Something Wicked This Way Comes

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Something Wicked This Way Comes

PG

1983

1h 34m

Horror

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63%

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35 Reviews

64%

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5,000+ Ratings

Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) brings his traveling carnival to a small Midwestern town and grants wishes, for a price.

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Critics Consensus

True terror and typical Disney wholesomeness clash uncomfortably in Something Wicked This Way Comes.

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Variety Staff

Variety

Possibilities for a dark, child's view fantasy set in rural America of yore are visible throughout the $20 million production but various elements have not entirely congealed into a unified achievement.

Mar 10, 2009

Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum

Chicago Reader

The plot concerns a mysterious carnival outside a small town in the early 1900s that grants the wishes of the town's citizens, with dark consequences.

Mar 10, 2009

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John Preston

Time Out

Ultimately, though, it's an uneasy blend of horror and whimsy, with the allegory being hammered a little too hard for comfort. It's also marred by some dreadfully tacky special effects and set designs.

Jun 24, 2006

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

It’s more dark fantasy than horror, a nightmarish adventure filtered through the memory of a man remembering his childhood in mythic terms. You can see the roots of Stephen King in this tale ....

Oct 25, 2025

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Cheryl Eddy

io9.com

While Something Wicked This Way Comes doesn’t lean into Halloween to provide its scares, it does pile on the autumnal dread.

Oct 14, 2025

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James Berardinelli

ReelViews

Excepting the somewhat confused climax, which begs for special effects techniques not yet available in 1983, the movie is a relatively low-key affair, relying more on mood than grotesque horror tropes.

Rated: 3/4

May 12, 2025

Full Review

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Stephen C

Success in 1 hour and 34 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/30/25

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Ron F.

Super creepy cautionary tale about being careful what you wish for! One of my favorite Halloween movies ❤️‍🔥

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/28/25

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Kyle G

Absolutely loved this movie. One of the most satisfying climaxes I've seen in a while. Jonathan Pryce was excellent in this role and I loved every second he was on screen.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/19/25

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Tony Z

Disney should never have been the studio to make this movie. Ray Bradbury's novel is seriously scary and deeply probing of the turn into adolescence. This movie is tedious, never scary and had none of the deep characters of the book - because why would Disney want anything to do with this story? What a waste.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/01/25

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Charlie R

After just watching a Transformers movie which took me two days of off and on breaks to bear the dull absurdity (how does one make absurdity dull?), I chanced on this film which is a classic of its kind. Who would have thought? – a story, a theme, a message, characters to care about. The effects are primitive probably even for 1983 but they kind of match the fantastical scenes that allow us to incorporate our own imaginations. That's what good ghost stories do. It was a treat in 2025 to be seeing some of the actors I grew up with long before 1883.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/14/25

Full Review

Jerod S

Kinda dark for Disney - but the evil circus is a great story by Bradbury.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/10/25

Full Review

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Jack Clayton

Director

Jason Robards

Charles Halloway

Jonathan Pryce

Mr. Dark

Diane Ladd

Mrs. Nightshade

Pam Grier

Dust Witch

Royal Dano

Tom Fury

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Synopsis

Mr. Dark (Jonathan Pryce) brings his traveling carnival to a small Midwestern town and grants wishes, for a price.

Director: Jack Clayton
Producer: Peter Douglas
Screenwriter: Ray Bradbury
Production Co: Walt Disney Productions, Bryna Productions
Rating: PG
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (DVD): Aug 3, 2004
Runtime: 1h 34m
Sound Mix: Stereo, Surround

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