Just like the masked killers who stalk through them, it is pretty tough to kill an established horror franchise. Well-known franchises like Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, and Child’s Play see sequels and remakes every few years. Hell, even Puppet Master is still going. It should come as no surprise that Halloween is mounting a comeback next year. What is a bit surprising is that Jamie Lee Curtis, who shot to stardom by playing Laurie Strode in the original Halloween (1978) film, is set to return in that same role. Below is the first released image from Universal:
Curtis has not appeared in a Halloween film since 2002’s Halloween: Resurrection, when her character was unceremoniously killed off in the opening scene. Apparently, the new film will not be sticking with the continuity of the series.
Jamie Lee Curtis still has some acting chops, and her presence instantly makes another attempt to jump-start the series more credible. This will be her fifth film in the Halloween franchise. She appeared in the first two films of the series, then her character returned in H20 before being murdered by Michael Myers in Resurrection. Rumors state that Curtis only returned for that last (laughably bad) film so that her character could be killed off. In case you’ve forgotten, or somehow missed the best film of 2002:
The franchise was rebooted in 2007 by director Rob Zombie, who made two films in his version of the series before bowing out.
The latest film in the Halloween franchise is scheduled to release in October of 2018. Details are sparse, but the only other person attached is director David Gordon Green. He is best known for directing several episodes of Eastbound and Down, as well as the stoner comedies Pineapple Express and Your Highness. Stay tuned for more details as they become available, and maybe go back and watch the original film from 1978. It still holds up pretty well.