Audiences across the world can celebrate Halloween starting October 22 with the release of Warner Bros. Pictures and Robert Zemeckis’s reimagined “The Witches,” premiering exclusively on HBO Max in the U.S.  Zemeckis, the Oscar-winning director and master storyteller who gave us “Forrest Gump,” the Christmas classic “The Polar Express,” and the “Back to the Future” trilogy, brings a fresh sense of humor along with warmth and the unexpected to what is sure to be a Halloween favorite: Roald Dahl’s beloved story The Witches.

In addition to the film’s U.S. debut on HBO Max, the film will fly into theatres internationally beginning October 28.

Zemeckis is joined by a world-class team of filmmakers, including Alfonso Cuarón, Guillermo del Toro and Kenya Barris, for this fantasy adventure about a young boy who stumbles upon a secret coven of witches and, with the help of his loving grandmother, tries to stop their evil plan to turn the world’s children into mice. The cast includes powerhouse performances from Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth and Chris Rock, with newcomer Jahzir Kadeen Bruno as the brave young hero.  

The Witches is a wonderful reimagining of Roald Dahl’s classic tale that combines world-class filmmaking with fantastic performances.  It’s fun for the whole family and ideal for this time of year,” said Toby Emmerich, Chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group.