How will the Coronavirus affect the post-production and release of Halloween Kills? Several films currently in production have been halted indefinitely due to the quarantine. Could this potentially be another “Shape-less” October for fans?
Halloween 2018 rejuvenated the long-running franchise that began with John Carpenter’s original 1978 classic. Picking up 40 years later, the David Gordon Green follow-up was a hit with both mainstream audiences and critics – raking in over $250 million in worldwide box office receipts. It was a surprise to no one when it was announced just weeks after the film’s successful release that two additional follow-ups would be filmed. Both Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends were trumpeted as a new trilogy that would follow the epic showdown between boogeyman Michael Myers (stuntman James Jude Courtney) and original final girl Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis).
While Green’s sequel to the successful Halloween 2018 has completed shooting, the highly-anticipated follow-up is currently in post-production. This means that the film is still being put together; editing, scoring, sound design, and a variety of other components remain unfinished. With most states currently in lockdown due to the Coronavirus, the fate of Halloween Kills and its current release date of October 16, 2020 is uncertain. Though many of the post-production elements could be completed within the confines of “social distancing”, there are a myriad of factors at play that could also indirectly affect the release.
Will The October Release Of Halloween Kills Be Delayed By Coronavirus?
The good news is that, while everyone is in lockdown, progress is still being made on Halloween Kills. Nick Castle, who played Myers for most of the scenes in the original film, posted a photo of himself on Twitter recording some “breathing” for the new release. Castle returned to the role of Myers in 2018 to ensure the character, played primarily by stuntman Courtney, was an authentic continuation of “the Shape.” Castle’s breathing, walking, and methodical movements were subtle, yet critical, elements that made the character so memorable.
Castle, who also directed The Last Starfighter, appeared to be in good spirits in the posted photo. This news bodes well for the October release, which seems to be moving forward in spite of the of the virtual production standstill. Even if the pandemic “stay-at-home” mandate stays in effect through the fall, studios might continue to release new product through various streaming platforms. While it still seems likely that fans will get a timely October Myers/Strode match-up, they might have to settle for a small screen Halloween Kills debut instead of a theatrical release.