The 7 best comedy murder-mystery movies to stream this Halloween
The 7 best comedy murder-mystery movies to stream this Halloween
These hilarious whodunits mix laughs, twists, and spooky-season vibes.
I watched “The Thursday Murder Club” this weekend with my wife, and it reminded me why I love murder-mystery comedies so much. It is October, so murder is part of the Halloween vibe, and with “Only Murders in the Building” currently dropping Season 5 I am really in the mood. The good news? “The Thursday Murder Club” is great (you’ll see it later on this list) and there’s plenty more murder mystery comedy movies on streaming worth watching. Here are my favorites to stream during the spooky season.
Top 7 murder-mystery comedy movies on streaming right now
No. 7: ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2022) | Netflix
“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is the flashy follow-up to “Knives Out.” Writer and director Rian Johnson once again drops Benoit Blanc into a wealthy clique, this time on a tech billionaire’s private Greek island. There are puzzle boxes, murder-mystery party games, and an over-the-top glass dome housing the Mona Lisa. The sequel is full of clever details, celebrity name-drops, and pointed jabs at influencer culture, all while making everything bigger and twistier than the first film.
The ensemble, which includes Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson, Edward Norton, and more, clearly has a blast with it. The Greek island setting and gaudy production design make it feel like a vacation gone wrong, even if it never hits the emotional highs of the original. Still, watching Blanc pick apart blowhard tech bros while unraveling another complex mystery is pure fun.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
World-famous detective Benoit Blanc heads to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery surrounding a tech billionaire and his eclectic crew of friends.
No. 6: ‘Game Night’ (2018) | Rent with Prime Video
“Game Night” starts out as a suburban couple’s weekly game party and quickly spirals into total chaos. Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams play Max and Annie, competitive spouses whose friendly game nights take a sharp turn when Max’s show-off brother (Kyle Chandler) plans a murder-mystery dinner that suddenly turns real. He’s kidnapped by actual criminals, leaving the group to stumble into car chases, shoot-outs, and a Fabergé egg heist.
The film piles on absurd situations, but the cast, including Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, and a scene-stealing Jesse Plemons, keeps it grounded and hilarious. There’s even a masked “Eyes Wide Shut” style party thrown in for good measure. It’s silly, fast-paced, and surprisingly sweet underneath all the chaos.
Game Night
Max and Annie’s weekly game night gets kicked up a notch when Max’s brother Brooks arranges a murder mystery party — complete with fake thugs and federal agents. So when Brooks gets kidnapped, it’s all supposed to be part of the game. As the competitors set out to solve the case, they start to learn that neither the game nor Brooks are what they seem to be. The friends soon find themselves in over their heads as each twist leads to another unexpected turn over the course of one chaotic night.
No. 5: ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ (2017) | Prime Video
Kenneth Branagh’s take on Agatha Christie’s classic is more mystery drama than comedy, but its campy tone earns it a spot here. Branagh both directs and stars in “Murder on the Orient Express” as Hercule Poirot, a meticulous Belgian detective with a moustache so impressive it’s practically a supporting character.
The story follows a murder aboard a luxury train from Istanbul to Calais, with Poirot forced to interrogate a star-studded passenger list that includes Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, Penélope Cruz, and Johnny Depp. The film nails Poirot’s fussy habits, from his perfectly boiled eggs to his obsession with symmetry, and while it can feel stuffy at times, the lavish 1930s costumes and Branagh’s self-aware performance bring real flair. It’s an old-fashioned thriller with just enough wit and style to keep you smiling through the mystery.
Murder on the Orient Express
Genius Belgian detective Hercule Poirot investigates the murder of an American tycoon aboard the Orient Express train.
No. 4: ‘Murder Mystery 2’ (2023) | Netflix
In “Murder Mystery 2,” Nick and Audrey Spitz have retired from the NYPD and started their own detective agency, which naturally means more chaos. This sequel mainly exists to send Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston on another glamorous adventure, but that’s half the fun.
Things kick off when the Maharajah from the first film invites the Spitzes to his lavish wedding, only for a bodyguard to wind up dead with a cheese knife in his chest and the groom kidnapped. Soon, the couple is racing through Paris, dangling from the Eiffel Tower, and trying to outsmart a list of suspects that includes an ace negotiator and a few glamorous exes. The movie doesn’t take itself seriously for a second, but that’s exactly why it works. Sandler and Aniston’s chemistry keeps it breezy and ridiculous, which is perfect when you just want something light.
Murder Mystery 2
After starting their own detective agency, Nick and Audrey Spitz land a career-making case when their billionaire pal is kidnapped from his wedding.
No. 3: ‘Knives Out’ (2019) | Prime Video
“Knives Out” is the one that reignited everyone’s love for the whodunit and set the bar for murder-mystery comedies. Rian Johnson crafts a perfectly balanced story about the death of wealthy author Harlan Thrombey and the greedy family clawing for his fortune. The cast, which features Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Ana de Armas, and more, is firing on all cylinders, and Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc steals every scene with his syrupy Southern drawl.
The film flips the genre on its head by revealing key details early, then pulling the rug out from under you again and again. What really makes it work is how it pairs the puzzle with sharp social commentary about class and privilege. And that final shot of Marta on the balcony, coffee in hand, still stands as one of the best endings I can remember in a long time.
Knives Out
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.
No. 2: ‘Murder Mystery’ (2019) | Netflix
The first “Murder Mystery” might not be groundbreaking, but it’s an easy, breezy watch that’s perfect for a lazy night in over the spooky season. Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston play Nick and Audrey Spitz, a working-class couple celebrating their 15th anniversary on a European vacation. When a billionaire’s yacht turns into a murder scene, they’re suddenly the prime suspects.
The story borrows plenty from Agatha Christie, complete with eccentric suspects like Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, and Terence Stamp, and it leans into Sandler’s trademark goofiness. Still, it moves fast, the travel shots are gorgeous, and Sandler and Aniston’s chemistry makes it easy to enjoy. It’s light, funny, and doesn’t overstay its welcome, just the kind of movie that pairs perfectly with popcorn.
Murder Mystery
On a long-awaited trip to Europe, a New York City cop and his hairdresser wife scramble to solve a baffling murder aboard a billionaire’s yacht.
No. 1: ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ (2025) | Netflix
This is the most fun I’ve had at home with a movie in a long time. Set in the peaceful Coopers Chase retirement community, “The Thursday Murder Club” follows four retirees, Elizabeth (Helen Mirren), Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), and Joyce (Celia Imrie), who spend their free time solving cold cases. When a local developer turns up dead, their hobby suddenly becomes serious business. Osman has said he wanted to show that adventure doesn’t stop with age, and the movie totally captures that spirit.
Mirren nails Elizabeth’s sharp wit, and the rest of the cast, including Jonathan Pryce, David Tennant, Naomie Ackie, and Richard E. Grant, adds heart and humor at every turn. Director Christopher Columbus clearly had fun making it, calling it one of the best experiences of his career. Cozy, clever, and full of life, it’s proof that great mysteries don’t need to be dark or gritty to keep you hooked. Oh, and it helps when you have some of the best actors of their generation having the time of their lives. If you just have to pick one light murder mystery for Halloween, go with this one.
The Thursday Murder Club
A group of senior sleuths passionate about solving cold cases get plunged into a real-life murder mystery in this comic crime caper.