Ghostface AI Trend: Put Yourself in the 90s Horror Phone Call

Picture yourself lying on satin sheets with a chunky 90s telephone to your ear, while a hooded figure in a black robe and white ghost mask stands in the shadowy doorway. Upload a selfie and get a grainy film photograph, or a brief video where you look back.

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The Ghostface AI trend is a Halloween image trend from September 2025: a grainy late-90s film photograph showing you with a corded telephone in a dimly lit bedroom, while a masked figure in black robes stands in the doorway behind you. Upload one selfie, or two images for a partner or friend.

Also called Ghostface trend · AI Ghostface trend · Scream AI trend · Ghost face trend · Ghost face AI trend · Ghostface filter · Y2K Ghostface · Ghostface phone call trend

Step by step

How to make the Ghostface AI photo on Smew AI

Everything happens in the browser. No editing software, no prompt writing, no watermark.

Add your photo
Click "Create your own" and upload your selfie with a clear face. Snap it with the camera or choose from your gallery.
Press Generate
The button displays the cost. Nano Banana 2.1 places your image into the Ghostface scene and creates one 2K photograph. You don't write a prompt.
Download or share
The image appears in a few minutes as a 9:16 2K file. Save it, share from your device, convert to video, or retrieve it later from your Library.

Which photo works best?

Upload one clear, sharp image with your face clearly visible: a selfie or chest-up photograph works well. The prompt places you on a bed in a different room and outfit, so the model needs only your face, hair and skin tone.

Look at the camera in gentle daylight. Skip sunglasses, hats and intense filters.
Style your hair as you want it in the result: the prompt preserves your hair.
One face per image. Two faces may confuse the model.
For With your partner or friend, upload two images: the first person appears on the left, the second on the right.
Upload your own face, or an adult's who gave permission. Never use a celebrity or someone who didn't consent.

Where did the Ghostface AI trend start?

The trend borrows the look of the masked killer from Scream, the 1996 slasher film that opens with a phone call. It became easy to make in late August 2025, when Google released its new Gemini image model, nicknamed Nano Banana, which keeps your face the same while it changes everything around you.

On 25 September 2025, Instagram user @cortneydryden posted what Know Your Meme calls the earliest known example: an AI photo of herself on a big 90s phone in a Y2K bedroom, with the masked figure in the doorway behind her. A day later, TikToker @keepingupwithmuva shared a set of these photos together with the prompt, and the post passed 2.7 million views in four days. Most posts used a remix of "Deceptacon" by Le Tigre. Within days people posted Ghostface pictures with their own twists: the figure stealing the popcorn, mirror selfies, couples and versions for men.

Worldwide Google searches for "ghostface ai" (also spelled "ghost face ai") peaked in the week of 28 September 2025. In early October 2026, new Ghostface AI templates and remakes started to appear on TikTok again, and it came back as an AI Halloween trend for a second year.

1996-12-20
The slasher film Scream opens in US cinemas. Its killer wears a black hooded robe and a white ghost mask, and the film opens with a phone call. Wikipedia
2025-08-26
Google releases Gemini 2.5 Flash Image, nicknamed nano-banana, an image model that keeps a person the same across edits. Google for Developers
2025-09-25
Instagram user @cortneydryden posts the earliest known Ghostface AI photo: herself on a 90s phone, the masked figure in the doorway. Know Your Meme
2025-09-26
TikToker @keepingupwithmuva shares the photos with the prompt and passes 2.7 million views in four days. Know Your Meme
2025-09-28
Worldwide Google searches for "ghostface ai" hit their highest week so far; US searches for "ghostface ai trend" reach 27,100 for September 2025, per Google Ads data we pulled on 8 October 2026.
2026-10-05
New Ghostface Halloween AI templates appear on TikTok again, with fresh remakes posted every few hours by 8 October 2026. TikTok

Copy and paste

The Ghostface AI prompts

You don't need this: the single-tap workflow handles it for you. The photograph prompt inserts your image into the scene. Want to modify it? Copy and edit it in AI Photo.

