Halloween: 5 pop culture references that will make the best Halloween costumes this year

• Stuck for a Halloween costume this year and happy to go full gusto?
• Why not take a page out of some of 2024’s biggest pop culture moments on screen for a costume at this year’s Halloween party?
• Benjamin Jackson gives his five suggestions for what you could dress up as from some of this year’s biggest talking points in film and television.

It’s October, which means we’re in the run up to the Halloween season, if the plethora of Halloween decorations permeating shops in early September didn’t remind you.

With Halloween of course comes the inevitable Halloween party or office dress up and the discussions with friends (or yourself) as to what to dress up as this year. There are those who go for the group costume, be it dressing as the Ghostbusters or in some cases paying homage to The Beatles during their Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band phase.

Stuck for Halloween costume ideas ahead of the 2024 season? One of these picks from this year's talking points from the world of cinema and streaming might be a starting point for you. | Getty/Canva/Provided

But then there are some of us, me included, who are stuck what to dress as; many a year I promised myself I’d dress up as Silent Bob from the View Askewniverse only to stop in my tracks, pop on a shirt and pretend I’m “Benjii from last week.” Real creative, I know.

This year, I don’t think I can get away with that, and with a huge amount of pop culture moments that have taken place in 2024, I’ve had a ponder what could be the best Halloween costumes this year themed with some of the more memorable moments from cinema and TV this year - or are about to come.

So here’s five suggestions on what you could dress up for this Halloween, based on what people have been, or will be, talking about throughout the year - from the grandeur to the more laconic, “I don’t really do dress up” type costumes.

What pop culture references will make the best Halloween costumes in 2024?

Wicked

Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Granda in the film adaptation of Wicked, set for release in November 2024. | Universal

The musical has been an incredible success both on Broadway and the West End, and very much became a touchstone moment in modern musical theatre - plus witches always seem to be the go to for a costume.

But with the big screen adaptation of Wicked, starring Ariana Grande, set for release not a month after Halloween 2024, we can envision a lot of people adapting either the attire of Glinda the Good Witch, or for the more daring who fancy painting their face and going “full goth,” dressing as Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

Winona Ryder and Michael Keaton as Lydia Deetz and Betelguese in Tim Burton's long-awaited sequel to 1988's "Beetlejuice." "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." | Warner Bros. Pictures

The character Betelgeuse has regularly made an appearance at Halloween parties and is always easily distinguishable with the striped suit and wild hair - a smattering of flour in your hair adds to that dishevelled, dead look.

But for those who don’t want to dress up as the Ghost with the Most, there are other options after the success of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice earlier this year.

You could adopt the ornate, black gothic fashion sense of Lydia (played byWinona Ryder) or just adopt a regular look with a dour take on your “mothers” line of work and dress as the cynic Jenna Ortega played in the sequel.

Succession

The smash hit HBO series concluded in 2023 but recieved it’s final set of flowers in during the 2024 awards season

There are those out there that don’t like the idea of “sending themselves up” during Halloween, and we can appreciate going all out with makeup and unusual costumes might not be your thing. So here’s a suave alternative.

Why not pop on your best suit, slick your hair back and tell everyone that you’re a member of the Roy family. Men can suggest they’re either Kendall, Roman, Cousin Greg or for the older gentlemen, Logan Roy.

Meanwhile for females, you could pop on a decent power suit and just claim you’re dressed as Shiv from the series - or an associate of Waystar Royco.

Baby Reindeer

Baby Reindeer was one of 2024’s biggest talking points after its success, and controversy, since appearing on Netflix.

The incredibly successful Netflix series was an awards darling at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards and captured the imagination of millions across the world who watched the dark-comedy-slash-thriller. It’s also another low effort costume that you can get away with in a pinch.

Don a floral dress or woolly jumper after having a browse through Vinted, tussle your hair a bit and voila: you’re Martha from the series. Alternatively, grow out your facial hair a little more, go for a few nights without sleep to get that sunken eye effect and you too “could” pass yourself off at the Halloween party as Donny.

Art the Clown - Terrifier

Considered one of the latest horror movie icons to join Jason, Freddy and Michael, Art the Clown returns to cinemas in Terrifier 3, out October 11 2024. | Jesse Korman

If the prospect of a low effort costume makes you think the point of dressing up for Halloween is pointless, you could go all out with a character who is easily one of the most recognisable horror villains in recent history.

With the release of Terrifier 3 on October 11 2024, and after the success of its sequel, we envision many horror movie buffs will go and pick up a clown costume, bald cap and don the facepaint of one Art the Clown. Bonus points if you can head into your place of work in said attire and mime out your actions throughout the day.

This, of course, won’t work if you’re in a call centre. Having said that, and given the bad rap clowns have gotten over the last number of years (thanks, Pennywise), this one might be more suited for an evening occasion - one past the watershed.

Do you have any suggestions for Halloween costumes from pop culture moments in 2024, or are one of our suggestions inspiring you for this year’s spooky season? Let us know by leaving a comment down below.