Bacardí has revived Halloween tie-ins that reach back to legacy horror icons, including a Crypt Keeper collaboration and a glow-in-the-dark bottle, and it links into contemporary programming such as HalloQUEEN Janelle Monáe's Wondaween. Esquire editors published a roundup of 35 best horror comedies to stream this month, singling out titles across tones and eras such as Beetlejuice (1988), Max's The Dead Don’t Die (2019), A24’s Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) on Netflix, Lisa Frankenstein (2024) on Peacock, M3GAN (2022) on Amazon and AppleTV+, and The Lost Boys (1987). The list emphasizes family-friendly staples like Hocus Pocus and Beetlejuice alongside edgier picks such as Ready or Not, Jennifer’s Body, and One Cut of the Dead. Independent creators and local organizers are marking the season with new work and events: artists posting Halloween sketches and themed art, a creative writing workshop tied to a library’s Climate Readers Day on Halloween, a Chicago-area queer Halloween fundraiser run by a production studio supporting queer and BIPOC artists, a game jam and costume contest for Babes in the Wood, and an annual Halloween postcard release for 2026. Together the brand activations, streaming recommendations, and grassroots creative events form a commercial and cultural push around Halloween programming and community arts activity this season.