Ghostface photo

1 photo: your selfie, face clearNano Banana 2.1Photo · 2K · 9:163 credits

Photo prompt

Use the uploaded image as the base. Keep the person's face, facial features, skin tone, hair, gender and body shape exactly the same as in the photo. Do not beautify or change the face. A real 35mm film photo that looks like a still from a late-1990s teen horror film, taken at night in a cozy late-1990s teen bedroom. The person lies on their stomach across a bed with shiny rose-pink satin bedding, propped up on their elbows and facing the camera, holding a chunky translucent 1990s corded landline phone handset to one ear and twirling the curly phone cord around one finger. A dreamy, daydreaming expression, eyes looking slightly off camera. They wear a casual late-1990s outfit that suits them, plain with no print. The room has warm light from one small bedside lamp, a string of fairy lights, a few posters of soft, blurred abstract colors with no faces, no masks and no words, and a bowl of popcorn on the bed. Behind the person, across the room, a bedroom door stands half open onto a dark hallway. In the doorway stands a tall, silent figure in a long, flowing black hooded robe with wide ragged sleeves and black gloves, wearing a long white ghost mask with large black hollow eye holes and a long, open, drooping mouth. The figure is dimly lit, half in shadow, perfectly still, and watches the person, who has not noticed it. Its gloved hands are empty and hang at its sides. The person is sharp and in focus; the figure is a little soft but clearly visible. Deep shadows, warm amber lamp light with a soft pink and red glow, grainy late-1990s film look, slight vignette. Vertical 9:16. Exactly one real person and one masked figure. No knife, no weapon, no blood. No text, no logos, no watermarks.

1712 characters

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With your partner or friend

2 photos: first person (left) + second person (right)Nano Banana 2.1Photo · 2K · 9:163 credits

Photo prompt

Use the two uploaded images as the base. The person in the first image is on the LEFT. The person in the second image is on the RIGHT. Keep each person's face, facial features, skin tone, hair, gender and body shape exactly the same as in their own photo. Do not blend the two people and do not swap their faces. A real 35mm film photo that looks like a still from a late-1990s teen horror film, taken at night during a cozy sleepover in a late-1990s teen bedroom. Both people lie side by side on their stomachs across a bed with shiny rose-pink satin bedding, propped up on their elbows, heads close together, sharing one chunky translucent 1990s corded landline phone handset held between their ears. Both listen and smile, facing the camera, and have not noticed anything behind them. A bowl of popcorn and a small bedside lamp. A few posters of soft, blurred abstract colors with no faces, no masks and no words. No magazines, no books. Both wear casual late-1990s outfits that suit them, plain with no print. Behind them is a dark window with sheer curtains. Outside the glass, in the night, stands a tall, silent figure in a long black hooded robe and black gloves, wearing a long white ghost mask with large black hollow eye holes and a long, open, drooping mouth. Its gloved hands are empty. It watches them through the window, and its pale mask glows faintly in the dark. Both faces are sharp and in focus; the figure is a little soft but clearly visible. Deep shadows, warm amber lamp light with a soft pink and red glow, grainy late-1990s film look, slight vignette. Vertical 9:16. Exactly two real people and one masked figure, no extra limbs. No knife, no weapon, no blood. No text, no logos, no watermarks.

1720 characters

Make it in one tap

How many credits does it cost?

You spend credits per photograph, and the creation page displays the precise cost on the Generate button before you commit. The single-tap price includes one 2K photograph, billed once. One image is 3 credits, so the smallest one-time bundle that covers it is $9.99 for 100 credits, with no subscription. A smaller 1K image costs less if you execute the prompt manually in AI Photo.

