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Halloween Returns is a cancelled 2016 're-calibration' to the Halloween series. The writers were to be Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, the latter of which would have also been the director. The film was later reported to be cancelled due to Dimension losing the rights to the series.

Plot

Reportedly, the film would have been a standalone installment set to reintroduce audiences to Michael Myers years after his initial rampage. It would have pit a new group of Haddonfield youngsters against Myers. The now 18-year-old child of one of Myers’ victims plays a central role along with the child of a cop who has long been obsessed with Myers' case, even putting it before his own daughter. Myers is now on death row and the two kids with their own personal vendettas against the killer sneak in to watch his execution. But when things go awry and Myers escapes, the pair, along with their friends, find themselves in the firing line. However, the film's producer later stated: "Although, I have to say, and this is somewhat new news, but unfortunately things happen in Hollywood where you have issues with studios and different variables. We’ve had to take a step back and now we’re trying to re-figure this beast that is the new Halloween. So there is a bit of a delay, But this new Halloween isn't going to be quite what has been announced and what people are expecting, so we’re making some changes there as well.

Production

The Weinstein Company put Halloween 3D into production shortly after the release of Rob Zombie’s Halloween II. Rob Zombie already had stated he would not return for a third film, and The Weinstein Company approached Steve Miner about directing the film in consideration of his work on the 1982 film Friday the 13th Part III, also in 3D. The Weinstein Company approached Patrick Lussier (who directed the remake of My Bloody Valentine, also a 3D film), who was officially signed on as director with his partner Todd Farmer writing the script. Lussier and Farmer contacted Scout Taylor-Compton about the production of the film and how they would be filming soon despite not even having a script yet, to which Compton declined because she felt they were rushing it and that she would only return if she was impressed by the script.

On September 25, 2009, Todd Farmer turned in the first draft of the script. Four days later on September 29, 2009, production was shut down because the Weinsteins ran out of money. Filming was supposed to begin around the time Lussier and Farmer were filming Drive Angry. The production hault would give the Weinsteins a chance to take their time on production and give Lussier and Farmer time to wrap up Drive Angry, with production on Halloween 3D resuming after the completion of Drive Angry.

On April 6, 2010, Lussier revealed in an MTV interview that the fate of the film depends on Dimension Films and timing.

On June 21, 2011, it was confirmed that Halloween 3D was targeting a release on October 26, 2012, however, with no director or writer attached to the project. On March 7, 2012, the film was dropped from the release schedule as no progress on its production was made. Lussier said, "The script that we wrote I thought was good. We wanted to go back to Carpenter's roots on the original film."

On May 2, 2014, it was confirmed that Halloween 3 was moving forward, as stated:  "As we stated before, we are dedicated to the fans of the Halloween series just as much as we are dedicated to delivering a film that we believe the fans deserve and will, most importantly, love. With that being said, we can confirm that a new installment of Halloween is indeed in on track and moving forward. We are currently developing a script, to finally bring Michael back to the theaters"

During a very special screening of John Carpenter's Halloween at Universal City Walk in Orlando (ShockTillYouDrop.com), there was a post-showing conference with Halloween Horror Nights creative director Mike Aiello and producer Malek Akkad, who discussed the Halloween-themed maze that was featured at the theme park. Once that was over, Akkad gave an update on Halloween 3.

Saw IV writers Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan wrote the script, saying that the new Halloween was going to be a "recalibration". Marcus Dunstan was chosen to direct the film.

According to industry resource Backstage, Halloween Returns was to be filmed in Louisiana, with production starting on July 15, exactly one month after the sequel was announced.

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