As a die-hard Halloween franchise fan, I've embraced the series's highs and lows with equal fervor. From the thrill of H:IV to the disappointment of Resurrection, my loyalty to the saga of Michael Myers hasn't wavered. That's remained even as the IP has ventured through reboots, remakes, one-offs and a confusing maze of timelines and disregarded sequels. Despite mixed opinions on the Blumhouse trilogy, and though they don’t sit at the top of my ranking of all the Halloween movies, I found David Gordon Green’s films to be a refreshing take on my beloved slasher series. So it's with a heavy heart that I express my dismay over the latest update on the upcoming Miramax TV series. Let's jump into it.
What Did The Exec Have To Say About The Halloween Show?
In 2022, we witnessed Halloween Ends’ finale put to rest the iconic rivalry between Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode and iconic slasher Michael Myers. Of course, we had been down this road 20 years prior when H20 did the same thing, so it was no surprise when the Blumhouse trilogy helmer, fans, and the creator behind one of the best horror movies, John Carpenter, doubted Myers would be dead for long. The speculation was soon put to rest when, in October of 2023, Miramax Television and Trancas International Films formed a partnership and announced a Halloween TV series. This collaboration, which also includes Blumhouse Productions following their joint success on the latest film trilogy, aims to kick-start a universe that spans both TV and cinema potentially.
Miramax's Head of Worldwide Television, Marc Helwig, stated that the upcoming series will focus on returning to the original movie, indicating a "creative reset" for the franchise, as reported by Deadline. He said:
The foundation of it is the original film, the John Carpenter movie, the characters of that film, and perhaps a group of characters that we haven’t really focused on that much in recent film versions or even in a number of them. It’s a creative reset completely and going back to the original film, as opposed to spinning out of any of the more recent film adaptations.
Fans of the franchise know that in the series 13-movie run, almost all the main characters from the first installment have been explored in some way or another. The recent trilogy has also covered many of these characters. Therefore, it's unclear what this could mean for the series' future.
Why Does This News Bum Me Out?
Many critics found the ending of Halloween Ends to be an underwhelming conclusion for the horror characters. As a result, Blumhouse's trilogy and the movie were deemed mediocre by many critics and fans. At first, the final entry in the most recent trilogy was very upsetting to me as well, because I was expecting something different. However, with time and a few more rewatches, I have truly grown to love the final movie.
People were understandably upset about the lack of Michael Myers and the shift to the character of Corey Cunningham in Halloween Ends. But I enjoyed the movie's theme, which explores whether killers are born or made. Ends, taken as a standalone movie, tells a compelling story with some brutal and horrific scenes. I believe, in time, the film will grow in cult status like the under-appreciated Season of the Witch has.
I am disappointed that the TV series is doing another “creative reset’ so that it can go backward and start over with the original movie. This approach may lead to retelling stories we have already seen. I would've liked it more if the series had explored the idea of transferable or learned evil that Ends introduced. Perhaps we could finally move the Halloween franchise forward without the character of Michael Myers, as promised so many years ago when John Carpenter and Debra Hill tried to do that with Season of the Witch. I believe horror movie enthusiasts and die-hard franchise fans are ready for something new.
Let's Look To the Future Of The Series
Despite my hesitations, we should recognize the incredible talent and creativity fueling Miramax Television's Halloween series. With the franchise's lasting appeal and the creative powerhouses of Miramax and Blumhouse at the helm, this production has genuine potential to offer a "creative reset" that surprises and captivates fans. The prospect of it creating a universe filled with endless possibilities piques my interest. Could it adopt a multiverse strategy, bringing back beloved characters?
The idea of Jamie Lloyd from the fourth and fifth films making a comeback excites me. Her story felt unfinished, and Danielle Harris, the actress behind Jamie, has expressed interest in revisiting her iconic role. Of course, I'll just have to wait and see if the show ultimately manages to wipe away the feeling of disappointment I have right now.
Until there are updates on the small-screen iteration of Halloween, check out our 2024 TV schedule to see what upcoming shows are headed to the small screen.
