Louisiana has long been known for its spooky atmosphere and creepy history. The shady French Quarter alleys and dark, damp swamps provide the perfect backdrop for horror stories and mystery thrillers. Cozying up with some scary movies set right here in Louisiana is the perfect way to start the upcoming Halloween season. This list of spooky movies set in Louisiana will surely get you in the Halloween spirit.  

‘Interview with the Vampire‘ (1994) 

Virtually synonymous with Halloween in New Orleans, this 1994 movie adaptation of Anne Rice’s landmark novel — starring Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and a young Kirsten Dunst — is a bloody Louisiana classic. While only about half the story actually takes place in Louisiana, it is quintessentially New Orleans and truly a must-watch for a Louisiana Halloween. It showcases late 20th-century opulence in the French Quarter as a front for murderous vampire duo Lestat de Lioncourt and Louis du Pointe du Lac’s 200-year-long story. The 2022 TV adaptation of the story is also phenomenal — and recently available on Netflix.  

‘Eve’s Bayou‘ (1997) 

Though not a traditional horror or thriller film, “Eve’s Bayou” is a Southern gothic masterpiece and perfect for the Halloween season. The story focuses on Eve Batiste and her Louisiana Creole family. The movie boasts a talented cast, led by Samuel L. Jackson as the head of the Batiste household. Memory, betrayal and Hoodoo all play a part in the complex and moving story set among the oaks where it filmed in Mandeville and Covington. Though a less talked-about film nowadays, “Eve’s Bayou” won numerous awards and is preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for its significance.  

‘Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island‘ (1998) 

If you’re looking for a more family-friendly movie, this late 1990s Scooby-Doo flick is a fun Halloween favorite. Set outside New Orleans on the fictional Moonscar Island, known for its pepper plantation — perhaps a reference to Avery Island — the gang gets back together to solve the mystery of a haunted house for Daphne’s ghost-hunting TV segment. At the house, the members of Mystery, Inc. learn about the ghost of an old pirate that might be lurking on the property. And Scooby and Shaggy eat an impressive variety of classic Cajun dishes, of course. With ghosts, zombies and Cajun accents, “Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island” is the perfect silly movie to get you in a haunting mood.  

‘Son of Dracula‘ (1943) 

This 1943 black-and-white fright is set on a Louisiana plantation called Dark Oaks where a Southern belle named Katherine interested in the occult invites the mysterious Count Alucard —get it? — to visit. Attracted to the fertile “New World,” Count Alucard quickly entrances and marries Katherine, leading to a mysterious change in the young woman that those around her spend the movie investigating. Given its age, this film is pretty mild when it comes to the scare factor. This movie is perfect if you are more squeamish but still want to get into the Halloween spirit, or if you’re looking for a Halloween classic with vintage charm.   

‘The Haunted Mansion‘ (2003) 

Another family-friendly classic, this Disney comedy stars Eddie Murphy as a realtor trying to sell an old mansion on a Louisiana bayou. While visiting with his family, a storm forces them to stay the night in the house — a perfect excuse for a spooky evening. Throughout the night, the family explores the mansion’s dark secrets and the family that lives there. From their scary plight comes a heartwarming ending that comes with any proper Disney movie as the camera pans out over the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. 

‘The Skeleton Key’ (2005) 

If you are looking for a true horror story, this movie might be more up your alley. When a young hospice nurse, played by Kate Hudson, becomes disconnected from her work, she takes a job caring for an elderly man on an old Louisiana plantation house outside of New Orleans. She is given a skeleton key meant to open every door in the house — except the one to the attic. Although she is told the old man was paralyzed from a stroke, strange things that she finds throughout the house spurs her curiosity. Hoodoo and mystery come together under the moss-draped oaks in this supernatural Southern thriller to provide a tale that will keep you up all Halloween night.