Halloween Kills

This article is about the sequel film. For its novel adaptation, see Halloween Kills (novelization).

Film

Gallery

Halloween Kills
Directed by	David Gordon Green
Produced by	Malek Akkad Jason Blum Bill Block
Written by	David Gordon Green Danny McBride Scott Teems
Based on Characters by	John Carpenter Debra Hill
Starring	Jamie Lee Curtis Judy Greer Andi Matichak Kyle Richards Anthony Michael Hall Dylan Arnold Robert Longstreet Charles Cyphers Nancy Stephens James Jude Courtney Nick Castle
Casting by	Sarah Domeier Lindo Terri Taylor
Music by	John Carpenter
Cinematography	Michael Simmonds
Editing by	N/A
Distributed by	Universal Pictures
Production studios	Blumhouse Productions Miramax Trancas International Films Rough House Productions
Release	September 8, 2021 (Venice) October 15, 2021 (United States)
Running time	105 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Preceded by	Halloween (2018)
Followed by	Halloween Ends

"Evil dies tonight!"

―Halloween Kills tagline

Halloween Kills is the 12th film in the Halloween franchise. The 12th entry in the series, it continues the story of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode from Halloween (2018).

Halloween Kills was announced on July 19, 2019 by John Carpenter, to be followed by Halloween Ends. The film was released on October 15, 2021, in theaters as well as on paid tiers of the streaming service Peacock for 60 days.

Premise

Minutes after Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer), and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie's basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie's trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against their unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael’s first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all.

Plot

After leaving the party, Cameron Elam calls the deceased Oscar Berlucchi just to be left on voicemail. He walks to a fence and sees the wounded Deputy Frank Hawkins. As Cameron runs to Hawkins' aid, the latter jolts up and tells Cameron "He needs to die...and I'm the one who's gonna kill him."

In a flashback to 1978, Hawkins accidentally shoots and kills his partner, Pete McCabe, in pursuit of Michael before preventing Michael's psychiatrist Samuel Loomis from executing him in front of Michael Myers' childhood home.

In present day, Tommy Doyle celebrates the 40th anniversary of Michael's imprisonment with longtime friends Marion Chambers, Lindsey Wallace, and Cameron's dad, Lonnie Elam. Meanwhile, after their confrontation with Michael, Laurie Strode, her daughter Karen, and her granddaughter Allyson are horrified when they see firefighters heading to the burning Strode residence, accidentally freeing Michael from the basement. Using their tools, Michael singlehandedly murders the firefighters before driving back to Haddonfield, Illinois. Karen and Allyson submit Laurie to emergency surgery while Michael kills an elderly couple in their home. An emergency alert informs Tommy, Marion, Lindsey and Lonnie of Michael's escape before bar patron Vanessa supposedly encounters Michael in the backseat of her car. Tommy and the others confront Michael as the car drives away and crashes; the driver leaves unnoticed by the crowd.

Karen and Allyson are informed of Michael's escape, information that Karen decides to withhold from Laurie so that she can recover. Cameron invites Allyson in joining him and his father to hunt down Michael while Laurie and Hawkins awake and reminisce about their former relationship. Elsewhere, Marion, Lindsey, Vanessa and her husband, Marcus are attacked by Michael while warning Haddonfield citizens to stay inside; all but Lindsey are killed as Tommy, Lonnie, Cameron and Allyson subsequently find Lindsey alive. While Tommy takes Lindsey to the hospital, Lonnie, Cameron and Allyson map out Michael's victims and deduce that he's heading back to his childhood home. Meanwhile, Tommy reunites with former Haddonfield sheriff Leigh Brackett, whose daughter, Annie Brackett, was killed in the 1978 attack. Tommy organizes a mob of hundreds of Haddonfield citizens, informing Laurie of Michael's survival. Meanwhile, Michael murders the current homeowners of his childhood home as Laurie prepares to kill Michael herself.

Meanwhile, escaped convict Anthony Tivoli turns out to be the mysterious driver of Vanessa's car, is chased by Tommy's mob after being believed to be Michael by the Haddonfield citizens.

To avoid being harassed by the Haddonfield citizens, Tivoli commits suicide by jumping out of the hospital's window to his death while Laurie suffers an injury to her recent wound. Bedridden, Laurie urges Karen to help hunt down Michael with Tommy. At Michael's childhood home, Lonnie heads in alone, but Allyson and Cameron follow and find Lonnie's body in the attic as Michael subsequently murders Cameron upstairs. Allyson breaks her leg after falling down the stairs as Karen stabs Michael with a pitchfork. She removes his mask and taunts him, allowing Allyson to escape. Karen leads Michael to Tommy's mob down the street; Michael is subsequently swarmed by the mob and gets beaten, seemingly killed when Karen delivers the final blow with the knife. As the mob disperses, Michael gets up and slits Brackett's throat; he then kills the mob one by one, ending with Tommy, who is slain with his own baseball bat. Returning to Michael's childhood home, Karen stares into the upstairs window. Karen recalls a story about Michael endlessly staring out the same window, but Michael confronts her and seemingly stabs her to death as Laurie stares out of her hospital window with Micheal staring out the window.

