Hocus Pocus, The Addams Family, Ghostbusters, and Beetlejuice have been crowned Ireland’s favourite Halloween movies, according to new research carried out for M&M’s.
The survey found that scary movie nights are the nation’s top Halloween pastime, with more than 7 in 10 adults planning to watch a spooky film this week — although 4 in 10 admit they rarely make it to the end!
More than half of respondents (57%) said they’d rather watch a scary movie than eat treats (46%) or decorate their homes (39%), while nearly two-thirds (64%) said Halloween week is when they’re most likely to indulge in horror flicks.
To celebrate, M&M’s enlisted Ireland’s most famous twins, Jedward, for a spooktacular movie marathon inside one of Europe’s most haunted houses, The Ancient Ram Inn, capturing every scream, laugh and jump scare on camera.
How We React to a Scare
The survey also revealed how Irish audiences handle the horror:
- 23% leave the room to “escape” a scary scene (usually to put the kettle on ☕)
- 22% have screamed out loud in the cinema
- 14% have jumped and accidentally hit someone nearby
- 13% have spilled a drink in fright
- and 5% have even admitted to crying in fear!
Those who stay put tend to hide behind cushions (30%) or distract themselves with snacks (28%) — and it’s no surprise that 46% say snacks are essential, with chocolate topping the list for 51% of movie watchers.
Younger audiences (18–24) preferred Harry Potter, Coraline and The Corpse Bride, while Ghostbusters was the firm favourite among 35–54-year-olds.
