Nick Castle’s memorable portrayal as Michael Myers in the original Halloween helped create a horror icon. But the performer, who was a film production multi-hyphenate, did not return in the 1981 sequel, Halloween 2.
One of the keys to the success of John Carpenter’s Halloween was the portrayal of the masked boogeyman, Michael Myers. But Myers was not a character in the traditional sense. He was mainly presented as a menacing background figure with no dialogue and minimum interaction with anyone until the final act. His portrayal was actually the work of several talented people, including Castle who was chosen by Carpenter because he liked the way he walked. Castle’s methodical movements brought an eerie, inhuman presence to a being described as “pure evil.” As captured by the skillful cinematography of Dean Cundey (Back to the Future), his subtle physical performance took on an almost supernatural quality.
Myers was also portrayed by Tommy Lee Wallace, who was responsible for the production design – and would later direct the divisive Halloween III. Wallace put on the Myers’ mask whenever breaking through material was required. Since Wallace created many of the props, he knew the best way to destroy them for maximum effect. Stunt man James Winburn also put on the Myers’ mask for his climactic fall from the bedroom terrace. In addition to the masked performers, two actors were used to portray Myers’ actual visage. Will Sanden played him at age 6 and Tony Moran, the late Erin Moran’s brother, played him at age 21.
Why Nick Castle Did Not Return For Halloween 2
Because of the way Carpenter chose to present Myers throughout the film, more of a visual representation of evil than a flesh and blood person, the character was referred to as “The Shape” several times in the original script. This moniker was carried over to the end credits, with Castle referred to as “The Shape”. By making Myers more of an object, it is not that surprising that when a sequel was put into motion, getting him to reprise the role was not at the top of his mind. A popular rumor is that when Halloween 2 was in pre-production, Castle was too focused on his directing career to participate.
However, Carpenter and producing partner Debra Hill knew early on that a stunt man would be a much wiser decision. Given the amount of action in the new film, including Myers being set on fire, a professional stunt man seemed the logical conclusion. Though the original film was a huge success, the character of Michael Myers had yet to take on iconic status. Getting Castle to reprise the role wouldn’t really be an issue until years later, when fan culture demanded he be a part of Halloween 2018. In reality, Castle was busy writing screenplays including Skatetown U.S.A. (1979) and Escape From New York (1981), which he co-wrote. In 1982, a year after Halloween 2, Castle would direct his first film, the thriller TAG: The Assassination Game.
Stunt man Dick Warlock ended up taking on the role of Myers in the Halloween sequel. Though not embraced by critics at the time, the film is now considered a classic in its own right, and has inspired several set pieces in the new franchise entry, Halloween Kills, which is set for release October 2020.