Cast

• Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode
• Judy Greer as Karen
• Andi Matichak as Allyson
• James Jude Courtney as The Shape
• Nick Castle as The Shape
• Airon Armstrong as The Shape (1978)
• Will Patton as Officer Hawkins
• Thomas Mann as Young Hawkins
• Jim Cummings as Pete McCabe
• Dylan Arnold as Cameron Elam
• Robert Longstreet as Lonnie Elam
• Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy Doyle
• Charles Cyphers as Leigh Brackett
• Scott MacArthur as Big John
• Michael McDonald as Little John
• Ross Bacon as Tivoli
• Kyle Richards as Lindsey
• Nancy Stephens as Marion
• Diva Tyler as Sondra
• Lenny Clarke as Phil
• Brian Mays Sr. as Brian the Bartender
• Michael Smallwood as Marcus
• Carmela McNeal as Vanessa
• Omar Dorsey as Sheriff Barker
• Damien Lee as Concerned Brother
• Salem Collins as Christy
• Giselle Witt as Mindy
• J. Gaven Wilde as Dennis
• Tom Jones Jr. as Dr. Samuel Loomis
• Colin Mahan as Dr. Samuel Loomis (voice)
• Trenell Mooring as Laurie's EMT
• Troy Rudeseal as Laurie's EMT
• Brian F. Durkin as Deputy Graham
• Andrea Levesque as Singing Triplet
• Arianna Levesque as Singing Triplet
• Athena Levesque as Singing Triplet
• Tristian Eggerling as Young Lonnie Elam
• Beth Felice as Eyewitness
• Mark Versnick as Head Surgeon
• Jennifer Trudrung as Hysterical Woman
• Drew Scheid as Oscar
• Holli Saperstein as Oscar's Mom
• Jonathan Bruce as News Reporter
• Mike Dupree as Ventriloquist
• Naomi Ansano as Heartbroken Woman
• Kelvin Hargrove as Heartbroken Woman's Orderly
• Nicholas Pryor as Morgue Doctor
• James Northrup as Mob Doctor
• Elaine Nalee as Helpful Neighbor
• Stephen Foertsch as Bar Voice (voice)
• Tatiyana Hill as Bar Voice (voice)
• Michael Mercaldi as Bar Voice (voice)
• Salem Hadeed-Murphy as Hawkins' Doctor
• Shayla Bagir as Hawkins' Doctor
• Salem Hadeed-Murphy as 1978 Trick-or-Treater
• Jessica Arden Napier as 1978 Trick-or-Treater
• Ella Dorsch as 1978 Trick-or-Treater
• Ryan Lewis as Deputy Sullivan
• Jacob Keohane as Deputy Tobias
• Charlie Benton as Officer Richards
• Christian Michael Pates as Young Michael Myers
• Willie Raysor as Desk Clerk
• Lauren Williams as OP Nurse
• Aaron Ashlock as Hawkins' EMT
• Angela Emerson as Onlooker
• Drew Broderick as Onlooker
• Ni'amoni Bagley as Onlooker
• Jason Garay as Laurie's Nurse
• Craig Newkirk as Allyson's EMT
• Jibrail Nantambu as Julian
• PJ Soles as Lynda (archive footage)
• Bob Odenkirk as Bob (credit only)

Characters

• 10 firefighters murdered by Michael (Deceased)
  • Tom Bentley (Deceased)
• Allyson Nelson
• Anthony Tivoli (Deceased)
• Barker
• Cameron Elam (Deceased)
• Christy
• Dennis (Deceased)
• Eyewitness
• Francis (Deceased)
• Frank Hawkins
• Hysterical woman
• Judith Myers (mentioned)
• Julian Morrisey
• Karen Nelson (Deceased)
• Laurie Strode
• Leigh Brackett (Deceased)
• Lindsey Wallace
• Little John (Deceased)
• Lonnie Elam (Deceased)
• Mob members killed by Michael (Deceased)
• Marion Chambers (Deceased)
• Marcus Wilson (Deceased)
• Michael Myers
• Mindy
• Oscar Berlucchi (Deceased)
• Pete McCabe (flashback, Deceased)
• Phil Dickerson (Deceased)
• Ranbir Sartain (Deceased)
• Ray Nelson (mentioned)
• Richards (Deceased)
• Sam Loomis (flashback & mentioned)
• Sondra Dickerson
• Tommy Doyle (Deceased)
• Vanessa Wilson (Deceased)
• Ventriloquist
• Vicky's father (mentioned, Deceased)

Production

Development

In June 2018, writer Danny McBride confirmed that he and director David Gordon Green had originally intended to pitch two films that would be shot back-to-back, and then decided against it, waiting to see the reaction to the first film stating that: "We were going to shoot two of them back-to-back. Then we were like, 'Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves. This could come out, and everyone could hate us, and we'd never work again. So, let's not have to sit around for a year while we wait for another movie to come out that we know people aren't going to like.' So, we were like, 'Let's learn from this, and see what works, and what doesn't.' But we definitely have an idea of where we would go [with] this branch of the story and hopefully we get a chance to do it."

In September 2018, producer Jason Blum said that "we will do a sequel if the movie performs". By October 2018, after the film's opening weekend, McBride confirmed that early development on a sequel had begun.

