A behind-the-scenes photo confirms that Halloween Ends has officially finished filming. David Gordon Green and Blumhouse launched a new Halloween series in 2018, retconning every other film in the franchise aside from John Carpenter's original 1978 slasher. The murderous Michael Myers returns to Haddonfield after 40 years of imprisonment to continue his killing spree and encounters Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). Green followed the film up three years later with Halloween Kills.
Despite the generally poor reception for Halloween Kills, the movie was a success for Blumhouse in terms of Peacock viewership and box office sales, leading to the official production of the third — and final — Green film, Halloween Ends. The director and his team originally planned to film the finale and Kills concurrently, but Ends got pushed back due to the overwhelming schedule, and production began in early February 2022. The plot reportedly shifted because of the delay, from focusing on the same night in 2018 that the first two take place to four years later. Green confirmed that Halloween Ends is a much more "intimate work," focusing on Carpenter's legacy and even recognizing the COVID-19 pandemic.
Producer Ryan Turek has shared some of the production's journey on Instagram, including a new image that confirms the crew's wrap on the film. It shows crew members packed onto a two-lane road, and Turek states in the caption, "Last night of shooting. A wrap on our Halloween trilogy. Incredible journey. Amazing cast, amazing crew. While we obviously have post-production ahead of us, it's still an emotional night."
Click here to view the Instagram post.
The post signifies that filming occurred for a little over a month, which leaves nearly seven months for post-production before the film premieres in mid-October. It may feel like a long wait for the supposed end of Michael Myers and Curtis's swan song as Laurie, but it is a much shorter frame of time than Halloween Kills' release after the first legacy sequel premiered in theaters. And while Turek's image doesn't offer any significant information about the film's contents, it is a beautiful shot that could be an early sign of the kind of intimate, meaningful picture Green previously spoke about making.
In reality, with Halloween Ends done filming and pandemic protocols loosening, the slated October 14, 2022, release date looks like it will stick, and fans will not have to theorize about Michael and Laurie's fates much longer. According to Carpenter, the film could mark the actual end for the characters and the Halloween franchise, a risky decision that Green and distributor Universal Pictures reportedly desire despite the financial opportunities that another project represents. With Halloween Ends now in post-production, look for official stills and the eventual trailer to provide hints toward the franchise's future.
Source: Ryan Turek
