When Halloween was rebooted in 2018 by David Gordon Green and Danny McBride, Michael Myers and Laurie Strode returned to the praise of most horror fans. While these two were the only returning characters from the John Carpenter classic, the sequel, Halloween Kills, saw several more characters return to the big screen.
The second film in the planned trilogy was a reunion of sorts, as several actors reprise their roles from the 1978 original. Fans were delighted to see some of the bit players from Halloween return and were even more delighted to see just how many there were.
Michael Myers
The most obvious returning character is The Shape himself, Michael Myers. From his debut in 1978, Michael has been one of the most iconic slasher villains of all time. It is no wonder the character has returned so many times over the last 43 years. In Halloween Kills, there has been an update to Michael Myers' iconic and terrifying mask, as he was left to burn in the previous film.
Half of his face is burnt and melted, adding a whole new level of fear to the already scary mask. Michael was played primarily by James Jude Courtney, but in several shots, he is played by Nick Castle reprising his role from the original. Michael Myers is a horror legend, and fans can always expect to see him return in some capacity.
Laurie Strode
The other character not only reprising their role from 1978 but also 2018 is the poster child for final girls, Laurie Strode. Jamie Lee Curtis once again returns to the role that was key in making her a household name. After facing Michael in 2018, Laurie spends the majority of the film recovering in the hospital, similar to her role in Halloween II where she was one of several likable characters. However, Laurie is much different than she was in 1978, where she was a shy, intelligent, and almost naive teenager.
Now she is a warrior who is ready to face her fears head-on at a moment's notice. Michael took much more from her than her friends that terrible night. He took her innocence and traumatized her so much that her daughter and granddaughter are suffering the consequences. Laurie Strode is one of the strongest women in horror, and she proves it even when incapacitated in a hospital.
Sam Loomis
While having passed away by the events of the 2018 reboot, Dr. Sam Loomis returns in a series of flashback scenes in Halloween Kills. There are several scenes that take place after the events of the first film during 1978 that show how Michael was captured. In addition to once again seeing Michael how he appeared in the first film, his doctor also returns. The original actor who played Loomis, Donald Pleasence, passed away in 1995 meaning the role had to be recast.
The role was played by Tom Jones Jr. who bears an uncanny resemblance to the late Pleasence. Using some make-up effects and a voice-over job by Colin Mahan, Dr. Loomis was able to return to Haddonfield once again, and fans are still shocked that CGI wasn't used to achieve this.
Tommy Doyle
Laurie Strode wasn't the only Haddonfield resident traumatized by evil on Halloween night, 1978. Laurie was babysitting two children, one of which was young Tommy Doyle. Tommy saw Michael several times over the course of the night, and nobody listened to his warnings. After surviving with the help of Laurie, Tommy is still a Haddonfield local 40 years later. Being played by Anthony Michael Hall this time around, Tommy wastes no time springing into action when he discovers evil has returned.
His role as Tommy is a far cry from Hall's frequent collaborations with legendary teen comedy director John Hughes. Tommy means business this time around, building a mob of locals who are tired of living in the shadow of fear Michael has cast over the town. It seems Laurie has taught Tommy well, as he is just as ready to face The Shape head-on as she is.
Lindsey Wallace
In 1978, Lindsey Wallace just wanted to watch some monster movies. In 2018, all she wants to do is survive. Another Halloween alum reprising their role is Kyle Richards as Lindsey Wallace. After being dropped off at the Doyle's with Tommy and Laurie, Lindsey is pushed into a night of horror that would stick with her for the rest of her life.
In Halloween Kills, Lindsey joins Tommy and the other residents of Haddonfield as they hunt down Michael to finish him off for good. Lindsey joins the ranks of strong female protagonists in horror, as she goes toe to toe with Myers and saves some lives in the process. Lindsey's story may not be over quite yet, and fans are eager to see where she goes from here.
Leigh Brackett
Leigh Bracket lost his daughter, Annie, during Michael's first rampage. When the town starts a mob to hunt Myers down, he jumps at the opportunity. Charles Cypher returns to the role of Brackett, and he is a different man than the cheerful sheriff he was in 1978. Regardless of his older age, Leigh still joins the hunt for Michael and even gets the chance to face his daughter's murderer head-on.
Michael Myers has managed to haunt many survivors of his 1978 massacre, so seeing them track him down for round 2 is satisfying for horror fans. Leigh may not have as big of a screen presence as the other legacy characters, but seeing him again and hearing his famous line repeated is a real treat for horror hounds.
Lonnie Elam
Even minor characters were affected by Michael's first rampage, as shown in the character Lonnie. Originally appearing in two scenes in the original, Halloween Kills shows that Lonnie actually encountered Michael in 1978. When he wasn't bulling Tommy or trespassing at the Myers house, Lonnie was dealing with his own bullies, and of course Michael.
Lonnie has left his bullying ways and is shown to be a part of a group that some of the survivors of the original film have formed. When Michael re-emerges, Lonnie joins the group in tracking him down. While not having a large impact on either film, a returning character is always fun in the world of horror.
Marion Chambers
In the escape sequence in the original film, Marion Chambers accompanied Dr. Loomis to transfer Michael. Chambers underestimates Myers and narrowly escapes with her life. Halloween Kills sees Chambers joining other survivors in bringing the evil of Michael Myers to an end. Marion seems to be a bit more respectful of what Michael is this time around, and is far more cautious.
While only in one scene in the first film, she was featured in an iconic shot that was recreated in Kills. Chambers also returned in the original sequel in 1981, and in the first reboot attempt Halloween H20: 20 Years Later in 1998. Every time she returned she was played by the same actress, Nancy Stephens. Fans of the series were happy to see her return, even if she felt wasted by many.