Unsure where to start for your Halloween costume this year? Turn to popular TV and movies that came out in 2022. This year has been a banner year for fantasy pop culture with movies and TV shows really leaning into the otherworldly. We got a new installment of Stranger Things, the premieres of Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power and House of the Dragon. As far as movies go, Everything Everywhere All at Once was one of the finest, fantastic offerings to blow the world’s collective mind.
Halloween is a holiday for horror fans out there and there were some stellar scary movies to come out this year including Nope, The Black Phone, the Hellraiser reboot, and Halloween Ends. This means that there is no shortage of Halloween costume inspiration for you to draw from. If you’d like some unique ideas, read through our list of ideas and relive some of the greatest pop culture moments of the year!
Evelyn Wang from Everything Everywhere All at Once
You better put that googly eye on your forehead! Did Michelle Yeoh deliver 2022’s best performance? We think so! Celebrate her incredible work and this brilliant movie with a costume inspired by Evelyn Wang. You could do a little or a lot for this one. It’s totally up to you.
Kamala Khan from Ms. Marvel
Time to find some cool bangles. A show that completely took us by surprise, Ms. Marvel turned out to be a poignant and personal show while also empowering and fun. Dress your favorite character, Kamala Khan in one of her amazing superhero suits.
Louis from Interview with the Vampire
Gentlemen (and ladies), it’s time to find a three-piece suit, a cane with a golden handle (without a blade attached, preferably), and a fancy hat. Things with Louis and Lestat are already heating up. The creepy yet romantic show could very well inspire your pop culture Halloween costume this year.
Maddy and Cassie’s Twinning Euphoria Look Could Be the Greatest BFF Halloween Costume This Year.
Season two of Euphoria was uneven and messy at times but it did have its moments. If you and your bestie are looking for a matching costume idea, we can think of no better than what Maddy and Cassie sauntered down the hallway together in. Have fun with this one!
Cassie’s Oklahoma Outfit from Euphoria
One of our favorite (actually it was our favorite) TV moments of the year found Cassie in an outfit inspired by the musical, Oklahoma! She proceeds to have the most hilarious meltdown ever put to film in it. The scene was all anyone could talk about and we think for fans of pop culture, this costume would please a lot of folks.
The Sisters Are Back and That Means So Are Hocus Pocus Costumes
They’re back… The Sanderson Sisters returned for a joyous romp in Hocus Pocus 2. Sanderson-inspired Halloween costumes have always been popular but it feels extremely appropriate this year to choose to go as your favorite witch. If you’ve got a couple of friends to join you, the more the merrier.
Elvis Returned to the Zeitgeist And You Should Totally Wear One of His Amazing Costumes
The Elvis biopic proved middling for most but if you fell in love with the King all over again, you should totally choose an iconic Elvis look and run with it. We are all about a Drag Elvis and we hope men aren’t the only ones who feel they can pull it off.
Go Goth, Girl with a Costume Inspired by Wednesday Addams
We are so excited about Tim Burton‘s Wednesday which is set to become a huge hit for Netflix. Wednesday Addams is such a dark and twisty character. Nurture your inner goth girl and dress like her this Halloween.
Join the Hellfire Club by Dressing as Eddie Munson from Stranger Things
The introduction of Eddie Munson in this season of Stranger Things started out rough but the character grew on many of us as the season played out. Get yourself a nice, curly wig, a denim jacket, and a hellfire club t-shirt and you’ve got a blast of a Halloween costume.
Go Green by Dressing Up as Jennifer Walters AKA She-Hulk
Tatiana Maslany‘s magnetic performance and the fresh writing and directing of She-Hulk have made it an unlikely favorite, especially among women and queer viewers. We thought the CGI would get in the way of the storytelling but this show proved us wrong. If you’d like to paint yourself green, you certainly have a great excuse.
Choose a Side and Dress as Rhaenyra or Alicent from House of the Dragon
If you’ve been watching House of the Dragon, you know just how tense things have become between Alicent and Rheanyra. That green gown that Alicent wore when she finally decided to join the wedding festivities was a real standout. But, we imagine most folks are interested in the royal with the dragons, so we are excited to see everyone’s take on Rheanyra this Halloween.
Rock a Fabulous Red Suit Inspired by Ricky “Jupe” Park from Nope
The cinematic, sartorial highlight of the year was served by Ricky “Jupe” Park in the horror movie Nope. Cowboy meets high fashion in this vibrant red suit with patchwork and embroidered details. This one will take a little work but it was the best outfit we saw on screen all year. Grab a cowboy hat and win a costume contest with something like this.
