Boogeyman returns for a final kill in ‘Halloween’
The role of masked killer Michael Myers will be filled by both original actor Nick Castle and James Jude Courtney in the 2018 version of “Halloween.” His goal, however, remains the same: to hunt down and kill Laurie Strode. Prepare to be terrified Oct. 19.
October 18, 2018
“Halloween” was released in 1978, showcasing the silent, blue-jumpsuit and white-masked killer Michael Myers. Forty years later, the horror thriller returns with its original title and a new storyline.
Original director John Carpenter returns as an executive producer and creative consultant, tied with the horror-producing powerhouse Jason Blum. The script is written by David Gordon Green alongside Jeff Fradley and Danny McBribe.
Director and executive producer Green decided that for the new R-rated movie being released Oct. 19, past sequel/remake movies from the franchise besides the original, many having been ill-received, should become non-canon.
“For us, it was a clean slate type of opportunity,” Green told Coming Soon. “…if there was a little inspiration or mirror image of something it’s very subtle in the movie because we want to start fresh for a new generation but with great appreciation for the previous.”
For original fans, this means Myers is no longer an immortal, supernatural being (as presented throughout the franchise to appease fans) or protagonist Laurie Strode’s (played then and now by actress Jamie Lee Curtis) brother.
The remake is also expected to depict Myers having been captured in the first movie and sent to a mental institute. This puts him in a situation where he’s been kept locked up for 40 years.
The 2018 “Halloween” world-premiered at the 43rd Annual Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 8 and has received numerous positive reviews and ratings from critics.
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes have praised the new film’s grasp on the original’s fundamentals and the fresh feel, especially with Laurie Strode. Strode had previously been depicted as a young babysitter who barely escaped Myers when he attacked the town of Haddonfield, only a teenager at the time.
Based on the compulsion Curtis presents in the second trailer and the clues from her interaction with her daughter Karen Strode (played by Judy Greer), it’s clear this elderly Strode is still overtaken by her PTSD. She is a shotgun-carrying mad woman, inadvertently pushing away those close to her because of her obsession with Myers.
This is similar to an idea presented in a now irrelevant sequel “Halloween H20: 20 years later,” though the theme seems to center more on the familial impact of Myers’ attack.
“The boogeyman” returns for a final kill in theaters Oct. 19.
