Halloween Kills
Halloween Kills is an upcoming American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and written by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems. The film is a sequel to 2018's Halloween and the twelfth installment in the Halloween franchise. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Nick Castle reprising their roles as Laurie Strode and Michael Myers, with James Jude Courtney also portraying Myers. Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Kyle Richards, Nancy Stephens and Charles Cyphers reprise their roles from the 2018 and 1978 films, with Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Longstreet also joining the cast. The film is produced by Jason Blum through his Blumhouse Productions banner, alongside Malek Akkad and Bill Block.
Before the release of the 2018 film, McBride in June 2018 confirmed that he and 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. By February 2019, Teems was hired to co-write the script. The film's title was announced in July 2019, along with its sequel. Principal photography commenced in September 2019 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Halloween Kills is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 15, 2021, by Universal Pictures. A third sequel, Halloween Ends, is scheduled to be released on October 14, 2022.
Premise
Cast
- Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode, the sole survivor of Michael Myers' 1978 killing spree, suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. She is Karen's mother and Allyson's grandmother.
- James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle as Michael Myers / The Shape, the masked figure who carried out a horrific massacre on Halloween in 1978, and returns to Haddonfield for another killing spree.
- * Airon Armstrong portrays a young version of Michael Myers in flashbacks in 1978.
- Judy Greer as Karen Nelson, Laurie's daughter and Allyson's mother.
- Andi Matichak as Allyson Nelson, Karen's daughter and Laurie's granddaughter.
- Anthony Michael Hall as Tommy Doyle, Lindsey's friend and one of the kids Laurie babysat in 1978.
- Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace, Tommy's friend and one of the kids Laurie babysat in 1978.
- Robert Longstreet as Lonnie Elam, Cameron's father who bullied Tommy Doyle as a child in 1978.
- * Tristian Eggerling as young Lonnie Elam
- Nancy Stephens as Marion Chambers, the former assistant to Dr. Sam Loomis.
- Charles Cyphers as Leigh Brackett, the former sheriff of Haddonfield who lost his daughter in the 1978 killing spree and pursued Michael alongside Dr. Sam Loomis.
- Dylan Arnold as Cameron Elam, Allyson's ex-boyfriend and Lonnie's son.
- Omar Dorsey as Sheriff Barker, Haddonfield's sheriff.
- Jibrail Nantambu as Julian Morrisey, a young boy who escaped from Michael's killing spree in the previous film.
- Brian F. Durkin as Deputy Graham, Haddonfield's deputy.
- Carmela McNeal as Vanessa, Haddonfield Memorial Hospital's nurse.
- Michael Smallwood as Marcus, Haddonfield Memorial Hospital's doctor.
- Ryan Lewis as Deputy Sullivan
- Salem Collins as Christy
- Giselle Witt as Mindy
- J. Gaven Wilde as Dennis
- Diva Tyler as Sondra
- Mike Dupree as Ventriloquist
- John Flanagan as Paramedic
- Andy Bethea as Police Officer
Production
Development
In June 2018, Danny McBride confirmed that he and 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: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 to write the script, 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, Malek Akkad and Bill Block will return as producers, while Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer and Andi Matichak are expected to reprise their roles.
Pre-production
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. On 19 July 2019, Universal Pictures revealed 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 as co-writers of Halloween Ends.Casting for extras were announced in late August 2019.
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 portrayed by Brian Andrews in the original Halloween film. Paul Rudd, who played Doyle in ', was approached to reprise his role, but declined as he was unavailable due to his commitments to '.On August 30, 2019, it was announced that Kyle Richards would reprise her role as Lindsey Wallace from the original film. In August 2019, Charles Cyphers was rumored to reprise his role as Sheriff Leigh Brackett from the original film and its 1981 sequel. Cyphers was officially confirmed to return in October, his first role in a film since Methodic in 2007. On September 5, 2019, it was reported that Robert Longstreet would play Lonnie Elam, a character from the original film. On September 27, 2019, Nancy Stephens, who portrayed Nurse Marion Chambers in the original film and its sequels Halloween II and , was cast to reprise her role.
Jibrail Nantambu is set to reprise his role as Julian from the previous film; while Victoria Paige Watkins and Brian F. Durkin joined the cast.
Filming
On July 19, 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 16, 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 photography included simulated gunfire scenes on September 27, September 30, and October 1.
Additional filming occurred on October 16, 2019.
Filming ended on November 3, 2019 with the sequel scheduled to release in the fall of 2021.
Marketing
On October 31, 2019, Jamie Lee Curtis posted a 20-second video showing the filming of the film, ending with Curtis saying to the camera with bloody arms and on a gurney: "Happy Halloween".The first teaser trailer was released on July 8, 2020.
On March 2020, producer Jason Blum had widely praised the film by saying: "I just saw Halloween Kills. It was SO good. So good. It's intense. It's huge. It really feels really big."