Google Reveals Top Trending Halloween Costumes as Horror Culture Dominates Season
Google lists Obsession and The Odyssey among top costumes, while Airbnb reports a surge in Gen Z bookings for spooky stays.
Headline and summary written by an AI model from the linked articles; not reviewed by a person. How this was made
This story has stopped developing; this page is its permanent record. More from that day
The odds
Each tick is a source publishing on this story · 12 more published before price tracking began
Price data
| Time | Chance of yes |
|---|---|
| now | 34% |
| 18 Oct, 06:03 UTC | 34% |
| 18 Oct, 02:31 UTC | 30% |
| 17 Oct, 20:57 UTC | 29% |
| 17 Oct, 16:02 UTC | 30% |
| 17 Oct, 02:04 UTC | 28% |
| 16 Oct, 23:30 UTC | 27% |
| 16 Oct, 05:35 UTC | 23% |
| 15 Oct, 20:03 UTC | 20% |
| 14 Oct, 19:16 UTC | 17% |
Replay the odds, article by article
Step through each article in the order it published and watch Stranger Things respond.
The story so far
6 publishers have covered this in 15 articles since 9 Oct 2026. The New York Times published first, on 9 October at 09:01 UTC; Features – IndieWire followed 9h 59m later. The most recent article, from The New York Times, appeared on 17 October at 15:56 UTC.
Outlets reporting it: The New York Times (major outlet), The Verge (major outlet), Variety (major outlet), The Hollywood Reporter (major outlet), Features – IndieWire, Quartz.
One prediction market prices this story:
- Stranger Things — the market puts it at 34%, closing 1 Jan 2027. The outcome is Yes if Stranger Things ranks as the number one search result on Google’s Year in Search 2026 Global TV Shows list. The outcome is No if it does not hold that top spot. Readers often mistake the deadline for the end of the year rather than the specific publication date of Google's annual report.
Odds are the market's probability that the outcome happens, updated every few minutes. They are information about what traders expect, not a forecast we make and not investment advice.
How it unfolded
Every source in the order it published, with the odds on Stranger Things at that moment. A dash means the source published before we started tracking prices.
- The New York Times5 Children’s Movies to Stream Now—
- The New York Times‘Backrooms’ and Other Horror Movies to Stream Now—
- Features – IndieWireThe Best Movies New to Every Major Streaming Platform in October 2026—
- The VergeHorror is big business—
- The New York Times5 Horror Movie Locations to Get You in the Halloween Spirit—
- Variety‘Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience’ Returns to New York Just in Time for Halloween — Here’s How to Get Tickets—
- VarietyThe Best Hollywood-Themed Halloween Experiences: The Roosevelt Hotel Tours, Charles Manson Haunts, Pantages Theater Screenings and More—
- The Hollywood ReporterNostalgia Fuels Halloween Decor Trends as Retailers Tap Into the ‘Practical Magic’ Aesthetic—
- The New York Times5 Horror Movie Locations to Get You in the Halloween Spirit—
- VarietyFrom Haunted Morgues to Horror Movie Cabins, Airbnb’s Spookiest Stays Are Drawing Gen Z Travelers This Halloween—
Show 5 later sources
- Variety AustraliaVillage Roadshow’s Fright Nights Becomes a ‘Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Horror Game’—
- VarietyGoogle’s Top Trending Halloween Costumes for 2026 Include ‘Obsession,’ ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Descendants’—
- Features – IndieWireThe Best Horror Films to Introduce to Someone Who Hates Horror17%
- QuartzThe best haunted towns in the U.S. for a 2026 Halloween getaway23%▲6 points since the previous source
- The New York TimesFive Free Movies to Stream Now28%▲5 points since the previous source
- Current odds34%
Sources
Every article we clustered into this story. Headlines link to the publisher.
- Five Free Movies to Stream Now The New York Times ·
- Google’s Top Trending Halloween Costumes for 2026 Include ‘Obsession,’ ‘The Odyssey’ and ‘Descendants’ Variety ·
- Village Roadshow’s Fright Nights Becomes a ‘Choose-Your-Own-Adventure Horror Game’ Variety Australia ·
- From Haunted Morgues to Horror Movie Cabins, Airbnb’s Spookiest Stays Are Drawing Gen Z Travelers This Halloween Variety ·
- 5 Horror Movie Locations to Get You in the Halloween Spirit The New York Times ·
- Nostalgia Fuels Halloween Decor Trends as Retailers Tap Into the ‘Practical Magic’ Aesthetic The Hollywood Reporter ·
Show 9 more sources
- The Best Hollywood-Themed Halloween Experiences: The Roosevelt Hotel Tours, Charles Manson Haunts, Pantages Theater Screenings and More Variety ·
- ‘Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience’ Returns to New York Just in Time for Halloween — Here’s How to Get Tickets Variety ·
- 5 Horror Movie Locations to Get You in the Halloween Spirit The New York Times ·
- Horror is big business The Verge ·
- ‘Backrooms’ and Other Horror Movies to Stream Now The New York Times ·
- 5 Children’s Movies to Stream Now The New York Times ·
- The best haunted towns in the U.S. for a 2026 Halloween getaway Quartz
- The Best Horror Films to Introduce to Someone Who Hates Horror Features – IndieWire
- The Best Movies New to Every Major Streaming Platform in October 2026 Features – IndieWire
Related prediction markets
Linked by software because they are about the same subject. Most ask a different question from the one this story reports, so read each market's own question. How often the link is right
- Kalshi Stranger Things 34%
Does the market have this right?
Wrong market?
Have your say
Your call. How does this end?
Free, no money involved. Calls are scored against the market's price when you make them, so backing an underdog that wins scores most. Leaderboard · Your calls
Email me when the odds move
In this story
- Airbnb
- Village Roadshow Theme Parks
- Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience