Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fun Halloween-themed nod to "Thriller" video; mild peril.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 5+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Sing: Thriller
What's the Story?
In the Halloween-themed animated short SING: THRILLER, Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey) stages an all-ages spooky musical called GMO. Meena (Tori Kelly) plays a traveler whose car breaks down, leading her to fend off creepy, genetically modified jack-o-lantern-faced vegetables, while the rest of the cast—including Ash (Scarlett Johansson), Johnny (Taron Egerton), and Gunter (Nick Kroll)—perform Michael Jackson's "Thriller." After the show, Moon, the cast, and Crawly (Garth Jennings) attend Clay Calloway's Halloween party, where guests are eerily affected by mysterious chemical slime from a nearby lab explosion.
Is It Any Good?
This is a fun, lighthearted musical tribute to Michael Jackson's iconic song and music video. Writer-director Garth Jennings honors "Thriller" in two clever ways in Sing: Thriller: first, with the stage performance in the movie (the delightfully creepy vegetables are memorable), and, later, with the full dance sequence. This short film serves as a family-friendly tribute to the original video directed by John Landis and, more specifically, to the choreography of the late, award-winning Michael Peters. Kids who aren't familiar with the original may be curious enough to look it up on YouTube. At just 11 minutes long, this is a charming short that's easy to watch again and again. While the plot is simple, the joy of the film lies in the catchy song-and-dance numbers, which viewers can enjoy with or without kids.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what, if anything, is scary about the Halloween-themed Sing: Thriller. What makes the scares age-appropriate for younger viewers?
Do you need to be familiar with Michael Jackson's song "Thriller" and its video to enjoy this film? Who do you think it's mostly aimed at?
What do you think about holiday or seasonal shorts from popular movie franchises? How does this one compare to similar seasonal specials?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 16, 2024
- Cast : Taron Egerton , Matthew McConaughey , Scarlett Johansson
- Director : Garth Jennings
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : Friendship , Arts ( Music and Sing-Along )
- Character Strengths : Courage , Perseverance
- Run time : 11 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : May 1, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate