I had high hopes for David Gordon Green’s Halloween in 2018. The idea of making a direct sequel to the original movie was genius, as was bringing back key members of the 1978 cast. The end product blew me away and was one of the best slashers I’ve ever seen, with a particular highlight being John Carpenter’s intense synth score. And with the same team present for the two sequels, this year’s Halloween Kills stands a good chance of being one of my top movies of 2021.
But with COVID-19 having already delayed it by a year, when will we get to see it? Well, one unfortunate wrinkle of the Halloween franchise is that the films can only be released in time for the holiday they’re named after, so if it misses Halloween 2021, we may have another year’s delay. Fortunately, however, it seems that no matter what, Halloween Kills will release and if it has to be on VOD, then so be it.
Carpenter was asked about their backup plans in a recent interview and said the following:
“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 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.”
I think it’s very possible that theaters will indeed open by this October, though that’s reliant on the vaccination program kicking into high gear. But after 2020, making predictions about when the pandemic will be over feels pointless. Beyond that, there’s the lingering question of whether audiences will rush to multiplexes once they’ve reopened (which is also assuming they haven’t gone bankrupt). Do people really want to pack themselves inside an enclosed space to watch a movie together even if it’s judged to be safe?
However Halloween Kills reaches us, it sounds like it’s going to be amazing. Carpenter has seen the final cut already and said:
“It’s brilliant. It’s the ultimate slasher. I mean, there’s nothing more than this one. Wow! Man.”
Bring it on!
Halloween Kills releases on October 15th, 2021.