In February 2019, Collider exclusively confirmed Scott Teems was in talks as the screenwriter, having collaborated with Blumhouse Productions on several projects in development. Teems had also written a story treatment for the film prior to the negotiations. Blum, Akkad, and Block will return as producers, while Curtis, Greer, and Matichak are expected to reprise their roles.

In June 2019, it was reported that a sequel would begin filming in September 2019, with Green returning to write the script and direct and Curtis, Greer, and Matichak reprising their roles from the 2018 film. In July 2019, the titles and release dates of two sequels were announced: Halloween Kills, set to be released on October 16, 2020, and Halloween Ends, set to be released on October 15, 2021. Green will direct both films and co-write the scripts with McBride, and Curtis will reprise her role in both films. Teems was confirmed as a co-writer for Halloween Kills, while Paul Brad Logan and Chris Bernier were announced to co-write Halloween Ends.

Casting for extras were announced in late August, 2019.

On September 22, 2020, Jamie Lee Curtis took to her Instagram and posted some a behind the scenes video where she is shown covered in blood and wiping some of the excess fake blood onto a bucket while on set.

On October 29, 2020, as part of the first ever BlumFest, a new teaser trailer for the film was released.

On November 3, 2020, it was mentioned how the Wilmington film industry in North Carolina has come alive again with multiple productions underway such as Halloween Kills.

The film was supposed to film back to back but did not.

Casting

On July 26, 2019, it was confirmed that Nick Castle will return for both sequels for some scenes as Michael Myers with James Jude Courtney again playing Myers for the majority of the films.

On August 26, 2019, it was announced that Anthony Michael Hall would join the cast as Tommy Doyle, a character originally portrayed by Brian Andrews in the first Halloween film.

At some point, it was reported that Paul Rudd, was approached to reprise his role, but declined due to his commitments to the Ghostbusters film also coming out in 2020.

On August 30, 2019, it was announced that Kyle Richards would reprise her role as Lindsey Wallace from the original film.

On September 5, 2019, it was reported that Robert Longstreet would play the character of Lonnie Elam. Tristian Eggerling would later be cast as a young Lonnie, following his appearance in the Halloween Kills teaser.

On September 27, 2019, Nancy Stephens, who portrayed Nurse Marion Chambers in the original film and its sequels Halloween II (1981) and Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later, was cast to reprise her role.

Jibrail Nantambu reprised his role as Julian Morrisey from the previous film; while Victoria Paige Watkins and Brian F. Durkin joined the cast.

Dr. Samuel Loomis is portrayed by the film's art director, Tom Jones, Jr., and is voiced by Colin Mahan, reprising his vocal role as Loomis from the 2018 film.

Haluk Bilginer appears as Dr. Ranbir Sartain in archive footage from the 2018 film, while P. J. Soles also appears as Lynda Van der Klok in archive footage from the 1978 film and Nancy Loomis as Annie Brackett in archive footage from Halloween II depicting her on a stretcher after her body is found. Bob Odenkirk has a cameo appearance in a photograph as Robert Simms, one of Myers' victims from the 1978 film. The producers were not able to secure the likeness of original actor John Michael Graham for the film, and instead used a real high school yearbook photograph of Odenkirk, after discovering their resemblance.

Filming

In July 2019, a spokesperson for Blumhouse Productions confirmed that Halloween Kills and its sequel Halloween Ends will commence production and filming in Wilmington, North Carolina at the same time.

The movie commenced filming September 9, 2019.

According to a film permit obtained from the city, there will be a news reporter scene giving updates on the events of the 2018 film. Filming in Wilmington on September 20 to 21 involved a car wreck scene.

Additional filmography will include simulated gunfire occurring on September 27, September 30, and October 1.

On November 1, 2019, Jamie Lee Curtis unveiled through her personal Twitter account a First look at the mayhem David has created for this film.

On November 2, 2019, filming wrapped.

Prior to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, it was slated to premiere on October 16, 2020. In July 2020, the film was moved to October 15, 2021.

On December 10, 2020, it was revealed that the film has officially received an "R" rating, even without nudity this time, the ‘strong, bloody violence’ pushed the film to the adult range of an R rating.

Reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 40% based on 15 reviews with an average rating of 5.6/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Reviewing the film for The Wrap, Asher Luberto praised the return of cast members from the 1978 film and wrote: "Green seems less interested in rewriting the Halloween playbook than in giving audiences what they came for, from ghastly scares to a ghoulish score. It's a strategy that promises to make the series as immortal as Michael Myers himself."

Film's Marshall Shaffer gave the film 7.5/10 and said: "There's good reason to be excited for how Green will bring this all to a head in his grand finale. Halloween Kills manages to put a playful but petrifying spin on mythology without resorting to cheap self-referentiality."

Owen Gleiberman from Variety for his part wrote: "Halloween night may be Michael Myers' masterpiece, but Halloween Kills is no masterpiece. It's a mess — a slasher movie that's almost never scary, slathered with 'topical' pablum and with too many parallel plot strands that don’t go anywhere."

Box office

In the United States and Canada, Halloween Kills was released alongside The Last Duel, and is projected to gross $50+ million from 3,700 theaters in its opening weekend.

