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What Will the Top Non-Anime Cosplay Costumes for 2010 Be?

Last year in the United States was easily dubbed the year of Watchmen costumes (in terms of non-anime based cosplay). They were everywhere. It started in the spring, before the movie had even come out. And it culminated in the summer and fall, with large cons like Dragon*con and San Diego Comic-Con, where you couldn't turn a corner without running into a Silk Spectre II, a Sally Jupiter, or a Rorschach. I even saw a few Comedians, and an Ozymandias or two. Yes, 2009 was the year for Watchmen cosplay. But what will be the top non-anime cosplay costume inspiration for 2010?

I don't have a crystal ball, but I do have a list of upcoming blockbuster movies, and those tend to be a good source of cosplay inspiration.

One of the first movies that comes to mind is Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (part 1), which is slated for a late fall 2010 release. Harry Potter cosplay might have peaked a few years ago (and has since decreased), but it could easily come back for a huge resurgence. Why? Because people not only create cosplay costumes for conventions, but for big movie releases as well. If a cosplayer can do multiple events in a costume, they may be more likely to make one in the first place. There's also that whole out of sight, out of mind thing. Harry Potter is about to go out with a bang, in movie franchise terms, and that puts the fandom back in the minds of cosplayers. I think we can expect Harry Potter cosplay to come back, for sure. But will it dominate for the whole year? Given the late fall release date, maybe not.

Another good contender will no doubt be Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland. Not only has almost every single Tim Burton movie inspired a legion of cosplayers, but Johnny Depp is a cosplay magnet in his own right. Just think back to the insane number of Willy Wonkas and Jack Sparrows from years past. I've actually already seen a Johnny Depp Mad Hatter cosplay, and it won't be the last. The reason? Tim has a tendency to have incredibly unique and memorable costumes in his movies. You see it once, and you remember it. It gives those who create cosplays based on his films a level of instant recognition at conventions that can be very appealing to some. Additionally, the movie has so many iconic characters that it will work well for those who cosplay in groups. I think we can expect a lot of Mad Hatters, Queens of Hearts, Alices, White Rabbits, and Cheshire Cats.