Model	Settings	Credits
Ghostface photo: Nano Banana 2.1 (this template)	2K photo, 9:16, one tap	3
Photo + video: Veo 3.1 Lite (this template)	8 s, 720p + 1 scene photo, one tap	8
With your partner or friend: Nano Banana 2.1 (this template)	2K photo, 9:16, one tap	3
Nano Banana 2.1 (by hand in AI Photo)	1K photo, 9:16, same prompt	2

One-time packs and plans are on the pricing page. A failed video gives its credits back.

What does the Ghostface AI photo look like?

Every Ghostface image in this trend combines the same core elements, and each is important:

Part	What it looks like
The room	A late-90s teen bedroom at night: one warm bedside lamp, fairy lights, posters, magazines and a bowl of popcorn
You	Lying across shiny satin bedding, a chunky see-through 90s corded phone at your ear, twirling the curly cord, lost in a daydream
The figure	Tall and silent in a long black hooded robe and black gloves, with a long white ghost mask, standing in the dark doorway behind you
The light	Warm amber lamp light with a pink or red glow and deep shadows
The film look	Grain, soft focus and a dark vignette, like a photo from a 1998 disposable camera

The humor works because you haven't noticed. You're comfortable and content on the telephone, and the figure stands right there. That's also why the telephone matters: the movie this aesthetic references opens with a phone call, and the Ghostface phone call pose is central to the trend.

The trend developed many variations in its first week, at the end of September 2025: the figure reaching for popcorn, a bathroom mirror selfie with the mask in the reflection, the figure at the window instead of the doorway, couples and best friends at a sleepover, and moodier versions for men. Our prompts maintain the classic bedroom and doorway, and the window for two people. To relocate the scene, use "Make it yours" on the creation page.

The viral Ghostface prompt, and why we wrote our own

The Ghostface trend prompt that circulated on TikTok in September 2025, a Halloween AI trend prompt that The Tab published on 29 September 2025, reads like one individual's wishlist: "a dreamy y2k style portrait of me laying on a shiny pink satin bedding as i hold a large 90s style chorded phone... her long black hair... in loose curls with pink clips on each side... brown lipgloss and brown lip liner", and then names the killer and the film.

We modified three things:

It describes one woman's look. If your hair is short, blonde or curly, or if you're a man, that text nudges the model to alter your hair and makeup to match hers. Our prompts dress you in a simple late-90s outfit and preserve your hair.
It never asks the model to keep your face. The face is the entire point of the image, so our prompts begin with "Keep the person's face, facial features, skin tone, hair, gender and body shape exactly the same".
It names a film character. Our prompts never reference a film, character or brand. They describe what appears in the frame instead: a tall figure in a black hooded robe with a long white ghost mask. They omit knives and blood, keeping the image spooky rather than violent. Both prompts appear on this page to copy, so you can also paste them into the image tool you already use.

We tested the prompts on 8 October 2026 with AI-generated people, and the tests revised them twice. Our first version allowed the model to place posters of the mask on the bedroom wall, so the posters are now soft, blurred colors with no faces and no words. A magazine on the bed displayed a real magazine name, so the magazines are gone. For the video, a ByteDance model (Seedance 2.0 Mini) rejected the scene because it "may be related to copyright restrictions", while Google's Veo 3.1 Lite rendered the full scene on both test images. That's why the video uses Veo.

The Ghostface AI trend for men, couples and friends

The trend began with women in pink Y2K bedrooms, but people looked for every alternative version shortly after. On 8 October 2026, "ghostface ai trend for men" and "ghostface ai trend prompt for guys" were among Google's top search completions for the trend, and a couples version, "POV: Ghostface is actually my boyfriend", appeared on TikTok by 3 October 2025.

For men: the same image works as is. Our prompt maintains your face, hair and gender and dresses you in a simple late-90s outfit that fits you. For a moodier aesthetic, choose black or wine red bedding in "Make it yours".
For couples and best friends: select With your partner or friend and upload two images. In the Ghostface trend, couple versions resemble a 90s sleepover: you lie side by side on the bed, each holding a chunky 90s telephone to your ear, and the masked figure watches you both from the shadowy window behind you.
As a video: select Photo + video. You laugh on the telephone, silence falls, you turn around, and the figure steps into the light. It uses Google's Veo 3.1 Lite (Standard) or Veo 3.1 Fast at 1080p (Best).

