Halloween Weekly Update: Hot Topic, John Carpenter & an Early Halloween Surprise (Aug 03–09, 2026)

Halloween season continues to pick up steam as Lyle and Meghan cover some of the biggest stories from the worlds of Halloween, horror, and the paranormal. This week, Spencer Spirit Holdings announces plans to acquire Hot Topic, John Carpenter talks about possibly returning to the Halloween franchise, and 83 neighbors come together to give an 11-year-old boy an unforgettable early Halloween celebration. We also head Around the Crypt for Disney’s newest Halloween popcorn bucket, a look at how one city is considering making Halloween night safer, research into whether infrasound could help explain some paranormal experiences, and Dan Aykroyd’s stories from his reportedly haunted family farmhouse. Plus, Meghan brings us Code Orange and This Week in Halloween History, and we read four brand-new Apple Podcasts reviews. Story Links Spencer Spirit Holdings to Acquire Hot Topic:https://www.retaildive.com/news/spencer-spirit-holdings-acquire-hot-topic-halloween/827283/ John Carpenter Wants to Return to Halloween:https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/584193/john-carpenter-wants-to-return-to-halloween-id-love-to-contribute/ 83 Neighbors Create an Early Halloween Celebration:https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/amp/family/story/83-neighbors-surprise-11-year-early-halloween-birthday-135350232 Disney World Halloween Popcorn Bucket:https://allears.net/2026/08/07/new-halloween-popcorn-bucket-hits-disney-world/ Tucson Considers Halloween Safety Measures:https://tucson.com/news/local/government-politics/article_e93df279-8fea-46a7-a38f-8711235cca4d.html Infrasound and Paranormal Experiences:https://www.frontiersin.org/news/2026/04/27/vibrating-pipes-restless-spirits-increased-stress-irritability-infrasound-exposure-paranormal-experiences-frontiers-behavioral-neuroscience Dan Aykroyd’s Haunted Ontario Farmhouse:https://ghostbustersnews.com/2026/08/05/dan-aykroyd-offers-a-peek-inside-his-haunted-ontario-farmhouse/ The Halloween Podcast Website: https://www.TheHalloweenPodcast.com Patreon: https://www.Patreon.com/TheHalloweenPod Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/TheHalloweenPodcast Instagram: https://www.Instagram.com/TheHalloweenPodcast YouTube: https://www.YouTube.com/TheHalloweenPodcast Email: [email protected] Haunt Line: 731-400-0472 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.