David Gordon Green’s 2018 reboot of John Carpenter’s Halloween (1978) was well-received by fans of the franchise, and its sequel, Halloween Kills, seems like a real contender to be the most intense film in the series to date.
While other horror franchises have been done to death, Halloween continues to be revitalized in new, unique ways; to date, there are five distinct canons within the different movies. John Carpenter’s seal of approval plus the inclusion of Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode and Nick Castle’s return as Michael Myers (he shares the role with James Jude Courtney) endeared the 2018 Halloween to fans before it even hit theaters. Once it did, the numbers spoke for themselves. Halloween raked in an amazing take at the box office for Blumhouse Productions, grossing $255.5 million on a budget of only $10 million. It allowed fans of the original movie to experience it in a way they had never gotten to with Carpenter’s original, and made Myers a “boogeyman” for a new generation of horror fans all at once.
Halloween Kills’ first test screening has garnered a largely positive reaction from audiences, which is usually a good sign. However, other pre-release commentary from cast members, along with some interesting photos that drop hints about what the next installment’s story could contain make the upcoming film seem better and better.
How Halloween Kills Could Be “Most Intense” In The Franchise
Anthony Michael Hall, who has been cast as the adult Tommy Doyle in Halloween Kills, received Paul Rudd’s blessing to play the role, and has spoken out recently about the upcoming film. On the Fantasm podcast, Hall stated that the film was “really intense”, which seems to coincide with what some sources reflect from the test screening. The 2018 reboot saw a darker, more brutal Michael Myers than the 1978 version, which could be a reflection of what modern horror audiences expect from a slasher film, but could also speak to the character itself; after being locked away for forty years, he’s bound to have some energy to unleash. James Jude Courtney spoke to the efficiency of his portrayal of Myers, who was depicted going from house to house, like his own twisted version of trick or treating, in the remake.
Many have commented on how the 2018 Halloween was already significantly more gory than the original, but according to Robert Longstreet, it might have nothing on what’s to come. When the actor spoke to Bloody Flicks, he said, “I don’t think I can say anything about Halloween Kills except it might be the nastiest of all of them”. Longstreet is playing Lonnie Elam, who was Tommy Doyle’s childhood bully and - from what has been shown in set photos for the upcoming film - might have had an unexpected encounter with Myers that wasn’t shown in the original film.
The flashback sequences to 1978 could also add to the new movie’s intensity depending on what it contains and if any new material is included from Myers’ original massacre. Depending on how much of that sequence is shown, it will likely add additional background to some of the returning characters and add context to why certain characters have returned for the sequel. Other returning cast includes Lindsey Wallace, who is played by her original actress, Kyle Richards. Depending on how Halloween Kills turns out, all of this could lead to some shocking - and heartbreaking - deaths.
Next: Horror Franchises Returning In 2020
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