Universal Pushes Back 'Halloween Kills' To October 2021

Universal debuts an unexpected and killer teaser trailer for Halloween Kills, revealing a new release date and status quo for Laurie Strode and Mike Myers

Jamie Lee Curits in 'Halloween Kills' (CREDIT: Blumhouse/Universal)

by Jack Linsdell

Universal just debuted the first piece of marketing for David Gordon Green's slasher sequel Halloween Kills. The 30-second teaser trailer gave us an exclusive first look at what's in store for Laurie Strode and her family after the brilliant cliffhanger climax of 2018's Halloween. 

After a series of B-roll shots of Haddonfield at night, the teaser ends with Laurie, Karen and Allyson in the back of the truck that they escaped in at the end of the last movie, clearly relieved to be rid of Myers once and for all. Or, so they thought. Then several fire trucks come speeding past, clearly on route to extinguish Laurie's burning house, much to her despair. You don't need to be a genius to realise that in putting out the fire, the firemen will inadvertently save Myer's life, putting the world (and Laurie) in danger once more. 

It's a neat reversal of what at the time seemed like a pretty irreversible cliffhanger, and, in many ways, that such a killer plot twist has been spoiled in the first piece of marketing for the film is both clever and surprising. Anyway, although the teaser was unexpected, it's only increased my excitement for Halloween Kills, intended as the second installment to David Gordon Green and John Carpenter's new Halloween trilogy. I liked Halloween more than you did, so the fact we're getting not one but two sequels from the same filmmakers is exciting. 

Anyway, the biggest announcement from the teaser, and the sole reason for it's existence, is to announce the release date change for Halloween Kills. In a joint statement given in the comments section below the trailer on YouTube, Carpenter and Gordon Green announced that due to uncertainties caused by the Coronavirus pandemic on theatrical moviegoing, they've pushed back the release date of Halloween Kills from October of this year to October 2021. They say this will allow audiences and fans the chance to see the Jamie Lee Curtis-led flick in theatres without covid-related restrictions, and give them more time to properly complete the sound and colour timing work still needing to be finished. They also announced that this will also allow greater prep time for the third installment Halloween Ends which will begin shooting when things have returned to some sense of a new normal. 

To be honest, this seems like smart and sensible decision making from both Universal and the filmmakers. Halloween was a genuine smash hit in 2018, liked more by audiences than critics, to the tune of $255 million worldwide on a $15 million budget, so it stands to reason that both Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends will go down well too. Considering the industry is still unsure when theatres will open again, and once they do if audiences will come back in decent numbers to justify reopening, it stands to reason why it's best not to risk one of your most surefire hits by just pushing it back a year out of harms way. It will also allow the filmmakers to finish the movie properly, considering lockdown has kept sound technicians, editors and the like away from studios, and deliver a movie that's uncompromised in it's quality and stands the best chance of commercial success.

And, with Universal already having the October 15th 2021 release date secured, as that was were Halloween Ends was going to debut, it made sense to push Halloween Kills to 2021 and schedule part three in for October 2022. 

Halloween Kills, directed by David Gordon Green and penned by Green, Danny McBride and Scott Teems, will arrive in a theatre near you on October 15th 2021.