Halloween is around the corner again, and the fashion industry is introducing new sneaker entries inspired by the spookiest season. In 2025, there’s Nike and Kevin Durant’s KD18 “Slim Reaper” sneaker featuring a skeletal hand, the Nike Air Max 95 OG Big Bubble “Houseflies” sneaker showcasing a reflective pattern of flies and neon green accents, and Ja Morant‘s Nike Ja 3 “Spooky Season” sneaker with “Zombie” splayed across the insole.
The holiday has served as a creative outlet for athletic brands for years, whether by drawing inspiration from famous fictional characters or from the signature colors and iconography associated with Halloween. Many releases from brands have paid tribute to iconic horror movies like “A Nightmare on Elm Street” and “Friday the 13th” — notably, a famous Freddy Krueger-inspired Nike sneaker was never officially released (more on that below) and has a sky-high resale value.
Below, find 15 of the best sneakers paying homage to the beloved spooky season, whether it’s an update to an athlete’s signature sneaker or a collaboration with a movie studio.
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Nike SB Dunk Low “Freddy Krueger”
Image Credit: Courtesy of StockX The Nike SB Dunk Low “Freddy Krueger” shoe has a storied past. Slated for a 2007 release, it was created as part of a “Horror Pack” pack by Nike, which also featured a “Jason Vorhees” shoe and a “Dawn of the Dead” shoe. However, Nike ultimately didn’t have the licensing needed to release the Freddy Krueger-inspired shoe, so just a small number of pairs came into existence. For the limited amount that are out there, some massive price tags can be found on the resale market.
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Vans x Warner Bros “House of Horror” Collection
Image Credit: Courtesy of Vans Vans has gotten in on the Freddy Krueger craze as well, partnering with Warner Bros on a “House of Horror” collection including a Vans Sk8-Hi sneaker inspired by the character.
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Reebok BB 4000 II Dracula
Image Credit: Reebok Reebok’s Boktober celebration returned in 2024 with a collection in partnership with Universal Products & Experiences including several sneakers inspired by Universal Monsters. This color-shifting BB 4000 II sneaker is a tribute to the vampire Dracula.
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Reebok Pump TZ Frankenstein
Image Credit: Reebok Another sneaker in Reebok’s Boktober collection was the Pump TZ inspired by Frankenstein, designed with glue-stain details, deco stitching, metal hardware and a translucent aged rubber outsole paying homage to the creature created by a scientist.
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Nike Air Max 95 “Freddy Krueger”
Image Credit: Nike Nike’s Air Max 95 modeled has received a Freddy Krueger treatment as well, but with a subtler design than some other sneakers influenced by the character. The sneaker has the telltale stripes of his sweater, with the undulation associated with this Nike sneaker style, in a quieter colorway that doesn’t scream red and green so much as red and gray.
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Vans Horror Collection
Image Credit: Courtesy of Vans Vans released a Horror collection from 2021 included sneakers inspired by iconic horror films, including “The Gremlins” (pictured here), “Beetlejuice,” “The Shining,” “Friday the 13th,” “It” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”
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LaMelo Ball Puma MB.03 “Halloween”
Image Credit: Courtesy of Nykaa Man LaMelo Ball’s Puma MB.03 “Halloween” sneaker presents a vibrant orange color scheme on theme with the holiday it’s named for. A jack-o-lantern detail can be found among the edgy designs.
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Nike LeBron 13 “Horror Flick”
Image Credit: Courtesy of Getty Images The Nike LeBron 13 received a special-themed “Horror Flick” iteration, which was debuted by LeBron James on court on Nov. 13, 2015 — Friday the 13th. The sneakerwas tinged with blood spatter.
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Adidas Dame 9 “Halloween”
Image Credit: Adidas Damian Lillard’s Dame 9 shoe with Adidas was made available in a “Halloween” version in 2024 with the Three Stripes reimagined as bloodied claw-like slashes against a black backdrop.
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Adidas Harden Vol. 7 “Halloween”
The Adidas Harden Vol. 7 “Halloween” sneaker clearly conveys its inspiration, with a color-blocked jack o’lantern colorway including a green heel tab resembling the stem of a pumpkin.
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Nike Kobe 5 Protro “X-Ray”
Image Credit: Nike The Nike Kobe 5 Protro “X-Ray” sneaker takes the Halloween theme in a colorful direction with a purple and light blue colorway. The standout element is the image of an X-rayed hand splashed on the upper.
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Nike KD18 “Slim Reaper”
Image Credit: Nike Kevin Durant and Nike unveiled the KD18 “Slim Reaper” was unveiled in October 2025. Tributing the nickname of the All Star, the sneaker gets spooky with a skeletal hand design, a Grim Reaper on the inside of the tongue and a green sole accenting a black backdrop. Not to mention, it glows in the dark.
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Nike Cortez “Day of the Dead”
Image Credit: Nike Día de los Muertos, of The Day of the Dead, is celebrated around the same time as Halloween in Mexico and more countries. Nike paid homage to the holiday, which is a time for people to remember loved ones who have died, with the Nike Cortez “Day of the Dead” sneaker released in 2015. It’s a black shoe with a white Swoosh and an orange streak through the sole.
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Adidas Samba Día de Muertos
Image Credit: Adidas Among the Adidas shoes tribtuting Día de Muertos — the brand celebrates the holiday every year — the athletic label released a Samba collection featuring two colorways which dropped at the end of September 2024. Offered in black and white, the sneakers feature contrast blanket stitching and sugar skulls, in addition to other details.
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Adidas Forum Mod Low “Jack O’ Lantern”
Image Credit: Courtesy of Adidas The Adidas Forum Mod Low “Jack O’Lantern,” which was released by Adidas in 2023, features rough canvas inspired by scarecrows. It also includes stitching and a jack o’lantern charm.