Freak Your Friends Out by Wearing a Costume That Looks like The Grabber from The Black Phone
If you enjoyed The Black Phone, we can think of no creepier mask than the one that The Grabber wears. This taught horror movie was a standout this year and we imagine a lot of people are excited to get their Grabber costumes ready.
Channel Joan of Arc and Dress as Galadriel from The Rings of Power
Galadriel is such a dynamic, passionate, brave, and fearless character in The Rings of Power. She also happens to be impeccably dressed. You could go for one of her flowing, fairy gown looks. Or, you can suit up in some armor for a more dramatic look. If you’ve got long, blonde hair, you know what to do.
Slap on Some Pointy Elf Ears and Also Give Arondir Your Costume Consideration
Another compelling and endearing character from The Rings of Power, Arondir could inspire your Halloween costume. That chest piece armor is going to be hard to recreate but we believe in you!
Pick a Bridgerton Character, Any Bridgerton Character
The latest season of Bridgerton introduced us to some amazing, new characters in Kate, Edwina, and Lady Mary Sharma. Each of these newcomers would make for great Halloween costume inspiration. Or, you could go as your favorite character (go as Queen Charlotte). There are so many excellent options and any excuse is a good excuse to dress in Regency-era finery.
Hellraiser Got a Reboot, Time to Become a Pin Cushion
Yes, there is a new Hellraiser movie to haunt your dreams. Jamie Clayton is playing Pinhead in this installment and we think a lot of folks will want to try their hand at some monster makeup. We are so excited to see how audiences respond to the movie and how many Pinhead costumes will be worn this year!
Embrace Your Inner Blonde and Dress as Marilyn Monroe
Whether you liked Blonde or not, everyone seems to be talking about Marilyn Monroe these days. She has so many legendary looks from the pink bow dress in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes to the billowing white number from The Seven Year Itch. Take your pick because you can’t go wrong with one of these for your Halloween costume.
RELATED: We Bet You Have Not Seen More Than Five of These 25 Marilyn Monroe Movies
You’re a Maverick Now
Remember, “It’s not the plane, it’s the pilot.” If you’d like to dress as a fighter pilot, Top Gun: Maverick has given you the permission you did not need. The blockbuster was the right kind of escapist fun that many of us needed when it premiered earlier this year. Celebrate the movie with your very own Maverick costume.
It’s Not Halloween without Michael Myers
You could dress as Michael Myers for Halloween for the rest of your life and no one could fault you for it. But, you have a good excuse due to the release of Halloween Ends. The franchise is the biggest Halloween horror series ever made. Grab your coveralls and throw on a white mask and you’re good to go.
Halloween Is Actually Drag So Dress in One of Willow Pill’s Iconic Looks from the Latest Season of RuPaul’s Drag Race
Where are the RuPaul’s Drag Race fans at? We saw so many sickening outfits glide down the runway this year but no one stood out more for us than Willow Pill. Many of her outfits incorporated some form of horror to them but the one that we think would make the best Halloween costume is this little number. It looks whimsical and sweet from the front, but the creepy reveal when she turns around makes it just perfect for Halloween.
You’re a Rockstar! Dress as David Bowie After Watching the Incredible, New Documentary Moonage Daydream
Bowie fans and general audiences have been raving about the new documentary about the iconoclast. Moonage Daydream is a very special look into the life and artistry of David Bowie. The musician wore a multitude of fashion-forward looks on stage during his career and any would be great as Halloween costumes.
Folks, Grow Some Facial Hair and Become Cassian Andor
The latest Star Wars spinoff series, Andor, is already a hit and the season has not even finished. People are loving the lush settings, great dialogue, political intrigue, and tons of action that are packed into each episode. We are rooting for Andor and think his looks could easily translate into cool costumes.
It’s the Season of the (Scarlet) Witch
Fans of Marvel’s Avengers franchise know that the Scarlet Witch has lived a life! So many people are connecting to the character and her painful back story which resonates so deeply with many. Scarlet Witch costumes are encouraged this year to celebrate one of the franchise’s best characters.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 25 Canceled Halloween Costumes That Are Beyond Offensive
Be The Batman or The Catwoman
Would you like to be The Batman? How about Catwoman? The movie premiered in March which seems like a lifetime ago but this movie was a big hit with many folks loving this moody installment. Now, go put on some pointy ears and do your best Batman voice impression.
There you go! We hope you enjoyed these pop culture-inspired Halloween costumes from some of the best movies and TV shows that came out this year. Have fun with it and don’t take things too seriously when it comes to your costume. You got this! Now, if you would like to read even more about Halloween costumes, take a look at these creepy kid costumes!
