In 2022, the release of Halloween Ends officially concluded the Blumhouse/Universal retconning revival of the classic horror franchise known as Halloween. The final chapter of David Gordon Green’s take of the Michael Myers story saw Laurie Strode battling against the humongous killer, and ultimately, surviving. Michael does not, as Laurie puts his body through a shredder, formally ending his run in the new Halloween era. It was an ending that felt appropriate, but predictable at the same time. Laurie had to have justice, and that she got. What most fans don’t know is that the original ending wasn’t as traditional. Halloween Ends almost ended with a scene that recognized Halloween III: Season of the Witch, a.k.a. the most underrated Halloween sequel.
Jamie Lee Curtis spilled the beans about the original ending for Halloween Ends in an interview for the book Horror’s New Wave: 15 Years of Blumhouse. As reported by Bloody Disgusting, the star of the slasher franchise revealed that they were originally planning different conclusions for the new saga. The problem was that all the endings were either “intellectual” or “dark,” and they decided to go for a more traditional resolution:
“The original ending of Halloween Ends, originally entitled Halloween Dies, was a scene in a mask factory. You see a conveyor belt of masks being manufactured. They’re Michael Myers masks, which was saying, ‘We’re all monsters if we put on the mask. It’s not just Michael. It’s all of us, if we wear the mask.’ And yet somehow, it didn’t satiate. I think it was too intellectual for this finale. It was a big swing, and I honor and support the big swing.
“There was also an ending in which we explored and filmed a sort of transference between Laurie and Michael. In the final killing of Michael, Laurie almost became him. In this second of glory – taking the life of Michael Myers – she became Michael Myers. She has to go away at that point. She has to revert back to the Laurie we met in the first film. She has to isolate herself for the rest of her life because she now has a piece of Michael in her. [But] it was too dark and too profound to satisfy the hunger of this 40-year journey. And we changed it to this procession, where the town of Haddonfield quietly bears witness to the end of Michael. Then Laurie goes back to her house for the final scenes.”
A Direct Nod at the Most Misunderstood ‘Halloween’ Sequel Ever Made
Mentioning a mask factory will inevitably make you think of Halloween III: Season of the Witch, the 1982 standalone sequel that abandoned the Michael Myers and Laurie Strode storyline. Instead, it focused on a sci-fi plot about a nefarious scientist making lethal masks, and a doctor trying to uncover a conspiracy. Most of the story revolves around the process of manufacturing the Silver Shamrock masks that kids plead for, and which ultimately kill everyone who wears them.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch is commonly known as the one sequel that tried to change things around but didn’t have a great result. It did not feature Michael Myers or the slasher elements of the first two films. It was panned by critics upon release, but had a decent theatrical run, grossing over $14 million from a $4.6 million production budget. Today, it has a strong cult following with fans who revisit it constantly, and observe its value beyond the Michael Myers timeline. If seen as a standalone film, Halloween III: Season of the Witch is actually a pretty eerie and effective horror movie.
- Release Date
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October 14, 2022
- Runtime
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111 Minutes