The film made $22.9 million on its first day, including $4.85 million from Thursday night previews, the biggest for both an R-rated title and a horror film amid the pandemic, surpassing A Quiet Place Part II box office numbers of $4.8 million.

Notes and trivia

On October 16, 2020, Kyle Richards, who filled in as a guest correspondent during ET's 2018 interview with Curtis for Halloween, admitted that the reunion probably helped her score the sequel gig. She went on to say some time after she attended the premiere and was on the red carpet, that her agent called her to inform her of an opportunity to participate in the sequel. On October 21, 2020, Jason Blum made it clear that he would not be further delaying the next two installments. Blum went onto further reveal that Halloween Kills is coming out next October "come hell or high water, vaccine or no vaccine. It is coming out". On October 26, 2020, it was announced that, similar to DC and their FanDome event this past summer, Blumhouse has revealed that they were bringing the Halloween fun to fans of their films at home on Thursday October 29,2020 at 10 a.m. PT on Blumhouse's YouTube channel and Facebook page. It will feature panels of talent from the studio's upcoming movies, both big screen and PVOD, and more. with their first annual BlumFest. This includes a panel for Halloween Kills with David Gordon Green and Jamie Lee Curtis, producer Malek Akkad from Trancas Films, and Miramax producer Bill Block. Blum will also converse about the October 2021 release. Blum also teased that because the COVID-19 Pandemic has sidelined a lot of films, they conceived BlumFest to celebrate with the fans via a virtual event that will feature exclusive interviews and never-before-seen footage on an upcoming release or two. On October 29, 2020, several caveats of information were revealed for the film; including the fact that Haddonfield Memorial Hospital would be returning to the new canon established in the 2018 film. John Carpenter will be providing the music for both sequels. David Gordon Green also returns to direct and co-write the script with Danny McBride and Scott Teems. Universal came up with a way to have a virtual Halloween Parade after she talked with Universal about it. Thus, Universal's marketing team came up with a way to celebrate it amidst the COVID-19 pandemic via Jamie Lee Curtis' Instagram Account. David Gordon Green also said that the 2018 film was the set up, but this film will be twice the thrills, and skeletons in the closet will come out. Green also took the liberty to compared it to be on the same level and caliber in terms of payoff as Stars Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. On October 31, 2020, Jamie Lee Curtis called Halloween Kills a masterpiece and teased that the movie's timely resonance with the current moment by comparing it to the numerous Black Lives Matter protests that have been seen throughout the United States in 2020. On November 1, 2020, Jamie Lee Curtis teased that while the first movie focused on Laurie Strode's trauma, viewers will get to see how Michael Myers' other victims from Haddonfield, Illinois have coped and how they will react upon learning that he is back. She elaborated further by saying that Halloween Kills is a movie about a mob. She touched up on how in the real world, we have seen around the United States for example, the power of the rage of voices; big groups of people coming together enraged at the set of circumstances. At the end of the day, that's what the movie is. The movie is about mob mentality. And so according to Curtis it's very interesting because it takes on what happens when trauma infects an entire community. On November 2, 2020, Ryan Freimann, a producer on Halloween Kills admitted to not knowing how or if the franchise will continue once the current trilogy ends with 2022's Halloween Ends. Freimann alludes to the possibility of more Halloween films but insists that he's not focused on that right now. On November 6, 2020, it was teased that this movie and third film in the David Gordon Green trilogy will be more violent than ever, and Michael Myers' mask first seen in Halloween Kills thus represents how brutal he will become. Halloween Kills also aims to amp up Michael Myers' killing spree four decades after Laurie Strode faced him for the first time and shortly after she thought she had finished with him for good. Halloween Kills also promises to take Michael Myers out of the shadows and pit him against a large mob of Haddonfield, Illinois residents, who know about his unspeakable crimes. He will be both vulnerable to the united forces of the angry mob and determined to get rid of them, which will require him to stop holding back when tormenting his victims. It is stated that by making Michael Myers visibly vulnerable, the Halloween franchise gets to move the source of its horror from the slow dread of an unstoppable force to the brutality of a desperate maniac who has been pent-up for years. Director David Gordon Green has further emphasized the intense violence of the sequel, which will include even more gore than 2018's Halloween. Thus, the burnt mask is the perfect symbol to show how Michael Myers is not around to play games. On November 8, 2020, it was mentioned that while Haddonfield Memorial Hospital was the backdrop for Halloween II, when it is revisited by Michael Myers in Halloween Kills, it has changed for the 2021 movie. It was further stated that gone is the dark, creepy, mostly deserted setting of Halloween II. Michael also abandons his preferred butcher knife in favor of scalpels and syringes. However, Michael won't have as much luck going undetected this time around seen as how in the October 29, 2020 trailer it shows Laurie, her daughter Karen Nelson, and granddaughter Allyson at the brighter, more populated hospital. Danny McBride, who co-wrote the screenplay with Green, told Empire in July 2020 that the events in Halloween Kills take place the same night, picking up where the first movie ends, just like in Halloween II. McBride stated how the “events in the film bring together a lot of characters who were in the 1978 film who we didn’t