Halloween Costumes to Buy Now Before They Sell Out

Buying a premade Halloween costume can save time and energy and ensure quality — but lots of people love the same movie and television characters that you do, so the hottest costumes are likely to sell out early. We got some of the top dress-up enthusiasts known as cosplayers to share their expert opinion on some Halloween costumes to buy now before they sell out, and why they’re going to be so popular. (Of course, you can always make your own.)

Note: Prices and availability are subject to change.

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‘Dad Bod’ Thor from ‘Avengers: Endgame’

Price: $24 | Buy it from Amazon Thor stole the show in “Avengers: Endgame” when he let himself go in a post-apocalyptic depression. Cosplayer Colana Suzuki says she’s already seen people as “Dad Bod” Thor, and that will only increase come Halloween. “Going to Comic-Con, I saw a lot of male cosplayers doing the ‘dad bod’ or ‘beer bod’ Thor,” Suzuki says. “It was, ‘Finally, a character where I don’t have to be in shape’ — just having Thor with his bathrobe and sunglasses.”

Forky from ‘Toy Story 4’

Price: $40 | Buy it from Disney In “Toy Story 4,” Bonnie turned a spork into a toy. Disney is selling official Forky costumes, but you’ll want to grab them before they’re gone. “Forky from ‘Toy Story’ was really popular … I guarantee you you’re going to see a lot of people running around like that,” Izola Siegfried says. “You also have kids coming in, and they’re going to want to be all of these different characters that they love.” (Want just the mask? It’s $13 at Party City.)

Scoops Ahoy From ‘Stranger Things’

Price: $50 | Buy it for women or men from Party City Netflix’s spooky “Stranger Things” series has always been popular for providing fans a chance to dress up like it’s the ’80s. The third season’s addition of the Scoops Ahoy ice cream parlor created a new hot costume. “I think the Scoops Ahoy is actually going to be a lot more popular” than past seasons’ offerings, Siegfried says. “Right when ‘Stranger Things’ released the last season, we went right into convention mode — and everybody and their mother was wearing a Scoops Ahoy costume.”

Eleven From Stranger Things

Price: $22.50 | Buy it from Party City Scoops Ahoy may be the new “Stranger Things” costume, but fans will still want to be the show’s star Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown. “I also saw Eleven and her black little jumper [at conventions],” Siegfried says. “That one was really popular. I think that those are very easy costumes that will be at Party City and at the Spirit store. I’ve even seen them pop up at Amazon, and you can already see how many are selling.”

John Wick From ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum’

Price: $50 | Buy it from Spirit Keanu Reeves is back this year with a cameo in Netflix’s “Always Be My Maybe,” a voice in “Toy Story 4,” and his third outing as hitman John Wick. “I’ve been seeing a lot more John Wick [costumes],” Andres Ramirez says. “It’s not that hard to pull off. Probably just a wig might be the toughest part.” Generic hitman costumes might sell out as people scoop them up to make their own John Wick costumes. “Don’t just go with the nice slick black suit,” Siegfried says. “Tear that thing up. Make it dirty, make it bloody, make it holey. That’s how he went through most of the movie.”

Handmaids From ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’

Price: $37 | Buy it from Spirit People buy Handmaids costumes year-round to stage protests dressed as characters from the dystopian show. With Halloween shoppers, stores may run out of the costumes. “It’s so simple but so amazing,” Siegfried says. “I guarantee you you’re going to see a lot of those roaming around.”

Batwoman

Price: $38 | Buy it from Amazon Batwoman’s new TV show doesn’t even premiere until Oct. 6, but as soon as Ruby Rose was cast in the show, people got excited to be Batwoman for Halloween. “When ‘Batwoman’ was announced, I started seeing a lot more people are picking Batwoman,” Ramirez says. “It might be tricky depending on what kind of budget people have, but it’s definitely going to be more common.” (A kids’ version is $25.)

Shazam From ‘Shazam’

Price: $30 | Buy it from Amazon Comic book superhero Shazam finally got his own movie this year. Shazam is actually a child named Billy Batson who can transform into a grown-up superhero when he says the magic word. The bright red costume with a lightning bolt has a lot of appeal for young trick-or-treaters. “It was PG-13, so a lot of kids were able to see it,” Suzuki says. (An adult costume is $10 more.)

Captain Marvel From ‘Captain Marvel’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’

Price: $30 | Buy it from Amazon Even though the “Captain Marvel” movie came out early this year, fans are still obsessed. Now that they have a chance to be Captain Marvel, get your Kree suits while you can. “She has such a strong influence on especially women and young girls,” Siegfried says. “When I’m in my Captain Marvel costume, I’ve had little girls run up to me screaming my name, ‘Captain Marvel,’ and they give me hugs. That’s amazing that she’s had such an impact.” (A kids’ version is $19.50.)

Iron Man With the Infinity Gauntlet

Price: $38 for the suit, $15 for the gauntlet | Buy the suit and gauntlet from Amazon Since “Avengers: Endgame” marked the end of Robert Downey Jr.’s involvement with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fans are likely to commemorate it at Halloween. A standout accessory might be the iron gauntlet Downey’s character invents to wield the powerful Infinity Stones. “You have the end of Iron Man in the series,” Suzuki says, and that makes this potentially the final chance to justify playing Iron Man since 2008. (A kids’ version of the suit is $22.)

