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Monster House

Monster House

There goes the neighborhood.

200691 minPGMidcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films
Director
Gil Kenan
Starring
Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, Steve Buscemi

Monsters under the bed are scary enough, but what happens when an entire house is out to get you? Three teens aim to find out when they go up against a decrepit neighboring home and unlock its frightening secrets.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Monster House?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Monster House streaming on Peacock and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Monster House?

Monster House earns 9 badges, led by Cultural touchstone and Crowd Pleaser.

Show 1 more
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Monster House worth watching?

Monster House's Midcredits score is the 73rd percentile of all films, from 990K ratings across 6 sources. 61% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

73rd percentile

Better received than 73% of films

62nd percentile among Animation71st percentile among 2000s
Acclaim (how much people like it)77th
Approval (how many liked it)67th

69 /100

77th percentile of all films

66th percentile among Animation76th percentile among 2000s

Critics 68 · Audience 69

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.8 — solid but not unanimous.

61% liked it

67th percentile of all films

56th percentile among Animation65th percentile among 2000s
61% rated it 7–1039% rated it 1–6

Critics 75% · Audience 64%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 4 wins / 23 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Animated Feature Film of the Year
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Animated Film

99th percentile

990K ratings across platforms

97th percentile among Animation98th percentile among 2000s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 21% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$75M
Opening weekend$22M
Domestic gross$74M
Worldwide gross$142M

Returned 1.9× its budget — 88th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A dark, Halloween-set animated adventure about kids versus a living house, using then-cutting-edge motion-capture technology.

Fans praised

  • captures 80s Spielberg/Goonies adventure vibe
  • motion-capture animation gives characters lifelike expressions
  • surprisingly dark, creepy atmosphere for a family film

Detractors panned

  • motion-capture animation looks stiff, uncanny, dated
  • script is formulaic with a weak, patched-on backstory
  • too intense/scary for young kids despite PG marketing

What stands out

AtmosphereDivisive75

creates an eerie, autumnal Halloween mood

ActingDivisive75

voice talent brings personality; Musso, Buscemi, Gyllenhaal stand out

Effects and spectacleDivisive75

house animation is detailed and menacing

CharactersDivisive65

kids feel realistic but formulaic; Nebbercracker is a highlight

PacingDivisive65

tight first half; third act drags into loud action

TensionDivisive65

genuinely unsettling moments, especially in the first half

Plot and storyDivisive60

simple haunted-house premise with a sentimental backstory

OriginalityDivisive55

derivative of Goonies/Amblin but with a unique monster concept

Preferred by

Critics vs users

Preferred by Critics

Critics scored it 14 points higher than users.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 2 points apart
  • US vs non-US 6 points apart

Watch experience

What is Monster House like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Feel-good: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you want something that leaves you smiling.

It has a few laughs, swings between moods and leaves you entertained.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Nothing out of the ordinary.

What it feels like

Feel-good.

Moods
ThrillingTenseWarmMelancholic
Heaviest: late
Slapstick humor
Register
Adventurous · 11% of filmsWarm
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its spooky premise with genuine excitement and heart, balancing scares with warmth and adventure.
The rideThe film oscillates between spooky tension and heartfelt moments, with the emotional and physical climax landing in the final act.
StructureThe story follows a linear progression from discovery to investigation to confrontation.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Entertained.

The answer rests on this: FunHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves you with a sense of adventure and satisfaction, plus the uplifting resolution that everyone is safe and the spirit finds peace.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet endingTwist

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeThree kids discover their neighbor's house is alive and must uncover its tragic origin and destroy it before it harms more people.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfFriendship
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27% (this title): Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% (this title) · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% (this title) · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Bonds

Friendship · 9% of filmsComing of age · 5% of films
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Ensemble lead
How it treats its themeAt its heart, the film is about the power of friendship and teamwork in the face of fear, interwoven with a tragic love story that has trapped a spirit in her home.
StanceThe film celebrates friendship, courage, and the idea that even the scariest things hide a tender heart, ultimately affirming the value of letting go and moving on.

The world

ContemporarySuburbanDomesticStylized realism
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Douglas Pipes
SettingA suburban street with a mysterious, haunted house owned by a reclusive old man.
MusicThe score blends playful and eerie cues that underscore the house's menacing presence while supporting the emotional beats.

Content guide

Is Monster House okay for kids?

PG

Monster House is rated PG: “Rated PG for scary images and sequences, thematic elements, some crude humor and brief language” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (47/100), sexual content at mild (30/100), language at mild (27/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (35/100) and frightening material at intense (69/100). Overall it is heavier than 89% of PG-rated films.

Ratings in 20 other countries
  • UKPG
  • CanadaPG
  • AustraliaPG
  • Germany6
  • FranceU
  • IrelandPG
  • JapanPG12
  • South KoreaAll
  • BrazilL
  • Austria6
  • CzechiaU
  • Denmark11
  • Hungary12
  • Netherlands6
  • Norway12
  • Poland12
  • PortugalM/12
  • SingaporePG13
  • Spain7
  • Sweden11
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 40% of all filmsHeavier than 89% of PG-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 76%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 68%
Profanity
Mild
typical for a PG-rated film
heavier than 50%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 76%
Frightening / Intense
Intense
heavy for a PG-rated film
heavier than 95%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is frightening material.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Monster House have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Monster House?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Mitchel Musso
as DJ
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.
Sam Lerner
as Chowder
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Spencer Locke
as Jenny
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.
Steve Buscemi
as Nebbercracker
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Maggie Gyllenhaal
as Zee
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kevin James
as Officer Landers
Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
newcomer then · star now
Nick Cannon
as Officer Lister
Jon Heder
as Reginald 'Skull' Skulinski
Jason Lee
as Bones
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Catherine O'Hara
as Mom

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Monster House?

Movies like Monster House include Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween (2018), Gremlins (1984) and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films by Gil Kenan, and half are stories about monsters.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its praise for effects. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Monster House?

947 other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: haunted house. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.