Hocus Pocus age rating: Is the movie suitable for younger children?

As we get closer to Halloween, we start looking for family movies that are on the scary side. Of course, for many of us, Hocus Pocus comes up. We know this is great for preteens and teenagers, but what about the younger children?

It can be difficult to find movies for everyone in the house. Hocus Pocus and its sequel do have some scary elements to it. These are witches who want to suck the souls of children to gain immortality. There’s a cat that is killed and keeps coming back to life. There is a lot that goes on.

What is the recommended age rating and why is it set that way? Is this going to work for your children?

Is Hocus Pocus suitable for younger children?

The official age rating for Hocus Pocus is PG-13. That means it’s suitable for teenagers. Under that, it could be suitable but with parental guidance.

The scary elements are all about a group of teenagers and children being chased by witches who have until the end of Halloween to succeed to gain immortality. There’s a moment of a zombie chasing the group, and Binx does keep coming back to life and him being run over by a bus is on the graphic side for a Disney movie.

You’ll want to think about what your own children can deal with. This is the type of movie my seven-year-old loves, but there are moments where she gets a little scared. Either I or her dad need to be there with her for those scary moments. Yet, my 11-year-old will watch it without anyone around and likes it—it’s not scary enough for her.

Every child is different. So, work with what you think your children will cope with. The fact that it’s on Disney+ makes it clear that this is considered to be family friendly.

Hocus Pocus and its sequel are available to stream on Disney+.