A real Ghostface photoshoot requires a costume, a friend to wear it and a dark room. US Google searches for "ghostface photoshoot" reached 2,400 in October 2025, their peak month of the past year. The AI variations make good concepts for couples and friends: a best friend sleepover, a couple on the bed, the figure at the window or in a mirror selfie. A Halloween shoot like that requires an evening; the AI version needs one selfie, or two images with With your partner or friend, and delivers the same scene in a few minutes.

Which song, caption and hashtags go with it?

Most early Ghostface AI posts in September 2025 featured a remix of "Deceptacon" by Le Tigre, according to Know Your Meme. Add it, or any trending audio, in TikTok or Instagram when you upload, from their licensed music library.

The Ghostface photo is a still image, so it has no audio. Post it as an image, or as a slideshow of multiple runs with quick transitions, which is how many viral posts appeared. The Photo + video clip includes its own original audio: the prompt requests room tone, an old telephone ringing in the hallway and a low, tense score with one sharp sting when the figure steps in. It contains no lyrics, no spoken dialogue and no copyrighted music.

Captions that match the humor: "it's officially spooky season", "who keeps calling me", "me on the phone for 3 hours", or "never answering unknown numbers again".

Hashtags: the first major TikTok post used #ghostface, #scream and #googlegemini. #ghostfaceaitrend and #halloween are popular too. Leave the platform's AI label on.

FAQ

Ghostface AI trend questions

What is the Ghostface AI trend?

It's an AI Halloween image trend that began on TikTok and Instagram in late September 2025. You transform a selfie into a grainy late-90s film photograph: you lie on satin bedding with a corded telephone in a dim bedroom, and a masked figure in a black hooded robe watches from the doorway. People also call it the Scream AI photo trend.

How do I do the Ghostface AI trend?

On this page, click "Create your own", upload one clear selfie and click Generate. Smew AI places you in the scene with the masked figure behind you, and the image appears in your Library. You don't write a prompt. To create it manually instead, copy the photo prompt from this page into an image model that accepts a reference image, such as Gemini.

What is the Ghostface AI prompt?

The viral prompt requests a dreamy Y2K portrait on pink satin bedding with a large 90s corded telephone, a grainy 90s film aesthetic and the masked killer standing in a dark doorway behind you. Our tested prompts, ready to copy, appear on this page. They preserve your face and hair and describe the figure without naming the film.

Where can I copy the AI Ghostface prompt?

Right on this page: each version displays its photo prompt, ready to copy into any image tool that accepts a reference image. Unlike the Scream AI prompt that went viral, it maintains your face and doesn't name the film.

Is there a Ghostface AI trend prompt generator?

You don't need one: the prompts here are already written and tested, and Smew AI completes the rest from your image. There's no app to install either; it works in the browser.

Is this a Ghostface AI generator?

Yes. Think of it as a Scream AI generator for your face: one selfie in, one Ghostface image out. With Photo + video it also creates a video.

Is there a Ghostface filter for this?

Not a live camera filter. The image is created by AI from your selfie, so the room, lighting and figure appear much more realistic than a face filter can achieve.

Is "ghost face" the same as Ghostface?

Yes, it's the same trend with the name written as two words. A search for a ghost face AI picture, prompt or filter leads to the same image and prompt as on this page.

Is the Ghostface trend AI or real?

The images are AI. Nobody stood in the doorway: an image model constructed the room, telephone and masked figure around a real selfie. A separate, real trend is the Ghostface photoshoot, where a friend wears the costume. US searches for it peaked in October 2025.

Who started the Ghostface AI trend?

