25 Scary (and Awesome) Adult Halloween Costumes for 2018
[Originally published in 2017; scaried up for 2018 by Sid Natividad]
It’s that time of the year again when the people are allowed to scare others as much as they want without being sent to jail. We all love Halloween because it gives us a chance once a year to shed this fake flesh visage for people and don our true, horrific, demonic selves which we struggle to hid because we’re politicians. Mine’s name is Korzburg the Devourer, by the way, and he has lived inside me since childhood, with one night annually he can reveal his true form through me.
However, most people will find this a difficult thing to do, so costumes are certainly needed. Alcohol can also help but it has other side effects, like making a brick wall look attractive enough for you to make out with it.
Halloween is also a great chance to get dressed up and get candy or hit up some kinky social gatherings. With the day of the dead in mind, we thought we would assemble a list of scary adult Halloween costumes (and some funny and cool ones too) that will surely be trending this Halloween (2018 for those who may have just awakened from a coma).
Expect to see some aliens, a demon maybe, some pop culture references, and worst of all, our president. Here, without further delay, 25 scary adult Halloween costumes for 2018 (and beyond).
Side note, not all are scary. Some are just downright hilarious and some are current pop culture gems.
Pennywise the Dancing Clown
When IT comes to Halloween, IT is easy to guess this year that the “scary adult Halloween costumes” trend will be led by none other than the Pennywise from the new IT movie which just came out (and is pretty badass).
There is just something primal in us that clowns evoke, like the simple fact that someone dressed up as such has complete anonymity and can pretty much get away with murder without anyone knowing who is actually doing it. Check out the history of John Wayne Gacy of you think I’m lying.
And let’s be real, that face and outfit are scary as hell.
Wonder Woman
For the woman who may not want to be scary but may also want to feel empowered and driven, there is this killer Wonder Woman costume. And we are not talking cheap knockoff. We are talking her outfit from the flick with pretty much every detail nailed.
Granted, the cuffs won’t stop bullets so don’t get too overconfident when donning this guise.
Slenderman
Photo by YouTube/Michael
What initially started off as a creepypasta meme then became an indie video game where you collect some pieces of paper in a horrific dark forest has spun off its own franchise. Slenderman has had its own movie just this year and it is every bit as horrifying as its creepypasta and game version.
There’s just no denying it, tall, faceless men wearing a suit with some hidden tentacles and some murderous intent is scary. Thankfully, trying to replicate the Slenderman Halloween costume is none to terrifying and is also quite simple. There’s even no need to buy it, any black suit and some white bandages for the head will do, though you have to be SLENDER in order to achieve the look. But for those who are committed to authenticity, here’s the link:
Krampus the Christmas Demon
By now I am sure you have all heard of the legend of the Krampus. The German equivalent of Santa (more like Satan) who shows up for bad little German boys and girls on Christmas and steals and eats them if they were bad during the year.
Well, now you can actually dress up like the badass beast for Halloween. Please note, the kid legs and shoes sticking out of the bag really sell it and bring this Halloween costume to whole new level. And you can also bust this one out at Christmas, so really, it pays for itself the first year.
Inflatable T-Rex
What strikes terror in the hearts of men more than giant dinosaurs stumbling into a party where they reside? Nothing, that’s what. And that is just what you will do when you show up to a Halloween shindig in this inflatable number.
Kidding. The truth is, these costumes are hilarious because they are inflated and oversized and the head wobbles all around when you walk like the T-rex’s neck was broken. So what is scarier than a T-Rex at a party?
A T-Rex with a broken neck at a party, real talk. This shit is wholly unsettling.
Twisty the Clown (From American Horror Story)
Of all the scary characters to come out of the many seasons of American Horror Story, Twisty the clown (from Freakshow season and this season) has easily been one of the most memorable and creepiest. When it comes to scary adult Halloween costumes it seems like creepy clowns are gonna be all the rage this year between Pennywise and Twisty.
Hell, going as ANY clown is pretty much scary as hell TBH. But Pennywise and Twisty are the two best bets for actual recognition factor.
The Nun
Photo by YouTube/Shaaanxo
What happens when you corrupt one of the holiest professions out there and turn it into a Halloween icon? Well, you get the fifth installment of “The Conjuring” film franchise. Perhaps what makes The Nun so scary is the thought of a servant of the Christian god falling prey to some demons. It simply leaves no safe haven for people. I mean, why pray to your god for safety in times of horror when even a nun was not saved from a demon?