Baby Pennywise
Not THAT clown! We find the demon clown from IT in this kid’s Halloween costume. Why is little Pennywise way scarier than big Pennywise? It’s not right.
She’s a Doll
Annabelle is looking completely terrifying here and has been brought to life by her mom’s excellent makeup skills. This is one of the best DIY kid Halloween costumes on this list.
Not Another One
As you will start to notice, creepy clowns are all the kids want to be these days. They are rather devilish and each one offers something creepier than the last.
L’il Ms. Skellington
Fans of The Nightmare Before Christmas, will see that the imagery from the movie has been interpreted in a unique and spine-tingling way. All of the black around this child’s eyes is just really delivering for us. Yikes!
She’s a Vamp
We find a gothic vampire Halloween costume for this young lady. If vampires are the monsters that freak you out the most, you better throw some garlic in those pockets and pack a cross.
It’s Not Right
The parent of this child explained that they try to make each year’s Halloween costume scarier than the last. We did not even look at last year’s because this one so thoroughly creeped us out. We know without a doubt they upped the freaky factor for this one.
DIY Chucky
Here is our first Chucky and we are certain it will form some goosebumps on your flesh. Is it the child’s piercing blue eyes or just the chaotic energy they are serving that is doing it for you?
The Kids Are Not All Right
Nope! It’s over. Done and dusted. Somehow the creepiest Halloween costumes happen to be the super creative DIY ones. They capture that piece of our imagination that fears the unknown. Does anyone have any holy water on hand?
Glowing Eyes
The parent who shared this image described the Halloween costume as “Demon Child.” There’s something about the obscured face but the glowing eyes that is really getting to us. What happened to their peepers? How can this kid see?
Just a Couple of Brothers
“The boys decided to be the same character!” the proud mom of these boys wrote. They are dressed as a Creepypasta character called “Jeff the Killer.” Those faces are so terrifying we actually want Jack to kill us now.
The Crows? They’re Scared
Have you ever seen a Scarecrow that really rubs you the wrong way? We had and then we saw this and immediately realized it could have been much, much worse. We’re staying out of any open fields until November 1.
RELATED: One Man’s Halloween Decorations Are So Terrifying That Police Have Been Called Multiple Times
Not Cool!
So, this Halloween costume started out innocent enough with Peter Pan looking so very adorable. Then, with the assistance of a parent, this costume has been totally taken over to the dark side. Is this not the worst thing you have ever seen? AH!
Chuck-She?
Here’s our second Chucky and this little girl deserves an Academy Award for Best Actress. The commitment here is just undeniable. If this Halloween costume list teaches you anything, it’s to not interact with dolls ever.
The Family That Slays Together…
This family went all-in on their Halloween costumes and, as you would expect, the kids are the worst part. How do they look so dead in the eyes? Though it doesn’t look like it, we’re sure they all had a good time.
So Wrong for This
For those of you who have a lifelong fear of the movie The Exorcist, we are sorry. The parents of this child deserve a firm slap on the wrist and a good talking to. It’s so wrong on so many levels.
Not Going to Play
Here are some more Halloween costumes based on the creepy twins from The Shining. Can you just hear the words “Come play with us, Danny,” running through your mind? Sorry kiddos, we’re not game!
Don’t Watch That Tape
You know, twinning Halloween costumes are fun for friends but they prove unendurable for all of us who witness them. We did not need one Samara from The Ring and that means we definitely were good without two. It’s wise to avoid VHS tapes at the moment.
Little Mummy
The parent who helped make this kid’s costume explained that it is a zombie/mummy hybrid. Will you ever be the same? Kids in masks are like the scariest things on the planet and that’s not up for debate.
A Mask Will Do It
Really, slap any old creepy mask on your child and it will haunt you for the rest of your days. This one looks like a broken little doll that wants to break you in half. Eeek!
Baba-Baby
The Babadook scared our socks off the first time we saw it. Little did we know that the character would become a gay iconoclast and beloved “other” figure. “If it’s in a word, or in a look, you can’t get rid of the Babadook…” Words to live by.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 25 Canceled Halloween Costumes That Are Beyond Offensive
Ban the Banshee
A mom sculpted this mask for her young child we called a “Banshee.” Whatever you want to call it we’re staying out of sight of this thing. Parents, keep these Halloween costumes weird. You’re the reason for the season!
Mamas Uncut is THE online place for moms. We cover the latest about motherhood, parenting, and entertainment as well – all with a mom-focused twist. So if you're looking for parenting advice from real parents, we have plenty of it, all for moms from moms, and also experts. Because, at the end of the day, our mission is focused solely on empowering moms and moms-to-be with the knowledge and answers they’re looking for in one safe space.