Black Panther From ‘Avengers: Endgame’

Price: $28 | Buy it from Amazon Black Panther’s solo movie from 2018 was even bigger than “Avengers: Infinity War.” His return in “Avengers: Endgame” ensured that people will still buy Black Panther costumes for Halloween. “That’s the thing,” Siegfried says. “With ‘Endgame’ coming out, it’s still so fresh in everybody’s mind that any of those Marvel characters that are in the movie are going to be ones that people will choose.”

Area 51 Aliens

Price: $40 | Buy it from Party City Plans by UFO enthusiasts to “Storm Area 51” have brought alien conspiracies back into the spotlight. Alien costumes have been an old standby at costume shops, but they may become a premium item this year. “Because of Area 51, it’s going to be very relevant,” Ramirez says. Fortunately, “it’s super easy to pull off. You don’t need a big budget. Everybody knows what that is. It’s obviously an alien.”

Wrestlers From ‘GLOW’

Price: $26 | Buy it from Amazon Season 3 of “GLOW” premiered on Netflix in August, and fans will likely be able to find female wrestler costumes in stores that bear a striking resemblance to those of their favorite fictional characters. “‘GLOW’ has been super, super popular,” Siegfried says. “Everybody’s talking about it, and they’ve got a lot of great characters. [Stores] are going to sell costumes that look almost identical to it, but I don’t think that they’ll have the actual rights to sell it under the ‘GLOW’ banner.”

Black Widow From ‘Avengers: Endgame’

Price: $24 | Buy it from Amazon Black Widow is getting her own movie in 2020, but her storyline in “Avengers: Endgame” puts her on top this year. “That was a very epic part in the movie,” Siegfried says, Plus, who notes another reason for popularity: It’s an easy costume. “[People] are going to go more for the simple ones, the ones you can grab right away, and it’s just a bodysuit you can put on, and a wig” with a few accessories.

‘Game of Thrones’ Characters

Price: $70 for Daenerys | Buy it from Amazon Since “Game of Thrones” ended this year, fans may want to have one last Halloween as their favorite Westeros character. They have many from whom to choose. “The ones with huge fandoms that are now coming to an end — [people] want to be able to cosplay those or dress up,” Suzuki says. “You might see a lot of Jon Snows. You might see any of the surviving Starks.” Controversy over the series finale may dampen “Game of Thrones” costume sales, though. “I kind of think people just went ‘Eh,’ and walked away from it,” Siegfried says. “I don’t know if because of that it might not be as prominent this year.”

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Mal From ‘Descendants’

Price: $30 |Buy it from Spirit Disney’s popular “Descendants” TV movies feature the sons and daughters of famous Disney villains, and kids are likely to gravitate toward the characters for costumes. Mal is the daughter of Maleficent, from “Sleeping Beauty” and her own films. “You see her daughter who has the same ideals but is using it for good, and that’s awesome,” Suzuki says. “I think a lot of kids [like] a Disney film and a villain per se who grew up to be good. It also brings a lot of positive influence to kids.”

Spider-Man From ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’

Price: $36 | Buy it from Amazon Thanks to this year’s movie, Spider-Man may be in high demand. “I think this year, it probably will [sell out], because everybody loves Tom Holland,” Siegfried says. “He’s been an amazing Spider-Man, and I think that people just love that character now. It’s a great costume. People really like it and it’s easy — it’s a bodysuit and a mask. You can get in and out of it really quickly. That’s what they’re going to want. Who doesn’t love Spider-Man?” (A kids’ version is $25.)

Deadpool From ‘Deadpool 2’

Price: $33 | Buy it from Amazon “Deadpool 2” came out last year, but cosplayers say Deadpool fever has not died down. It’s likely to last through this Halloween, so get those red bodysuits and sword holsters now. “People are still loving Deadpool,” Siegfried says. (A kids’ version is $30.)

The Winchester Brothers From ‘Supernatural’

The CW’s hit “Supernatural” comes to an end this year with its 15th season. That’s going to make a lot of fans want to be the Winchesters for Halloween one last time — managed easily by buying a trench coat or leather jacket at a used-clothing store. There aren’t “Supernatural”-branded costumes, and when there are “they don’t call them that,” Siegfried says. “It’ll be like ‘Supernatural Agent No. 123’ or something. They’ll try to think of something that is not exactly that unless they have licensing rights.”

Daredevil and The Punisher From Netflix Marvel Shows

Price: $50 for Daredevil | Buy it from Amazon Netflix canceled all of its Marvel shows this year, and Jessica Jones and Luke Cage don’t really wear costumes — but fans may want one last run as Daredevil or The Punisher. “Since they got recently canceled, there’s probably going to be a few more diehard fans wanting to wear their costumes,” Ramirez says. “My take is that fans are so passionate they’re going to try to really bring a lot of attention to either convince the producers to bring back one more season or maybe have a collected edition of all the shows.” (The Punisher is $30 at Party City.)

Muscle Suits for Any Superhero Costume

Price: $22 | Buy it from Spirit If you’re going to be a superhero for Halloween, you may want to wear a fake muscle suit under the spandex. Since there are more superheroes than ever now, the generic muscle suits may sell out fast. “Not everybody has the time to work out, so those muscle suits are definitely a good alternative … if you pull it off properly,” Ramirez says.