Witches are probably one of the oldest monsters in children's nightmares. Even in cinema, the witches have appeared in stories since the beginning: the first movie about witches was a bizarre silent masterpiece called Häxan, released in 1922. From fairytales to more modern takes on these magical women, witches remain popular in movies and TV series. Witches quickly became an audience favorite, trespassing the horror genre and infiltrating themselves in every story imaginable, from the classic Wizard of Oz to the silly sitcom Bewitched.Witches were incredibly famous in the 20th century, with films such as Hocus Pocus (the sequel will come out later this year) and dance academy nightmare, Suspiria. Nowadays, in the 21st century, the witches' phenomenon seems just as strong as ever, evidence by the success of The Witcher and the remake of The Witches.Some reboots went in a completely different direction — Luca Guadagnino's cold remake of the aforementioned Suspiria was less Giallo and more arthouse, Netflix's Chilling Adventures of Sabrina took a different approach from the 90's series and followed the comic, and hit movie Blair Witch Project even got a videogame in 2019. It became clear that these magical creatures could have any appearance and personality, opening doors to many interpretations of what they can be.From horror-packed stories to wonderful fantasy worlds and even comedy-filled movies, these are the best of the witches' in movies and television released in the 21st century, so far.
8 Stardust
An adventure-packed narrative based on the book by Neil Gaiman, one of today's most-adapted authors, Stardust has a different take on witches. They are creatures that can stay young if they hunt and kill fallen stars, which become beautiful humans once they reach the planet. With an entertaining cast and compelling visual elements, this film is as fun as it is adventurous, following Tristan (Daredevil's Charlie Cox) on a quest in the fairyland to save a fallen star, having no idea the challenges that lay ahead on their journey. From pirate ships that can fly to magical fairylands, this fantasy hits all the marks for an amusing story
7
Salem
Salem is for those who like a more classical approach to the witches in media. With compelling characters take part in one of the most well-known persecutions in history, the Salem witch trials, this artfully crafted TV series has to be mentioned in any list about the witches in film and television. The exterior set of the town's main square was built to be as close as they could in resemblance to the actual square in Salem back in the 17th century; this and other creative choices enhance the feeling of being transported to another century. Amid the witch hunt frenzy, a powerful witch, Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery), commands Salem with one goal: to distract the Puritans to be able to summon the Devil.
6
Harry Potter
'The boy who lived' will be forever in the minds of the 11-year-olds (and older fans) still waiting for their Hogwarts letter to arrive. One of the most successful franchises of all time, Harry Potter has every ingredient to make generations fall in love with the outcast boy who fought his way through a magical journey. The audience discovers the real meaning of magic along the way, and any fans will find themselves teary-eyed when they remember the last time they saw the golden trio at Platform 9 and 3/4. Harry is a lonely eleven-year-old boy that lives with his uncle, aunt, and cousin. After his eleventh birthday, weird incidents start to happen around him: glass walls vanishing and snakes appear to understand what he says. Harry has no idea the grand adventure that is coming to find him in this fantasy epic about the witches and wizards of Hogwarts.
5 American Horror Story: Coven
A more playful take on the witches as forever-young women, the divisive third season of the anthology series American Horror Story has been debated since it aired. At the time, viewers were disappointed by the funny elements of the season, having come from a despairing horror-filled thriller in season two, "Asylum." However, this doesn't diminish the quality of this season. "Coven" uses comedy and violence to tell the story of the witches' coven in New Orleans. The fictional narrative is mixed with a few true-crime elements, such as one of the first female serial killers: Madame LaLaurie, whose home and its reported hauntings have become the subject of a new film by The Conjuring writers. American Horror Story season three uses everything the audience loves about witches: covens, trials, and, of course, love spells.
4 Howl's Moving Castle
This film from one of the most beloved production companies worldwide, Studio Ghibli, has become a classic for animated features. Howl's Moving Castle is based on a novel with the same name by English author Diana Wynne Jones. A story about a romance and an almost impossible quest - this movie is nothing short of amazing. When a young girl is transformed into a 90-year-old by a witch, she gets desperate to be who she was, beginning a journey to find the only person that can help: a mysterious wizard she knows nothing about. A beautiful story which reveals what love is really about, the film will make you root for these flawed characters. Hayao Miyazaki and Ghibli also perfect the witches' subgenre with Kiki's Delivery Service.
3
Wandavision
A very different take from the previous shows on this list, WandaVision took everyone by surprise when it crushed the audience’s heart by its season finale. A slower-paced narrative for a Marvel vision, the miniseries shows a lot of sides to being as powerful a witch as Wanda (aka The Scarlet Witch) is. A character who was important but didn't have much screen time to shine in the movies, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch takes the viewers on a journey through television history to the core of this deeply complex character. Wanda has a normal existence with the love of her life, Vision; however, weird things start to happen to her, and she will have to figure out why everything is not what it seems in this cheeky, iconoclastic Marvel TV show.
2
The Witch
The Witch may have been released in 2015, but it is already considered a classic by horror fans. With an incredibly crafted tone, using cinematography and editing to enhance the terror the characters have to face, Robert Eggers' narrative is as upsetting as it is horrifying. The Witch is one of the most famous A24 movies, a commentary on the roles of women and how they were perceived by society in the 17th century (and, to some extent, today). A family (including Anya Taylor-Joy, in her first film) has to move out of a small village due to arguments with other Puritans, but after finding a home in a secluded part of the land, near a dense forest, tragedy strikes the immigrant family. Surprising audiences until the very end, the witches in this film are mysterious and initially subtle, luring viewers into the slow-burn narrative before its bizarre, shocking finale.
1 Marianne
For horror fans, this Netflix series from France is a must-watch. Unfortunately, Marianne got canceled after season one, but the main story arc was complete by the end of the last episode. Getting praises from the master of horror himself, Stephen King, the series is as gripping as it is terrifying.
A bestseller horror author finishes her most famous series of books about a witch called Marianne. When a book signing turns into tragedy, Emma (Victoire Du Bois) will have to face the witch that has been haunting her since her childhood, who only leaves her alone when she writes about her. Soon, Emma will understand the power of the written word, for better or worse. This great series about the art of writing is also a brilliant representation of the witches of the 21st century.