Villian(s)  Supernatural being, witch

Actor(s):  Jason Robards, Jonathan Pryce, Diane Ladd, Pam Grier

Brief Description  Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983) is a darkly poetic, supernatural horror-fantasy film directed by Jack Clayton. Produced by Walt Disney Productions, the film features a screenplay written by legendary author Ray Bradbury, adapted directly from his iconic 1962 novel. Representing a rare era where Disney experimented with darker, more mature themes, the film trades traditional fairy tale tropes for psychological dread, childhood temptation, and deep atmospheric horror.

Plot:
The story is set during a crisp, evocative autumn in the sleepy 1930s town of Green Town, Illinois. Two 13-year-old best friends, Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade, find their lives upended when a mysterious steam train arrives in the dead of night, bringing "Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show" to town. The carnival is operated by the enigmatic and chilling Mr. Dark. He possesses the supernatural ability to grant the townspeople's deepest, hidden desires—such as lost youth, beauty, wealth, or desires for stature—but always at a terrible price. In exchange for their wishes, Mr. Dark enslaves their souls, turning the citizens into permanent fixtures of his freak show. When Will and Jim discover the carnival's nightmarish secrets, Mr. Dark and his sinister allies, including the blind Dust Witch, ruthlessly hunt them down.

The boys' only hope lies in Will’s aging father, Charles Halloway, a quiet town librarian who must overcome his own regrets and fears of growing old to battle the encroaching evil using the power of joy, hope, and love. The narrative explores how human vulnerabilities—such as regret, vanity, and the fear of aging—can be easily exploited by evil. Visually, the film is legendary for its intense autumn atmosphere, heavily featuring swirling leaves, mist-covered train tracks, and vintage Midwestern storefronts wrapped in psychological dread. It frames childhood as a battleground between the safety of innocence and the alluring, dangerous temptation of growing up too fast.