The horror genre is a tried and true aspect of the film industry, known for making a profit on a relatively small budget. Given the current renaissance for the genre, some of the best horror movies have returned to theaters via new sequels like the current Halloween trilogy. But will Halloween Ends actually complete the slasher franchise for good? John Carpenter has gotten honest about this prospect.
John Carpenter changed the film world forever with his 1978 original Halloween movie, and Michael Myers has never been far from theaters in the decades since. David Gordon Green’s 2018 movie was a wild success and served as a direct sequel to the original– complete with Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode. Two more sequels were ordered, with Halloween Ends being Curtis’ last performance as the final girl. But does that mean the franchise is over? Carpenter doesn’t think so, as he shared at Pennsylvania’s Steel City Convention (via ComicBook),
I didn’t expect there to be a sequel [to Halloween ’78]. The movie business is ruled by money. [The first] Halloween made so much money, here they came again, the same guys [saying], ‘Hey John, let’s do another one.’ I guarantee you if Halloween Ends makes a lot of money, guess what? Just guess what.
Well, there you have it. Horror franchises are never really dead, and John Carpenter doesn’t seem to think that Halloween Ends will be the last time we see Michael Myers terrorizing babysitters. That is, assuming that the highly anticipated threequel makes money at the box office. But given the stakes involved, smart money says folks are going to show up to see Jamie Lee Curtis fight The Shape one last time.
John Carpenter’s assessment of Halloween’s future is super honest and realistic, considering that the film industry is ultimately about making money. While Jamie Lee Curtis might be retiring as Laurie Strode, it seems inevitable that another Halloween movie would eventually arrive in theaters. That’s just what beloved horror franchises do, such as Friday the 13th, Child’s Play, and (of course) the Scream franchise.
Anticipation for Halloween Ends has been steadily building since it was revealed that Jamie Lee Curtis would be making her swan song as a scream queen. Halloween Kills arrived last October, but Laurie Strode and Michael Myers didn’t actually have any contact, since she spent most of it in Haddonfield Hospital. And after the masked villain killed off most of the town (including her daughter Karen), smart money says Laurie will be back with a vengeance. You can see the first footage from the upcoming slasher below,
Not much is known about what will happen in Halloween Ends, which is probably for the best considering spoilers. What is clear is that the slasher will feature a time jump, allowing the timeline in-universe to catch up to the real world. Fans are excited to see the return of Real Housewives icon Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace, one of the few survivors of Kills.
Halloween Ends will hit theaters on October 14th. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.