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Jamie Lee Curtis is about to end an era. Halloween Ends is rapidly approaching, and so is Jamie’s lengthy stint as one of the horror genre’s original “final girls.” Fans were thrilled when 2018’s Halloween revived Jamie Lee’s character Laurie Strode, and since then she’s faced off against slasher Michael Myers in 2021’s Halloween Kills in yet another blood bath worthy of the name.
Still, that film was a literal means to an end, and the main event is about to set the final score between the “good vs evil” rivals. Here’s what we know about Halloween Ends, from its cast to its hotly anticipated release date.
Where the ‘Halloween’ Franchise Left Off
Obviously, Halloween began in 1978 with the John Carpenter film that would start it all. Little Michael Myers stabbed his big sister at the tender age of 6 and was promptly put into an asylum. But like any good slasher, Michael breaks free years later and makes a gory return to Haddonfield, Illinois, his fictional hometown. There, he chases down neighborhood babysitter Laurie Strode on Halloween night and plucks off her friends as he makes his way toward a grand finale kill.
But he’s never quite able to kill Laurie, and he winds up falling off a balcony after being shot by psychiatrist Dr. Loomis. Michael then escapes into the night, as a terrified Laurie sobs with despair.
Fast forward to the 2018 version of the same name, directed by David Gordon Green. The film skips over the previous sequels Halloween II (1981), Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (and several other franchise films) to be a direct sequel of its own.
Halloween 2018 leaves Michael still institutionalized after four decades, but escaping while being transferred to a maximum-security prison. Predictably, a traumatized Laurie has been living in terror during that time, fearing her tormentor will return to Haddonfield to kill her — and that’s exactly what Michael has in mind. Laurie’s estranged daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) ultimately help Laurie lock Michael in the basement of Laurie’s house (on Halloween, of course,) and ostensibly burn him to a crisp.
However, Michael gets away again, setting up another film, which happens on the same night in 2018. Halloween Kills has Haddonfield residents forming a disjointed vigilante mob determined to take the man in the creepy mask down for good — as a badly injured Laurie fights for her life in the hospital. The misguided attempt doesn’t go as planned, however, despite the heroic efforts of Karen and Allyson on Laurie’s behalf, and an inevitable final showdown is set up.
What’s Coming In ‘Halloween Ends’
Halloween Ends is meant to be the definitive final chapter in Jamie Lee Curtis’ bloody fight for her life opposite Michael Myers. According to director David, it’s got plenty of social relevance, as well. “It jumps into a contemporary timeline,” he told Uproxx in October 2021. So we go from two episodes that are the same night in 2018. And then we’ll get up to speed with … It’ll take place the time of its [2022] release.”
According to David, that includes the pandemic and its surrounding events. “So if you think about it, I mean, where we’re leaving these characters on Halloween 2018, the world is a different place,” he told the outlet. “So not only do they have their immediate world affected by that trauma, having time to process that trauma – and that’s a specific and immediate traumatic event in the community of Haddonfield. But then they also had a worldwide pandemic and peculiar politics and another million things that turned their world upside down.”
“Four years after the events of Halloween Kills, Laurie is living with her granddaughter Allyson and is finishing writing her memoir,” a plot summary on the movie’s IMDb page reads. “Michael Myers hasn’t been seen since. Laurie, after allowing the specter of Michael to determine and drive her reality for decades, has decided to liberate herself from fear and rage and embrace life. But when a young man, Corey Cunningham, is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.”
The official trailer for Halloween Ends has Michael lurking in corners of Laurie’s house, then coming face to face with the barrel of her gun — with the classic jack-o-lantern in the background. Laurie and Michael then violently tussle, followed by a bloody montage of past Halloween films. “Come get me, motherf***er,” Laurie says, as Michael grabs her hand and attempts to force it into a running kitchen disposal.
In a 2021 interview with The Illuminerdi, the iconic star revealed that the finale will make fans “angry.” ” [David] sort of alluded to the third one, which is going to shock people,” she told the outlet. “It’s going to make people very angry. It’s going to stimulate people. People are going to be agitated by it. And it is a beautiful way to end this trilogy.”
‘Halloween Ends’ Release Date
Halloween Ends is set for release on October 14, 2022, in theaters and, as Laurie herself announced via social media in an emotional video, streaming via Peacock. “It has been the honor of my life to play Laurie Strode, and no matter how you watch this final chapter, I hope you’ll get people together and scream and cheer and hold your breath to the end,” she said in the clip. “Because we created this for you.” Jamie signed off on the August 23, 2022, video as “your final girl” before Michael Myers emerged from the trees, unbeknownst to her.
‘Halloween Ends’ Cast & Crew
Jamie Lee Curtis is, of course, set to close her own 45-year chapter as Laurie Strode. Backing her up are Judy Greer and Andi Matichak, who will reprise their roles as Laurie’s daughter Karen and her granddaughter Allyson, respectively. James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle will return as Michael, with Will Patton returning as Deputy Frank Hawkins. Kyle Richards from the 1978 film will return as Lindsey Wallace, the little girl who Laurie babysat all those decades ago. Anthony Michael Hall will play Tommy Doyle.
One of the most thrilling returns is by original director John Carpenter, as an executive producer, alongside Jamie Lee and Danny McBride, among others. While he won’t be making an appearance either in front of, or behind the camera, we’re sure his presence will be felt throughout in this conclusion to a legendary horror franchise.
