It’s been a polarizing week for Spirit Halloween. On Thursday, the Halloween retailer announced that due to international disruptions and supply chain challenges, it has opted to cancel its annual Egg Harbor Township flagship store opening event. But the bad news was quickly followed by some excitement when, on Friday, the retailer debuted a teaser for its 2025 theme.
For 2025, Spirit Halloween looks like it is heading beneath the streets of New York City for a subway theme. Accompanying the teaser is an image of a subway sign featuring the destinations ‘Madison Scare Park’ and ’31 Street Station.’ The teaser quickly flashes the wreckage of a subway car in a subway tunnel, accompanied by an announcement that trains are delayed due to an “earlier incident.”
The teaser suggests that rats may be involved in the wreck. Several times throughout the teaser, the front page of a newspaper appears with a headline about a giant rat being found near the sewer. Smaller rats and squeaking can also be heard.
Not much else is showcased during the teaser, but there are some fun easter eggs. For instance, you can pause on one scene that shows the ‘Spirit Metro’ subway routes, which feature stops inspired by horror icons like Michael Myers from “Halloween” or Sam from “Trick ‘r Treat” as well as Spirit Halloween animatronics like Buzzsaw and Stilts the Clown.
Each year, Spirit Halloween features a new theme throughout the season’s marketing. The theme goes into the store displays, interactive store elements, and sometimes even its animatronics lineup. With the release of this teaser, it’s safe to say we’re heading beneath the streets to see what’s lurking in sewers and subway tunnels of the Spirit Metro as part of this year’s theme and will likely start seeing elements of this in future updates and in the over 1,500 Spirit Halloween stores expected to open in mid-August. What do you think of the teaser and this year’s theme? Let me know on social media!
