This year, the scariest thing for movie lovers is just how many anticipated films have disappeared from the release schedule. So it was a welcomed surprise when HBO Max announced that Robert Zemeckis's The Witches would premiere via the streaming service on October 22nd, for no additional upcharge. Based on the trailer, it may be the ultimate Halloween treat.

The Witches began life as a Roald Dahl novel about an orphaned British boy who unwittingly discovers a secret, worldwide society of child-hating hags. The book is representative of everything great and insidious about Dahl's work. It's delightfully dark, wickedly witty and the kids are significantly smarter than the adults. But it's also very white, and some readers inferred a misogynist undertone. The Witches was adapted into a 1990 film starring Angelica Huston, which received positive reviews and was well-liked by audiences. It's been 30 years, and from the looks of the trailer, Zemeckis's update is a refreshing and unexpectedly strong new take.

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2020's The Witches is a live-action film, but Dahl's magical realism stories translate best to the screen when they're handled as if they're quite a bit larger than real life permits, as was the case with Danny DeVito's Matilda. The over-the-top and highly stylized trailer suggests Zemeckis understands that. He co-wrote the script with the master of the creepy aura, Guillermo del Toro, and the combination of their sensibilities seems promising. The trailer feels like a mash up of the best parts of Death Becomes Her and The Shape of Water; it's unapologetically cinematic and magical in a way that feels like a throwback to old Hollywood and good use of current technology. That's a relief as -- after decades spent helming some of Hollywood history's biggest bits, like Back to the Future and Forrest Gump -- Zemeckis has spent the last ten years or so bogged down by CGI experimentation than bombed at the box office.

With The Witches, it appears he's back to form. Talking mice can scratch his CGI itch, but the production design and the performances are what really stand out in the trailer. It showcases a diverse all-star cast who seem to be having maximum fun with the material. Chris Rock provides gleefully overstated narration. Octavia Spencer and Stanley Tucci have gone big enough for a kids' movie without being patronizing. But the standout is Anne Hathaway as the Grand High Witch, who vogues and cackles with terrifying and beguiling zest. Those who've never read the book or who've only seen Huston in the role might think her portrayal borders on cartoonish, but from the taste HBO Max has given us, many fans believe Dahl would have approved of Hathaway's interpretation.

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The other elements only enhance the swinging-for-the-fence acting. The trailer is scored with the Motown classic, "Reach Out (I'll Be There)", which starts out sympathetic as we learn the protagonist has lost his mother. "I'll Be There" refers to his grandmother, who will take care of him and try to lift his spirits. As the threat of the witches comes into focus, the music turns menacing and booming. Its crescendo implies, forebodingly, that the witches will be there, too.

After the trailer dropped, the majority of the internet immediately recognized The Witches for what it is...a gift. Some critics complained about Hathaway's curious accent, but most embraced the zany energy of the remake. In these trying times, with a noticeable lack of new entertainment options, the world is happy and hungry just to have something to look forward to. But The Witches looks better than that. A confidently made movie full of Halloween magic and Hollywood stars, and it's only weeks away.

Written and directed by Robert Zemeckis, The Witches stars Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, Chris Rock, Jahzir Kadeem Bruno, Stanley Tucci, Kristin Chenoweth and Codie-Lei Eastick. The film arrives on HBO Max Oct. 22.

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