pastel suburb. Burton's most personal film.
Shop Edward Scissorhands (1990) on Blu-ray and DVD
2. Beetlejuice (1988)
Rated: PG. The afterlife as a waiting room, and the funniest ghost in film.
Shop Beetlejuice (1988) on Blu-ray and DVD
3. Ed Wood (1994)
Rated: R. A warm black-and-white portrait of a director often called the worst of all time.
Shop Ed Wood (1994) on Blu-ray and DVD
4. Sleepy Hollow (1999)
Rated: R. The Headless Horseman in the most autumn-looking movie ever made. The best Halloween pick on this list.
Shop Sleepy Hollow (1999) on Blu-ray and DVD
5. Batman Returns (1992)
Rated: PG-13. Catwoman, the Penguin and a gothic Christmas Gotham.
Shop Batman Returns (1992) on Blu-ray and DVD
6. Big Fish (2003)
Rated: PG-13. A dying father's tall tales, and the son trying to find the truth in them.
Shop Big Fish (2003) on Blu-ray and DVD
7. Corpse Bride (2005)
Rated: PG. A stop-motion wedding gone wrong, co-directed with Mike Johnson.
Shop Corpse Bride (2005) on Blu-ray and DVD
8. Batman (1989)
Rated: PG-13. The film that made superhero movies dark.
Shop Batman (1989) on Blu-ray and DVD
9. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Rated: R. A bloody musical revenge story. Not for kids.
Shop Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) on Blu-ray and DVD
10. Frankenweenie (2012)
Rated: PG. A boy brings his dog back to life, in black-and-white stop-motion. Great for families.
Shop Frankenweenie (2012) on Blu-ray and DVD
11. Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985)
Rated: PG. Burton's first feature: a man, a stolen bike and a road trip.
Shop Pee-wee's Big Adventure (1985) on Blu-ray and DVD
12. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Rated: PG-13. The long-awaited sequel, with Lydia's family back in the haunted house.
Shop Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) on Blu-ray and DVD
13. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
Rated: PG. A colorful, odd version of the Roald Dahl story.
Shop Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) on Blu-ray and DVD
14. Mars Attacks! (1996)
Rated: PG-13. Big-brained Martians invade, and it is played for laughs.
Shop Mars Attacks! (1996) on Blu-ray and DVD
15. Big Eyes (2014)
Rated: PG-13. The true story of a painter whose husband took credit for her work.
Shop Big Eyes (2014) on Blu-ray and DVD
16. Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016)
Rated: PG-13. A boy discovers a hidden home for children with strange gifts.
Shop Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (2016) on Blu-ray and DVD
17. Dark Shadows (2012)
Rated: PG-13. A 1770s vampire wakes up in 1972.
Shop Dark Shadows (2012) on Blu-ray and DVD
18. Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Rated: PG. A grown-up Alice returns to a darker Wonderland.
Shop Alice in Wonderland (2010) on Blu-ray and DVD
19. Dumbo (2019)
Rated: PG. A live-action remake of the flying elephant.
Shop Dumbo (2019) on Blu-ray and DVD
20. Planet of the Apes (2001)
Rated: PG-13. A remake best known for its confusing ending.
Shop Planet of the Apes (2001) on Blu-ray and DVD
Honorary Picks: Coraline and The Nightmare Before Christmas
Both are Henry Selick films with the same handmade, spooky look. Pair The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, PG) with Corpse Bride for a stop-motion double feature, and save Coraline (2009, PG) for kids 9 and up. Nightmare Before Christmas on Blu-ray · Coraline on Blu-ray
The Best Tim Burton Movies for Halloween
- Spooky and grown-up: Sleepy Hollow
- Funny and spooky: Beetlejuice, then Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
- With kids: Frankenweenie and Corpse Bride
- Something different: Edward Scissorhands
See Tim Burton collections on Amazon
Set Up a Tim Burton Movie Night
Think black, white and purple: a few flameless LED candles, black metal lanterns, 3D wall bats climbing the wall and a warm white LED strip behind the TV. Popcorn from the Presto hot air popcorn popper and a Halloween throw blanket complete it.
Where to Watch Tim Burton Movies
Streaming libraries change every month, so check a free tracker like JustWatch before movie night to see which app has each film right now. Most of these titles can also be rented for a few dollars, and the Amazon links above take you to the Blu-ray or DVD if you want to own them.
If you would rather have one place for films and live channels, Ovello TV and ScreenHouse are two streaming services we partner with. Both work on Fire TV, smart TVs, Apple TV and Android, and you can message them before you sign up. No smart apps on the TV? An Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max plugs into any HDMI port.
More Halloween Movie Lists
- 80s and 90s classic Halloween movies
- Halloween horror movies for adults
- Not-too-scary Halloween family movies
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