The spooky season is here, so it’s time to start thinking about Halloween costumes. Cinephiles can always go back to the classics, like Freddy Krueger and Austin Powers, but most cosplayers like to stay relevant. 2022 has introduced movie and TV fans to a ton of cool new costumes, from the new colonial-era Predator in Prey to Robert Pattinson’s new heavily armored Batsuit in The Batman. There are a bunch of exciting new Marvel heroes to dress as, too, from Moon Knight to Ms. Marvel to America Chavez to She-Hulk (although that last one would require a lot of green body paint). From Stranger Things’ Eddie Munson to House of the Dragon’s Princess Rhaenyra to Top Gun: Maverick’s titular fighter pilot, the movies and TV shows of 2022 have offered up plenty of Halloween costume ideas.
Capt. Pete “Maverick” Mitchell From Top Gun: Maverick
Tom Cruise reprised one of his most iconic roles earlier this year with the high-octane aerial thrills of Top Gun: Maverick. Even the most generous predictions for the Top Gun sequel’s commercial performance managed to fall short of the incredible legs this movie has had at the box office. If it wasn’t for the hyped-up blockbuster extravaganza of Spider-Man: No Way Home, it would’ve been the biggest hit of the pandemic. Top Gun: Maverick is by far the most popular movie of the year, and the perfect one to reference with a Halloween costume.
Nearly 40 years after the original movie, Maverick still has pretty much the same wardrobe. To dress up as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, cosplayers could go with a full-blown Navy flight suit or a green Army jacket over a plain white t-shirt with a pair of jeans. Either way, the aviator sunglasses are a must.
Rhaenyra Targaryen From House Of The Dragon
HBO’s Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon is one of the biggest TV hits of the year. With critics and fans alike, the new Targaryen-centric prequel has managed to match the success of the flagship series. There are a bunch of Halloween costume ideas to take from the series, like the roguish Prince Daemon or the noble Ser Harrold or one of the titular fire-breathing beasts. But arguably the most interesting House of the Dragon character to dress up as would be Princess Rhaenyra.
Rhaenyra has a lot of extravagant dresses to choose from for that classic regal look. This costume would, of course, require a wig (or, for bolder cosplayers, some hair dye) to match the unique Targaryen tinge of silver-blonde.
Ricky “Jupe” Park From Nope
Jordan Peele’s spooky sci-fi thriller Nope is one of the most acclaimed movies of the year. This time around, Peele’s signature social commentary criticizes its industry’s use of exploitation for entertainment and its audience’s insatiable addiction to spectacle. From Em’s orange bandana to O.J.’s orange Scorpion King crew hoodie, there are a bunch of memorable costume choices in Nope. But by far the most memorable is the suit worn by fame-chasing former child star Ricky “Jupe” Park at the live show where he unveils the UFO (and gets swallowed up by it).
This would make an eye-catching Halloween costume: a bright red suit with a bolo tie and a giant cream-colored cowboy hat. Bonus points for the hands-free mic and the foreshadowing embroidered onto the back of the jacket with an image of a flying saucer.
Eddie Munson From Stranger Things
This year’s long-awaited fourth season of Stranger Things brought back many beloved characters. From Mike to Eleven to Hopper to Joyce to Lucas to Max to Steve to Robin, this list goes on. The season also introduced a couple of new fan-favorite supporting players, like the eccentric Eddie Munson, a drug dealer who leads a Dungeons & Dragons club that Mike and Dustin join at their new high school. Eddie would make a great Halloween costume for clothes that can be worn more than once.
The clothing items that make up Eddie’s snappy ensemble wouldn’t be out of place in everyday wear: a Hellfire Club raglan t-shirt, a black leather jacket over it, and a denim vest over that. He also wears black jeans and white sneakers that could easily be worn again. If the cosplayer doesn’t have a big mop of shaggy brown hair, they’ll also need a wig. Fans of details can also complement the outfit with rings and a wallet chain.
Jobu Tupaki From Everything Everywhere All At Once
Multiversal supervillain Jobu Tupaki is by far the best-dressed movie character of 2022. The Daniels’ Everything Everywhere All at Once is one of the most moving films of the year, one of the most ambitious genre experiments of all time, and a dazzling visual treat full of inventive sight gags, colorful compositions, and creative costumes. It would be fun to dress as Evelyn with a googly eye glued to the forehead or as Waymond with a weaponized fanny pack around the waist this Halloween, but Jobu can be seen in a new outrageous outfit every time she’s on-screen, each one flashier than the last.
She wears a bejeweled Elvis suit with a pink wig; a green jumpsuit covered in bobbles that look like trees from Whoville; a giant, fluffy blue fur coat with blue lipstick and eyeshadow to match – there are dozens to choose from. There’s also a bunch of fun to be had with Jobu’s complicated hairdos. One of her hairstyles reshapes her bangs to spell out “Jobu” in cursive. Her most convoluted hairstyle molds her hair up into a black ring to resemble the cosmic “everything bagel” MacGuffin. The possibilities are endless with a Jobu Tupaki costume.