Heading into the new Halloween Kills, we already knew that it would be leading us into a third and final film in a trilogy mapped out by David Gordon Green, titled Halloween Ends. That title has a real sense of finality to it, and we assume it’s going to bring the hostile relationship between Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers, which started way back in John Carpenter’s 1978 horror classic, Halloween. But should Halloween Ends be the END of the franchise?
David Gordon Green joined CinemaBlend’s official podcast, ReelBlend, to talk about the tricks and kills he worked into Halloween Kills with his co-screenwriter, Danny McBride. And during the conversation, we asked his thoughts on whether or not Halloween Ends should be the last Halloween movie ever made. Green was moved by the question, and replied to ReelBlend:
That’s funny to even think about because I’m certainly no authority of culture, and at this point, Michael Myers has become movie monster mythology. And so, just as much as we’ll see wolfmans for eternity, I have a feeling that our legacy Leatherfaces and Myers and Freddys, these guys are going to come back in new forms and face the world in new ways and tell the bedtime story to more children. For me, personally, as I age and maybe get cranky or roll my eyes and laugh along with it, I think it’s going to be exciting to see what happens to the legacy of Laurie Strode and Michael Myers.
David Gordon Green is right that certain horror movie staples stick around, and encourage new interpretations. Candyman returned in a new format this year, and The Evil Dead enjoyed a reinvention. But horror also ends up being the genre that hosts and encourages some of the most inventive, creative and challenging voices, allowing Jordan Peele (Us), Ari Aster (Hereditary), Jennifer Kent (The Babadook), and Mike Flanagan to push the boundaries of what’s possible both on screen and on streaming.
But there’s always going to be a place for the standards: Jason, Freddy, Michael, etc. No matter how experimental storytellers get in the horror genre, directors and cast always are going to find a way back to the beloved franchises, even if it leads to TV series or video games that allow you to, for example, stalk around Camp Crystal Lake with a hockey mask on. So yes, Halloween Ends will conclude the trilogy started by David Gordon Green, but he expects someone else to pick up John Carpenter’s baton at some point down the line.
For now, Green’s second chapter, Halloween Kills, is available now for fans to watch or stream. It’s in theaters, if you feel safe heading out to watch it with a crowd (where it’s most effective). But it’s also available via Peacock, for those who happen to subscribe.