see last time. They gather to try, once and for all, to take down Michael to stop this madman.” In the previous movie, Laurie has been waiting and preparing for another inevitable showdown with Myers at great personal cost. This time around, Laurie will not be the central character. Green stated, “This first one was more about Laurie’s life of isolation after Michael and her attempts at revenge. It was personal. This is more about the unraveling of a community into chaos. It’s about how fear spreads virally.” On January 6, 2021, two new promotional images of Michael Myers were released to promote the film. On February 07, 2021, John Carpenter, who co-created the Halloween franchise back in 1978, returned to it for its 2018 reboot movie, Halloween, to compose its musical score, and he has also turned his hand to the music for the sequel Halloween Kills. Carpenter has also teased that it is the "ultimate slasher" movie. On February 17, 2021, John Carpenter noted that because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it is entirely possible that this film could premiere on a streaming service rather than a theatrical release due to theaters continuing to remain closed. On March 5, 2021, Andi Matichak, who plays Allyson Nelson in the upcoming movie, teased Michael Myers' retaliation in the sequel. She mentioned how this movie will be something fans will be very happy with. She teased that, "it's big, and it's bad, and it's mean. And we see Laurie, Allyson and Karen pissed Michael off a little bit, by locking him in the basement, because his retaliation is next level. On March 10, 2021, through a quick exchange she had with paparazzi, Kyle Richards teased that this installment of the franchise will be "one of the best of all time." Or at least, that's what she's hearing. On April 21, 2021, NECA officially announced that a brand new Michael Myers action figure from Blumhouse and David Gordon Green's HALLOWEEN KILLS will be available to buys this coming this Summer 2021. On April 27, 2021, a new set photo of Michael Myers original getaway car was revealed, which in turn teases a possible flashback to the original 1978 film. On May 4, 2021, it was announced that the second annual BlumFest will take place in 2021 and will likely feature a panel for Halloween Kills. On May 14, 2021, a new promotional image of Michael Myers was released on Empire Magazine. On May 21, 2021, the official Twitter account for the Halloween movies mentioned how with Halloween Kills opening in 147 days, they hosted a #FlashbackFriday which included a deep dive with FX designer and department head Christopher Nelson. On May 25, 2021, some promotional images of Michael Myers Funko Pops were unveiled. On June 24, 2021, a new trailer was released which shows that the film takes place minutes after Laurie Strode, her daughter Karen and granddaughter Allyson left Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie's basement. Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But the trailer showcase Michael managing to free himself from Laurie's trap and his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield, Illinois to rise up against their unstoppable monster and a vigilante mob from the 1978 survivors form as a result. On June 28, 2021, it was further revealed that if one pays close attention to the latest trailer, it reveals that the sequel will recreate a scene from Michael Myers' escape in the original 1978 movie. In addition, the latest trailer also provides an Easter egg to Halloween III: Season of the Witch when the audience are shown a trio of his latest victims carefully displayed on a playground merry-go-round, each adorned with macabre masks of a skull, jack-o’-lantern and witch, which, of course, are the glow-in-the-dark guises manufactured by the sinister Silver Shamrock Novelties company in the aforementioned 1982 sequel. On June 30, 2021, it was revealed that The 78th Venice Film Festival will present this year's award a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement to Jamie Lee Curtis. Moreover, the ceremony will take place on September 8,2021 at the Sala Grande before the out-of-competition world premiere screening of David Gordon Green's Halloween Kills. On July 19, 2021, two new Halloween Kills magazine covers give horror fans their best look yet at Michael Myers' fire-damaged mask in this upcoming sequel. On July 20, 2021, some new images from this fall's Halloween Kills reveal Michael Myers going after a returning player from the previous installment. On July 26, 2021, it was revealed that Paul Rudd was asked to come back to reprise his role of Tommy Doyle in this film, but he had to politely decline due to his commitments to Ghostbusters: Afterlife. On August 1,2021 it was revealed that Halloween Kills' release date was the only thing affected by the pandemic, but thanks to it, a requel (AKA rebooted sequel) has now become part of the pop culture lexicon. As of August 5, 2021, the marketing campaign for the film has started to pick up, with Jamie Lee Curtis posting a picture of a billboard in Los Angeles, California. On August 9, 2021, it was revealed that an authentic replica of the Michael Myers' mask from Halloween Kills can now be pre-ordered courtesy of Trick or Treat Studios. On August 10, 2021, in the spring of 2020, it was confirmed that Halloween Kills would be getting an official novelization, but when the sequel's release date was pushed back, but it was recently announced that the new Halloween Kills novelization now has an October 19th, 2021 release date. Pre-orders are live on Amazon as of this date. However, Amazon is keeping details about the novel and movie relatively secret, merely describing of the book in the barest of ways. Also on this day it was revealed that James Jude Courtney, who is the man behind the mask for Michael Myers in Blumhouse's Halloween trilogy, sharing the role with OG star Nick Castle who provides the character's signature breathing and any maskless shots, will be back for Halloween Kills. On August 13, 2021, executive producer Ryan Freimann recently shared some set photos featuring Michael Myers himself. On August 15, 2021, it was