Halloween Kills may not realistically be able to avoid a streaming release this October, potentially giving fans of the horror franchise the chance to watch the “ultimate slasher movie” at home this Halloween season. Originally, the slasher sequel was set to release in theaters last year before the pandemic pushed it release date to October 2021. With continued uncertainty over the status of the movie theater business, even John Carpenter feels that it’s more likely than not Halloween Kills will go streaming.
Speaking about the release plans for Halloween Kills in an interview with NME, John Carpenter was directly asked if Halloween Kills could get released on-demand alongside its theatrical release this fall, and here’s what the Master of Horror had to say:
“Sure. Halloween may be shared that way because theaters are dead. It’s just the reality right now. And it’s a tragedy, but it’s true. We just have to face it. The studio did contact David [Gordon Green] and I, and they had us put off the new one by a year in the hope that things got better. So we’re still hoping it will get better… It’s done. We’re just waiting on the world to be a little bit more sane and a little safer before we release it.”
While it’s very possible Halloween Kills won’t get a traditional release exclusively to theaters, what’s important is that fans enjoy the movie, whether they’re watching it on the big screen or in their own living rooms. While Carpenter can’t divulge any specific details about what to expect from the movie, he promises a “gory” movie with a Michael Myers that’s more deadly than ever. As Carpenter explains:
“Holy Toledo! It’s the ultimate slasher movie. It’s Halloween on steroids. It’s great.”
After directing the 2018 Halloween, David Gordon Green is back in the director’s chair for Halloween Kills. Carpenter scored the sequel alongside son Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. Scott Teems, Danny McBride, and Green wrote the screenplay. Picking up after the events of the 2018 movie, the sequel follows Laurie Strode and the residents of Haddonfield organizing a mob to go after Michael Myers when they realize he is still on the loose and killing people in the city.
Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, and Andi Matichak are all returning to reprise their roles as the Strode family. Other franchise favorites are also set to appear in the movie, including Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace, Nancy Stephens as Marion Chambers, and Charles Cyphers as Sheriff Leigh Brackett. Anthony Michael Hall also stars as an older version of Tommy Doyle, the young boy played by Brian Andrews in the original movie.
Halloween Kills is scheduled to be released in theaters on Oct. 15, 2021. As of now, no plans have been revealed for the sequel to be release on streaming as well, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility. We’ll find out soon enough as we get a bit closer to the release date this fall. This news comes to us from NME.