Know Your Meme identifies a post by Instagram user @cortneydryden on 25 September 2025 as the earliest known example. The trend exploded the next day when TikToker @keepingupwithmuva shared a collection of the images with the prompt and surpassed 2.7 million views in four days.

Can I do the Ghostface AI trend with Gemini or ChatGPT?

Yes. Upload your image, paste the photo prompt from this page and submit. Results vary by tool and by run. Smew AI uses Nano Banana 2.1, a Google Gemini image model, with the prompt and 9:16 format already configured, and it can convert the image to a video with audio in the same workflow.

Does the Ghostface AI trend work for men?

Yes. You don't need a separate Ghostface AI trend prompt for men: our prompt preserves your face, hair and gender and dresses you in a simple late-90s outfit, so it works for anyone. For a moodier aesthetic, choose black or wine red bedding in "Make it yours".

Can I do it with my boyfriend, girlfriend or best friend?

Yes. Select "With your partner or friend" and upload two images, one per person. You both lie on the bed at a 90s sleepover, each holding a chunky 90s telephone, while the masked figure watches from the shadowy window behind you.

Can I make a Ghostface AI video?

Yes. Select "Photo + video". Smew AI creates the image first, then animates it for 8 seconds: you laugh on the telephone, silence falls, you slowly turn around, and the masked figure steps into the lamp's glow. Standard uses Google's Veo 3.1 Lite and Best uses Veo 3.1 Fast at 1080p. The clip is vertical 9:16 with its own tense audio.

What song do people use for the Ghostface AI trend?

Most early posts featured a remix of "Deceptacon" by Le Tigre. Add it, or any audio you prefer, in TikTok or Instagram when you upload. The video version on Smew AI includes its own original audio, not a real song.

Is this the real Scream mask?

No. The trend draws its aesthetic from the Scream films, but our prompts describe a generic tall figure in a black hooded robe with a long white ghost mask. They never name the film, character or costume brand. Smew AI is not affiliated with the films or the mask maker. Use the images for fun posts, not to sell anything.

What is the subservient Ghostface AI website?

It's a different thing. In late May 2026 the Scary Movie team launched subservientghostface.com, a site where you type a command and a masked figure performs it. Nerdist reported on 8 June 2026 that a real person in costume plays the figure, so it's not AI. It doesn't use your image and has no connection to this trend.

Is my photo safe?

Your result goes to your Library, not a public feed. Smew AI doesn't post it anywhere, and you can delete it from your Library anytime. Use your own image, or an adult's who gave permission, and never someone else's face without their consent.

Does the Ghostface AI trend cost credits?

Yes. The image costs a few credits, and the image plus video costs more, because the video model is the expensive part. The creation page displays the exact cost on the Generate button before you spend anything, and if a run fails, the credits return.

How long does it take?

The image is usually quick, slightly longer when many people create one simultaneously. The image plus video takes a few minutes: first the image, then the clip. You can leave the page while it runs, and the result waits in your Library.

Why does my Ghostface photo not look like me?

The model reconstructs your face from one image, so a dark, blurry or side-angle selfie leaves it guessing. A sharp, front-facing image in daylight helps most. Every run differs, so a second attempt can come out closer. Sunglasses, hats and heavy filters also complicate it.

Can I post my Ghostface AI photo on TikTok or Instagram?

Yes. The file has no watermark, so you can upload it as is, as an image, slideshow or video. Leave the platform's AI label on, and use tags like #ghostface and #ghostfaceaitrend.

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Ghostface AI Trend: Put Yourself in the 90s Horror Phone Call

How to make the Ghostface AI photo on Smew AI

Add your photo

Press Generate

Download or share

Which photo works best?

Where did the Ghostface AI trend start?

The Ghostface AI prompts

Ghostface photo

With your partner or friend

How many credits does it cost?

What does the Ghostface AI photo look like?

The viral Ghostface prompt, and why we wrote our own

The Ghostface AI trend for men, couples and friends

Which song, caption and hashtags go with it?

Ghostface AI trend questions

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