reported that with Halloween Kills, Jamie Lee Curtis will pass a franchise record previously held by her late co-star Donald Pleasence. This film will mark Curtis' sixth outing as Laurie Strode, following 1978's Halloween, Halloween II (1981), Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later, Halloween: Resurrectionand David Gordon Green's 2018 reboot. The actress is also set to reprise Laurie at least one more time with Halloween Ends, which will cap off the current trilogy. On August 17, 2021, John Carpenter's new song is titled Unkillable, the song, which is streaming online as of now, will be part of the soundtrack to David Gordon Green's Halloween Kills, the second instalment in the new Halloween trilogy that opens in theaters on Oct. 15 2021. On August 22, 2021, it was announced that John Carpenter's soundtrack for Halloween Kills will be released on the 15th of October 2021 via Sacred Bones; the same day that film is released. On August 24, 2021, that the latest Michael Myers Ultimate figure from NECA, was revealed in full on this day. This version of Michael will feature an assortment of weaponry, a bloody mask to carry that looks just like the skeleton mask from Halloween III, and a new head sculpt featuring a burnt mask from the end of Halloween (2018) and of course Halloween Kills are available for pre. On August 25, 2021, Universal presented some 75 minutes of footage from upcoming films including: “Halloween Kills,” “Jurassic World: Dominion,” “Sing 2,” “The Black Phone,” Jennifer Lopez's “Marry Me” and more. Remote crews were dispatched to film celebrity introductions for the convention, but added a thoughtful touch like words from the staffers of resurgent movie houses, once again facing crisis as the COVD-19 delta variant threatens theaters. Jamie Lee Curtis hyped up her latest battle with Michael Myers, but before CinemaCon goers were treated to a trailer, she tossed to the manager of the Magic Lantern Cinema in Ketchum, Idaho. He expressed his grief over the theater's closure, and his excitement to welcome the public back for “Halloween Kills.” Also on this day, this coming October 2021, fans will be able to join Blumhouse for another “celebration composed of virtual panels, sneak previews, updates and news announcements from your favorite genre movies and TV shows, which will help get you through these scary days.” The second annual BlumFest takes place on October 1, 2021, and the official logo was revealed on this day. Additionally, Blumhouse promises “conversations with filmmakers and actors from upcoming Blumhouse films and television series, with plenty of surprises and sneak peeks for fans. They went as far as saying that, “We are making BlumFest even bigger this year by giving away some crazy shit! If you’re feeling lucky, you may have a chance to win prizes like: movie tickets, one-of-a-kind autographed merch, and maybe the chance to pitch your movie or TV idea to a couple of VIPs”. On August 26, 2021, it was reiterated that Michael Myers is still set to do battle with both Venom and Carnage this fall in Venom: Let There Be Carnage, after the latter was moved from the September 2021 release date. Halloween Kills debuted a new trailer at CinemaCon, and it features Jamie Lee Curtis' Laurie Strode attempting to unmask Michael Myers.While not all of the footage seems to be new, it still sets up a terrifying ride. The trailer begins with a pumpkin and children playing. When a woman asks them, "Hey, what are you guys doing out here? Are you alone?" one of the kids answers: "There's a creepy man in a white mask, and he's trying to play hide and seek with us." The woman sees Michael, who jumps on the roof of a van and attacks its passengers. Someone else tries to shoot him, but her gun is empty. On August 27, 2021, James Jude Courtney says the violence seen in the first trailer is only the tip of the iceberg. Thus, he doesn't think too much was spoiled. Also on this same day Jamie Lee Curtis continued hyping up Halloween Kills by posting a promotional image on her Instagram detailing that as of Aug. 27, 2021 it's only 50 days until the premiere of the aforementioned film. Additionally, some promotional photos for films like Halloween Kills and Dune were released on August 27, 2021, as well. On August 28, 2021, it was revealed that Jamie Lee Curtis will be receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at this year's Venice International Film Festival on Sept. 8, 2021, where Curtis will be there with her latest film, “Halloween Kills,” the latest installment in the iconic franchise that launched her career in 1978. On August 30, 2021, some information about the film's score was released like how the new music shifts the narrative for ‘Halloween Kills’. For example, the score conveys a different narrative–one that the Haddonfield locals control. In the new trailer for Halloween Kills, horror fans can hear the faint familiarity behind the 2021 revamped film score. Listeners can hear a cello playing the same beat as the original theme, bringing a deeper, purposeful sound. Another new song is “Unkillable”, which is a heartbeat of fear. The fast-paced beat reminds listeners of a chase, but what if the chase isn't by the famous killer? The new music is a reminder that Michael Myers may not have the upper hand in this movie. As of September 1, 2021, Fright Rags is now accepting pre-orders for their Halloween Kills shirt collection. On September 2, 2021, while discussing the villainous Michael Myers and how he is played by two different actors in the current Halloween trilogy. Nick Castle aka the original Shape from John Carpenter's 1978 Halloween does the character's breathing and any maskless shots, while stunt performer James Jude Courtney does the more physical work. As it turns out they've become quite close, as Courtney recently shared: "We are really good friends. We call each other on the phone. I live in the east coast he lives in the west coast. Anytime I get to California I go hang out with Nick. It’s almost like I’ve known him for 50 years, you know what I mean? It’s like one of those things. He’s such a good guy. The man has no ego, and if you look