Over the last decade, one of the biggest staples of the fall season has been a very fang-filled fantasy. The Vampire. Originating in European folklore, the vampire is a mythical creature that takes on a human-like appearance with sharp, fang-like teeth.Â
Despite its long history, the vampire was first seen in modern fiction around 1819 with the release of The Vampyre by John Polidori. Ever since, the vampire has been one of the most popular mythical creatures featured every year in halloween-themed media. But over the last decade the vampire has seen a decline in popularity with the rise of zombie-themed movies.Â
Now, as we enter fall once again, we are seeing the comeback of vampires in modern media. With new movies, albums, and even art contests featuring the vampire. Just in 2026 alone, we’ve seen movies like Panos Cosmatos’s Flesh of the Gods, a gothic supernatural horror where a married couple encounters a vampire and are seduced into a nightlife of crime and violence with a vampire. Similarly, The Night Time World was also released. Which follows four separate vampire encounters revealed on a late-night podcast where the caller claims to be a vampire.Â
The Icons of the Night art contest is also currently running, with this year’s theme being vampires, werewolves, and hunters. The art contest itself runs from February 2026 through February 2027, and each month a winner is picked. With this year’s spooky theme, the vampire has shone with 7 of the 9 current winners featuring vampires in their winning works.Â
To kick the Halloween season into full swing, we have new music to play. With the release of Nessa Barrett’s 3rd studio album Tough Love, we see the vampire truly taking over the fall. The album was released on September 25, 2026, and features 11 new songs. Including three tracks with vampires hidden inside, like “Bad girls never die”, “too fast to live, too young to die”, and the hit title track “Dracula.” All of which talk about vampires, werewolves, and living forever.Â
This fall, we are witnessing the resurgence of the vampire and vampire stories in general; from movies to music, we can see exactly why people love the fangy creature.Â
