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Can’t Decide What to Be for Halloween? Spirit Halloween Just Revealed the Most Popular Costumes of 2026

One of the best parts of Halloween is figuring out what you’re going to be. And sure, you could pull out the same witch hat or vampire cape you’ve worn before, but where’s the fun in that? Every year brings a whole new batch of costume inspiration, thanks in large part to the movies, shows and other pop-culture moments we haven’t been able to stop talking about.

So what will everyone be dressing up as in 2026? Spirit Halloween just revealed its best costumes of the year, and you’ll see some familiar favorites along with plenty of new looks based on what’s trending right now. “The reality is we’re watching them develop all year long,” said Kym Sarkos, the executive vice president of Spirit Halloween, in a press release. “From blockbuster entertainment and gaming to social media and nostalgia, our team is constantly tracking what’s capturing attention so we can be ready with the looks fans want most.”

Ready to start planning your Halloween costume? Read on to see which looks will be everywhere this All Hallows’ Eve, and find some inspiration for your own Oct. 31 ensemble.

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What are the most popular costumes of 2026?

According to Spirit Halloween, these costumes will be coming to a Halloween party near you.

Greek mythology

Togas are having a blockbuster year. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey turned Greek mythology into one of 2026’s biggest entertainment events, passing $1 billion at the worldwide box office and bringing along a truly Olympian cast: Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, plus Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong’o. So if Halloween suddenly looks overrun with Greek warriors, Greek gods and flowing cloaks, you know who to blame.

Superheroes

Superheroes are always a Halloween staple, and 2026 has given fans approximately zero reasons to hang up their capes. Spider-Man: Brand New Day dominated the summer box office, earning a whopping $2.5 billion worldwide, so expect Tom Holland–inspired Spideys to be swinging from party to party.

And the Marvel hype isn’t slowing down: Avengers: Doomsday arrives in December with Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Florence Pugh and a ridiculously stacked roster of heroes. Spider-Man is an easy solo pick, but with this many Marvel characters in play, assembling your own Avengers might be even more fun.

Toy Story

To infinity, beyond and straight to the Halloween party. Woody, Buzz and Jessie came back in a big way thanks to Toy Story 5, which gave the beloved Pixar crew their first big-screen adventure since 2019. It also earned more than $1.1 billion worldwide in the process (not to mention 20 million views in the first five days of being released on Disney+). Whether you go classic cowboy or space ranger, expect plenty of familiar faces at the door this Halloween.

Y2K and “It girl” icons

Break out the tiny sunglasses and enough rhinestones to make your flip phone jealous: Y2K refuses to stay in the past. The “It girl” aesthetic has been hanging around for a few years, but 2026 gave it another pop-culture boost as Hollywood revisited some of the era’s most memorable styles. The Devil Wears Prada 2 brought Miranda Priestly and Andy Sachs back 20 years after the original, while Elle returned to the candy-colored world of Legally Blonde. Whether your inspiration is Elle Woods or your favorite early-aughts rom-com heroine, this is one costume category where more is definitely more.

KPop Demon Hunters

Apparently, one Halloween simply wasn’t enough for HUNTR/X. KPop Demon Hunters costumes were everywhere in 2025, and Rumi, Mira and Zoey are back for an encore after the Netflix phenomenon continued to get even bigger. The movie’s music conquered the charts, and a sequel is officially on the way. Translation: Grab two friends, cue up “Golden” and don’t be surprised if your HUNTR/X trio runs into another HUNTR/X trio before the night is over.

Hard-core horror

Pure, unfiltered terror never goes out of style, and horror fans have had plenty of fresh nightmare fuel in 2026. The horror renaissance is still going strong, bringing viral internet monsters and relentless slashers together under one very bloody roof. Scream 7 led this year’s horror box office, while movies like 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and Return to Silent Hill kept things decidedly unsettling. And, of course, Michael Myers and his ilk aren’t disappearing anytime soon.

Gaming

Why leave your favorite character on the screen? Gaming costumes are leveling up for Halloween, with Fortnite and Halo leading the charge. Fortnite alone has been a crossover machine in 2026, adding everything from new Batman, Harley Quinn and Catwoman looks to The Odyssey, The Amazing Digital Circus and even Madison Beer. That means you can technically dress like a movie character or pop star and still claim you came as a Fortnite skin. We respect the loophole.

Source:

  • PR Newswire: “Because Spirit Said So: The Definitive 2026 Halloween Costume Trend Report”
  • Deadline: “‘Toy Story 5’ Giddy-Ups to 20 Million Views in First Five Days On Disney+”
  • ComingSoon.net: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day Digital Streaming Release Date Finally Set for Record-Breaking MCU Movie”

Halloween Costume Ideas That Will Win the Night

Why Do We Bob for Apples on Halloween?

The History of Orange and Black as Halloween Colors

The post Can’t Decide What to Be for Halloween? Spirit Halloween Just Revealed the Most Popular Costumes of 2026 appeared first on Reader's Digest.



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