at his filmography and what he’s accomplished in his life, he’s just so talented." On September 3, 2021, the Halloween Movies Twitter account announced there was 42 days until the premiere of Halloween Kills On September 4,2021, Jamie Lee Curtis mentioned how one of the cool things about David Gordon Green's Halloween film trilogy is that it feels like he and his team are drawing from the essence of the original movie. That's meant doing some reconnecting with Laurie Strode and realistically examining what her life might be like today. It also means reincorporating some old motifs and characters. Curtis told The Hollywood Reporter that one moment from making Halloween Kills stands out to her the most is: When I saw Kyle Richards and Nancy Stephens [from the original Halloween], I realized the passage of time and how long we’ve all been a part of this story. There was a moment where I ran into both of them early on. And it was very emotional because Kyle Richards was little Lindsey, a little girl I’m babysitting in [Halloween]. And she’s now a full-grown woman, living a very wonderful life. The passage of time was extraordinary. In this film, we are telling more of the story of Laurie Strode and Lindsay and Marion, Nancy’s character, and that we’re all survivors. And it was a great moment of survival and pride. On September 6,2021, Jamie Lee Curtis released a new behind-the-scenes image from Halloween Kills which shows a bloody Jamie Lee Curtis laughing on set with co-stars Judy Greer and Andi Matichak. On September 7, 2021, it was revealed that fans of the film should expect a roundup of Halloween Kills reactions coming out of the 78th Venice Film Festival, which runs through September 11th, 2021. Also on this same day, Dorsey took a break from his busy schedule to reprise his role of Sheriff Barker in Halloween Kills. On September 8, 2021 John Carpenter dropped the second song from the Halloween Kills soundtrack titled ‘Rampage’. On this same day at the Venice Film Festival in 2021: Jamie Lee Curtis's Laurie is joined by characters viewers haven't seen since the 1978 original, as Haddonfield fights back against its collective nightmare. Green also noted that the “immediate goal in 2018 was to make something that if it didn’t connect for any reason it would feel like its own contained movie… Upon the success, we were very thrilled to be able to activate the second chapter” which builds to “operatic chaos.” Halloween Ends, he said, will be “our version of meditation and resolve.” On September 9, 2021, a new still courtesy of Fandango was released. On this same day, Jamie Lee Curtis received a Lifetime Achievement award at the Venice International Film Festival. On September 10, 2021, Halloween Kills has critics split down the middle, which currently has a 53% on Rotten Tomatoes after 16 critics reviews. This is a stark contrast from the previous 2018 Halloween film, which currently has a Certified Fresh rating of 79% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and an audience score of 70%. On September 16, 2021, Beyond Fest, the highest-attended genre film festival in the U.S., was announce to return this year with an incredible 2021 slate. The lineup includes 8 world premieres, 4 US premieres, and 17 west coast premieres. The 10-day festival running from September 29 – October 11, 2021, will see the US premiere of Halloween Kills, among other much-anticipated releases. On September 17, 2021, some footage of Kyle Richards as a grown up Lindsey Wallace was seen in a TV spot promoting the film which will premiere in theaters and Peacock the same day. On this same day a lawyer from Galveston, Texas, was handcuffed and subsequently arrested after he caused quite a scene on Monday September 15, 2021, when he was spotted strolling along a seawall beach disguised as Michael Myers, the blood-thirsty psycho killer from the Halloween films. Moreover, some reports also came to the Galveston PD that the aforementioned man was also carrying what appeared from a distance to be a bloody knife. On September 18, 2021, some new TV spots were revealed for Halloween Kills. On September 20, 2021, the final trailer for Halloween Kills teased how Michael Myers is going to be unmasked and contained more plot than previous trailers have thus far.. On September 21, 2021, the official Twitter account for Halloween Kills sent out a tweet containing the final trailer for the film, but replies from Peacock have been hidden. Peacock hasn't been advertising Halloween Kills too heavily as of yet, and with just over three weeks to go until release, hiding social media replies could be a concerted effort on Universal's part to favor cinemas above all else. Also on this day Kyle Richards revealed that "as a little girl, when I did the original, I wasn't [scared] because I didn't realize what I was making... But this was actually scary. He is a terrifying image to look at anyways, and we were filming nights too...With production times at 3 a.m. plus filming in a swamp that "potentially could have alligators, so that was not fun." On September 22, 2021 Jamie Lee Curtis posted on Instagram by praising co-star Kyle Richards when she stated that, "Watching Kyle Richards show her humor, strength and GREAT vulnerability was one of the many sweet treats of [Halloween Kills] I carried her in the 1978 HALLOWEEN and now she is caring for these (shithead) kids in the new film. STRONG. SASSY. DROP DEAD (pun intended) GORGEOUS even when covered in mud and blood! Brava Bella! On September 24, 2021, an image from Halloween Kills was shared by Jamie Lee Curtis, which confirms Deputy Hawkins survived his wounds from 2018's Halloween. Also on this day, it was revealed that Universal Pictures is now offering an exciting opportunity for one special contest winner. The Halloween Kills contest will allow one lucky Halloween fan to be “killed” by Michael Myers in Los Angeles ahead of the film's October release date. Yes, you read that correctly. Also on this day, it was revealed that Universal Pictures is now offering an exciting opportunity for one special contest winner. The Halloween Kills contest will allow one lucky Halloween fan to