A young orphan is initiated into a world of magic and mayhem by his eccentric warlock uncle and a matronly neighbour who happens to be an altruistic witch. He uses his newfound magical abilities to help them defeat the forces of evil that threaten to destroy his new home., Director Eli Roth’s family-friendly fantasy film is an adaptation of John Bellairs’ 1973 juvenile mystery fiction novel of the same name. A young orphan (Owen Vaccaro) moves into a mysterious mansion that belongs to his eccentric uncle (Jack Black). He learns that his uncle is a warlock and his neighbor (Cate Blanchett) is a witch and uses his newfound magical abilities to defeat the forces of evil., A young orphan is initiated into a world of magic and mayhem by his eccentric warlock uncle and a matronly neighbor who happens to be an altruistic witch. He uses his newfound magical abilities to help them defeat the forces of evil that threaten to destroy his new home.