Official Rules
Q: What is 31 Days of Halloween?
A: The 31 Days of Halloween challenge is to watch at least 31 horror and/or Halloween-themed films over the span of October.
Q: When does 31 Days of Halloween begin and end?
A: It begins at the start of October 1st, at the stroke of midnight, and it ends at sunrise on November 1st.
Q: How do I participate?
A: As you watch movies over the month of October, post about each of the films on your favorite social networks, such as Facebook, X. Instagram and more. You can also post on the official 31 Days of Halloween Facebook event page. Just make sure that you include the hashtag #31DaysOfHalloween in each post, no matter where you place them. After that, follow the hashtag and chat it up with others that are taking the challenge along with you. Socializing with other Halloween and horror genre fans is half the fun!
Q: Do I have to watch a movie every day?
A: Not at all. You can spread it out or marathon as many as you want in a single day. The choice is yours! The challenge is to watch at least 31 films in total before the end of Halloween night.
Q: If I reach 31 films before the end of October, do I stop there?
A: Only if you want. Most people that reach this point continue on and try for a high score. They then use this number in competition with friends or try to break their own record the following year. After all, that's how this event started in the first place!
Q: What counts as a horror film?
A: Any film that is meant to elicit fear, is considered a horror film for the sake of this event specifically. This fear can be caused by both real and fictitious beasts, and both supernatural and earthly threats. If the audience is meant to be afraid of the threat on screen, then it is more than likely a horror film.
Q: Can I watch non-scary horror films like Ghostbusters and Beetlejuice as a part of the challenge?
A: Absolutely! There are lots of cross-genre films that can go toward your 31 film total. As long as a film at least references an element of horror as its main plot (vampires, ghosts, zombies), then it is completely eligible toward your total. Some examples of films that can be included in your marathon are, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Young Frankenstein, Warm Bodies and Hocus Pocus.
Q: I want to celebrate 31 Days of Halloween with my family. Are kid friendly films allowed?
A: It’s not only allowed, it's encouraged! Halloween should be enjoyed by everyone, especially kids. Make some awesome Halloween memories for the next generation. While the kids are up, you can sit down with the entire family and watch movies like Hotel Transylvania, Goosebumps and Scooby-Doo. Then after they’re tucked into bed, you can pop in House of 1,000 Corpses. It will all tally toward your 31 films.
Q: What about TV shows? Do they count toward my tally?
A: Typical television shows won’t count toward your tally in the official version of 31 Days of Halloween. In the Advanced Rules for 31 Days of Halloween, television shows, books and video games can go toward your count. You can find a link to the alternative Advanced Rules provided below. The only television shows that are counted in this standard challenge are TV movies and mini-series. The catch is that no matter the length of the film or mini-series made for television, it still only counts as one film. Even if the movie is in multiple parts, it's still just one film. Stephen King’s TV mini-series for The Stand and the SyFy movie Sharknado are examples of a TV miniseries and movie that can still be included in your film count.
Q: What if I catch the tail end of a movie after flipping through the channels, or see part of a movie at a friend’s place?
A: This ultimately comes down to your own judgment. To help decide, ask yourself these questions... Did I watch at least 50% of the film’s total length? Example: 45 minutes of a 90 minute movie. Did the ending feel satisfactory given the amount of the film that I watched? If you can answer yes to both of these questions and you feel fine adding the movie to your official tally, then by all means, count that film as part of your marathon!
Q: It’s November 1st, the sun is up and I have completed the 31 Days of Hallowen challenge. Now what?
A: Do a celebratory dance, eat some more Halloween candy and then go online to congratulate all the others that participated this year on social media. After that, go get some rest. The countdown to the next 31 Days of Halloween is on! You have 11 months to prepare!