be “killed” by Michael Myers in Los Angeles ahead of the film's October release date. Yes, you read that correctly. On September 26, 2021, Jamie shared on Instagram a promotional image of the film which has Kyle Richards amongst the newer cast. On September 27, 2021, Jamie Lee Curtis took to Instagram to share a new image of the film featuring Anthony Michael Hall as a grown up Tommy Doyle with the following caption:“Mob rules. Michael C. Hall is so FIERCE as older Tommy Wallace. It isn't just Laurie Strode who was traumatized ON Halloween in 1978”. On September 28, 2021, it was revealed that in celebration of the film and its legacy, FanBolt has partnered with Universal to give away 10 (which Admits 2) early passes to an Atlanta screening of the film on October 12th, 2021! Ryan Freimann stated that he fought against the Dr. Sartain twin in 2018's Halloween but was outvoted. On September 29, 2021, Jamie Lee shared a poster for the film on her Instagram. On September 30, 2021, John Carpenter,Cody Carpenter, and Daniel Davies are now streaming the third and final single "Michael's Legend" from the upcoming Halloween Kills soundtrack. "Michael's Legend" errs on the side of atmospheric and creepy (especially those string swells at around the 1:30), whereas the trio's previous singles "Unkillable" and "Rampage" have been much more in your face. The Halloween Kills OST is out October 15, 2021, but pre-orders are already available. Also on this day, it was revealed that Ghost's brand new single would be featured in the movie's soundtrack. The song, “Hunter’s Moon” marks Ghost's first new single in two years, arriving a week after tickets to their upcoming tour went on sale. The track's release was accompanied by a cinematic music video, below, directed by Amanda Demme, with Ghost singer Tobias Forge making a sinister appearance at the end. Moreover, it was also revealed not only will Halloween Kills will be hitting theaters and Peacock on October 15th,2021, but also because the original 1978 film, as well as Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers, will be hitting select theaters across the country as well. According to Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum, it wasn't a Universal or Peacock's decision, it was his, and it's a decision that ties back to their last big slasher release - the delightful 2020 horror-comedy Freaky and it's failure at the Box Office. On October 1, 2021, as celebration of the film's upcoming release and the Halloween festivities, the official Twitter account for the Halloween franchise released a promotional poster for the upcoming film. Also on this day, a “Return to Haddonfield,” featurette for Halloween Kills featuring star Jamie Lee Curtis and other cast and crew members talking about how the new brings back actors and characters from the 1978 horror classic. In a quick clip from the film, we get to see Charles “Sheriff Brackett” Cyphers repeat his iconic “one good scare” line from the original. Per a press release, from Universal, "To celebrate the release of the new film Halloween Kills in theaters and streaming only on Peacock on October 15th, Xfinity Rewards today announced an exclusive Halloween Kills livestream event with star Jamie Lee Curtis, director and co-writer David Gordon Green, and producer Jason Blum on Tuesday, October 5th at 8 p.m. ET. The event will be hosted by legendary filmmaker, Mick Garris and is available exclusively to Xfinity Rewards members. Viewers will hear the Hollywood legends dish about their new film and will even have the chance to participate in an interactive live question and answer session. Xfinity X1 and Xfinity Flex customers nationwide can just say 'Xfinity Rewards Livestream' into the Xfinity Voice Remote to join while the event is live, or to enjoy the archived event the following day. As part of Beyond Fest, it was revealed that Halloween Kills was being screened on October 1, 2021. On October 3, 2021 Kyle Richard went onto say that "It just felt so good, all these people from the original movie coming together again. It's like, you never hear of this. It's just not done." On October 4, 2021, Jason Blum revealed that he was glad that the film was delayed and is being released now in 2021. On October 5, 2021, Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions released a brand new Halloween Kills featurette and poster showing the Strode women. Also on this day, it was mentioned how at various conventions actor Tony Moran had claimed he would be appearing in Halloween Kills. However, after an early screening of Halloween Kills, reports began to surface that, while it is true that there comes a moment that could have easily worked in a Tony Moran cameo, as a flashback scene recreates the famous unmasking moment from the original movie, Moran is ultimately nowhere to be seen. With only one week until the premiere of the film, a promotional character poster featuring Karen Nelson. As of October 5, 2021, Hello Horror‘s Vanessa Decker and Ryan Valdez attended an insanely cool event in Los Angeles, titled: Haddonfield Kills: The Hunt for Michael, in which Universal Studios transformed their backlot into the town of Haddonfield. All of this in an effort to promote the forthcoming Halloween Kills, where guests were transported to Haddonfield where an angry mob hunts down Michael Myers before he kills again. On October 7, 2021, Kyle Richards revealed she had broken her nose on the set of Halloween Kills. On October 8, 2021, it was announced that The Chicago International Film Festival (CIFF) would kick off the Opening Night After Dark feature with the premiere of Halloween Kills. On October 12, 2021, Jamie Lee Curtis came to the premiere of the film dressed in costume as Marion Crane, the role played by her mother, Janet Leigh, in Alfred Hitchcock's original film Psycho. On October 14, 2021, it was announced that when the film is released in DVD/Blue-Ray, it will have a director's cut, which shows a longer ending to the one they ultimately when with.

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External links

• Halloween Kills on Wikipedia
• Halloween Kills on the Internet Movie Database