That, and the fact that The Nun’s appearance is the stuff of nightmares and black robes and silent stares are scary. Be sure to take note of that when you don the scary black nun costume. Don’t forget the makeup.
Eleven from Stranger Things
Granted, Eleven from Stranger Things is not really a scary character, but you carry a Lego waffle with you there is no question you would be the Belle of the ball this Halloween.
Stranger Things has been a huge hit, so going to a party, showing up somewhere as a grown up version of Eleven is guaranteed to get some cool responses. Plus, you’ll have a waffle in case you get hungry at any time, and that’s a bonus!
A White Walker from Game of Thrones
Ah, Game of Thrones. The TV show that has literally become a cultural phenomenon. You didn’t think the list would be bereft of any entries from this fantastical show, did you?
And what better way to make the room go quiet than showing up as the Night King himself. The mask is really well done, with all the rigid, angular features we know so well from the character on the show.
By the way, extra 1000 points if you go to a Halloween party as a White Walker and never speak to anyone. Just stand there. That will REALLY freak people out.
A Horse
I know what some of you are thinking:
How is a horse mask scary?
Truth is, the horse head has gained HUGE fame over the last five years due to its use and popularity in pics and videos online. So as simple as showing up in a horse head mask may appear, people are gonna love it.
Morty from Rick and Morty
This show is SO HOT right now that showing up at any party dressed up as Morty from Rick and Morty is a surefire bet to get some reactions. Extra points if you can seem really nervous about everything and have your voice crack whenever you try to talk.
The best part is, it comes with mask and yellow shirt so all you need is the toy gun replica and some jeans, as well as a palpable sense of insecurity to really pull it off.
Wubba lubba dub-dub, motherf*ckers.
Smiley Face
Photo by YouTube/Alex Faction
It’s official, not all smiles are good. Some are psychotic, murderous, and demonic. Even the devil can be seen smiling in the holiest of scriptures while Christian figures have blank faces, what gives? Anyway, the thing that makes the Smiley Face Halloween costume so scary is the fact that it appears to be a mask made out of human skin, or is that the face with some scars carved into it? Either way, it is something that can give your mother or grandmother a heart attack.
Add in a knife or some other sharp weapon and some head tilting and you are on your way to be shot by your neighbors for being too scary. Just kidding, but this is one hell of a costume.
Jeff the Killer Costume
Now this, my friends and fellow fiends is one helluva scary Halloween Costume. Based on in the internet legend of Jeff the Killer, who would have thought a crappy, Photoshopped internet picture would end up making such a “piss in your pants” costume, but looks don’t lie, and this shit is SCARY! The grin alone is just unnerving to the core.
Walking around dressed like this on Halloween would make some of the kiddies like Halloween a whole lot less and might freak out your neighbors (which is kinda fun, you gotta admit).
Inflatable Baby Boy
My God, my eyes have never seen anything scarier than a grownup dressed as a giant, balloon baby, walking around and demanding candy. Some outfits and Halloween costumes are definitely spooky, but this one is just wrong and once you see this thing in motion, it will haunt your nightmares until the day you die. Which, by the way, could be from a heart attack after witnessing this abomination in real life.
You wanna freak people out, a giant, adult baby wobbling around larger than life is a great way to achieve just that.
Billy the Puppet from SAW
With a brand new SAW movie about to drop (entitled Jigsaw), what better time to take Billy the Puppet out of retirement to scare some life back into people?
As many of you recall (or don’t, who knows), Billy the Puppet is the little puppet that pops up before every scene or moment in Saw and warns of the details of the following trap. He is creepy as hell, so imagine the terror you will strike in people’s hearts when you show up as an ADULT version of said doll and just keep asking people if they “want to play a game?”
Samara/Sadako
Photo by DeviantArt/uchiharuki
This one’s a classic, it brought about the golden age of Japanese horror where faceless long-haired ladies and white gowns are considered scarier than any economic crisis back in the year 2000 and later. Since then, there have been several attempts to recreate the horror that Samara/Sadako brought, but she remains the top fright.
Now the costume is also quite easy to make, dirty white gowns, tangled black long hair wigs, and a videotape. Add in some slow walking and bad posture and voila! You are now a regular millennial couch potato– er, Samara or Sadako, if you’re feeling like a Japanese cinema purist.
Zalgo
Much like Jeff the Killer we showed before, Zalgo is a Halloween costume based on the Creepypasta about a creature who incites crippling fear when someone looks into its hollow, red and black eyes. It is another example where an online story and “skinsuit” don’t seem like they would go together but the end result is some genuinely creepy stuff.
