The Babadook (2014)
A mother and son's grief turns to chilling paranoia when a sinister children's book comes to life.
A grieving single mother and her child fall into a deep well of paranoia when an eerie children's book manifests in their home.
How intense is The Babadook?
The Babadook is properly scary, with light gore and some violence. Emotionally it is devastating. The pace is a slow burn, and it is a full-attention watch. Rated R.
What The Babadook feels like
- Tone
- bleaksuspensefulchillingatmosphericmelancholy
- Pace
- Slow burn
- Best for
- Full attention
Where to stream The Babadook
US availability via TMDB, last checked Sep 13, 2026. The app filters picks to the services you actually have.
Is The Babadook for you?
Is The Babadook scary?
Yes, properly. The Babadook is scare level 2 of 3, the real thing without being an endurance test.
Is The Babadook gory or violent?
Light gore (1 of 3) and some violence (1 of 3).
Is The Babadook sad or heavy?
Yes. Emotional weight 3 of 3. It hits hard; do not plan anything light after.
Is The Babadook OK for kids?
It is rated R, so it is made for adults. Intensity: scare 2, gore 1, violence 1, each out of 3.
How long is The Babadook?
The Babadook runs 1h 34m.
Where can I stream The Babadook?
The Babadook is streaming on AMC+, Kanopy, The Roku Channel and Pluto TV.
Does The Babadook have a happy ending? spoiler-safe answer
It leaves the ending open to interpretation.
Cast and crew
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