Interwoven stories demonstrate that some traditions are best not forgotten as the residents of a small town face real ghosts and goblins on Halloween. A film by Michael Dougherty, starring Dylan Baker, Rochelle Aytes, Leslie Bibb, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox.

On Halloween night, the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is believed to thin, allowing the souls of the departed to walk among us. Traditional rituals have been devised to protect us from the evil that may seek to cross over on this night.

On the night of All Hallow’s Eve, Emma (Leslie Bibb) and her husband Henry (Tahmoh Penikett) return home from the town’s Halloween festivities. Emma despises Halloween, she blows out their jack-o’-lantern, despite Henry’s pleas to leave it alight all night in accordance with his belief in ancient traditions. Emma asks Henry to wait inside while she begins to remove the decorations before her mother’s arrival the following morning. However, she is ambushed and murdered by a mysterious assailant.

Earlier on the same evening in town, Laurie (Anna Paquin) dresses up in a Little Red Riding Hood costume to join a party with her older sister Danielle (Lauren Lee Smith), and friends, Maria (Rochelle Aytes) and Janet (Moneca Delain). While the other girls quickly choose their dates and prepare to leave, Laurie decides to attend the town festival parade and tells her sister she will meet her at the party later.

As school principal Steven Wilkins catches Charlie (Brett Kelly), a chubby boy stealing candy from his bowl, he detains him for a lecture on Halloween rules and traditions. Charlie begins to vomit blood and dies. It is revealed that Steven poisoned the candy and is a serial killer. While moving Charlie’s body to his backyard, Steven is interrupted by teenage trick-or-treaters Macy, Chip, and Sara. They knock on his door for candy and ask to borrow his jack-o’-lantern for UNICEF’s scavenger hunt, to which he agrees.

Macy (Britt McKillip), Chip (Alberto Ghisi), Sara (Isabelle Deluce), Schrader (Jean-Luc Bilodeau), and Rhonda (Samm Todd) set out to visit a flooded quarry outside of town. As they walk, Macy recounts the urban legend of the “Halloween School Bus Massacre,” which occurred thirty years ago when a school bus transporting eight mischievous children drowned in the quarry. The driver survived, but his whereabouts remain unknown. The group of teenagers plan to descend into the quarry and place eight jack-o’-lanterns to pay their respects to the lost souls.

Trick ‘r Treat is probably one of the great Grade-B thriller/horror films out there and could be an instant cult classic. The story involves several interconnected characters, and the best thing is that you cannot possibly guess what is going to happen next, which keeps audiences engaged until the very end. It features unexpected terror and amusement at the same time. Although it is not recommended for the faint of heart, this film is a must-see for any fan of horror cinema.

Trick ‘r Treat was initially scheduled for a theatrical release on 5 October 2007, but was ultimately shelved after being delayed.

Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures released the film direct-to-DVD and Blu-ray in the United States on 6 October 2009. Shout! Factory released a “Collector’s Edition” Blu-ray that included all extras from previous DVD/Blu-ray releases, as well as new bonus content on 9 October 2018. The film received its first limited U.S. theatrical release on 6 October 2022.