Honestly, all “skinsuit” costumes kind of freak me out. Humans who have hidden faces are the scariest and dangerous humans of all. Doesn’t hurt when the face is hidden behind something as hideous as Zalgo.
Wanna see an even SCARIER skin suit, though…….
U.S.A Man
Um, I realize there are full-on monsters on this list, but is it weird I find this kind of (literally) blind patriotism to be scarier than the monsters? I mean, the person is a f*cking flag for crying out loud. From the clear bulge you must see in the groin area to the lack of eye contact, I feel like this costume is about as scary as it gets.
Don’t get me wrong, I love that people support the U.S.A, but to do so in spandex with no face puts you just one notch under “potential terrorist” to me.
This is not so much a costume as it is a clear cry for help on our country’s behalf.
Donald Trump Pouting
There are quite a few Trump options this year. There is even a cool one where you are standing on his shoulders, but I HAD to go with this particular mask because of how well-crafted it is. It really looks like him, even down to the hair and pained grimace and massive, orange pores.
Heck, he’s even pouting just like the real thing. And if there is anything scarier than Donald Trump right now, I don’t know what it is, honestly. To me, there is nothing scariest than an orange doofus with access to nuclear weapons.
Silent Hill Monsters (Pyramid Head, Nurses)
Photo by Dangerussmort
Now, if you want to impose another level of otherworldly fright on people, not many costumes come close to the abstract horrors of the “Silent Hill” franchise. We’re talking about a certain Pyramid Head which is not just a regular nightmare, it is a nightmare you get alongside delirium brought about by a high fever. It’s nauseating and hard to fathom. He carries around a huge blade and looks like a Picasso painting if Picasso was a psychotic satanist.
That is for men, for women, you can opt to go for the equally disturbing Silent Hill nurses which are faceless, mangled ghouls wearing a sexy nurse uniform… if you’re feeling devilishly kinky enough.
Michael Myers
Michael Myers has been terrifying teenagers since 1978. Clowns may be the big scary this Halloween but no costume “kills it” like the man behind the white mask holding the kitchen knife. Put the scary back in Halloween with as the classic slasher movie villain. This dead-eyed Halloween costume is the definition of freaky. Just standing there silently will creep out everyone at the party.
Wicked Doll
Why should the fellas have all the fun being scary on Halloween? Join the possessed murder dolls like Chucky and Annabelle with this haunted Victorian doll costume. Witches may be the classic scary costume for women but this evil doll costume for women is perfect for any ladies wanting to make the little kiddies (and grown men) scream!
Babadook
Photo by Pinterest/Belinda Sampson
It turns out, a monster that acts as a metamorphosis for a single mom’s trauma and psychological problems is scarier than imagined. That is exactly what Babadook is and while it represents PTSD among other traumatic things, its facade and appearance can stand on its own as a nightmare.
Predator
Photo by YouTube/Crisartventures
While its latest installment in the movie aspect of the franchise is a flop, the Predator remains as one of the most iconic horror movie icons ever. It is feared because it preys upon human beings and even creatures that are arguably tougher than it is, like the Xenomorphs (if you’re wondering why those are not here, they are quite hard to pull off and they tend to look ridiculous as costumes instead of scary).
While the Predator can be regarded as an anti-hero sometimes, more often than not, they are happy to decapitate humans or rip the spinal column of their victims by hand. They will not hesitate to do kill, just go ask Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Pinhead (Hellraiser)
Photo by GeekTyrant
When it comes to otherworldly satanic film entities, you cannot go wrong with Clive Barker. The Cenobites are a mix of freaky and torturous BDSM demons and the freakiest of them all is the iconic Pinhead. His head is full of pins, hence the name. Like his fellow weird Cenobites, he believes there is no distinction between extreme pleasure and extreme pain, and he loves to share that experience with mere mortals, often through crafty and deceptive deals which would give even Satan a boner.
One thing that is also good about a Cenobite or a Pinhead costume is that you can reuse it for purposes other than Halloween… you know, if whips and handcuffs are your “thing.” Now that would be a sight spookier than Halloween.
Slipknot were among the first bands to popularize the wearing of masks during performances and promotional shoots. They were pioneers of this idea which makes them instantly recognizable. The Slipknot masks have evolved over the years but this is perhaps one of the creepier, just in time for Halloween.
Uncredited Images and Costumes Via Party City and SpiritOfHalloween
Gaming Trailers
More Like This
The Addams Family: Mansion Mayhem | Halloween Accolade trailer
Latest Trailers
