‘Halloween’ on HBO: The Best ‘Halloween’ Film in Forty Years

First, there was Halloween. Then there was Halloween II. Then there was Halloween III, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Halloween: the Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, and Halloween: Resurrection. Then there was Halloween and Halloween II again. Then, finally, there was Halloween. Again. You with me?

I’ll put it another way: There have been ten films in the Halloween franchise since director John Carpenter‘s original, Halloween, in 1978. Several of them have the same name, and yes, it’s confusing. The most recent one, Halloween (2018)—which is not to be confused with Halloween (2007) or Halloween (1978)—makes its television debut on HBO tonight. From director David Gordon Green, the film is a direct sequel to the very first Halloween film, retconning all other Halloween films.

Leading the Halloween (2018) cast is Jamie Lee Curtis, who returns to her role as Laurie Strode. Laurie is the only survivor of a murderous rampage executed in 1978 by the psychotic Michael Myers, now mostly played by stunt guy James Jude Courtney, though OG actor Nick Castle gets a small scene.

Forty years later, Laurie is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and alcoholism. She has a strained relationship with her daughter, Karen (Judy Greer), and her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak). But when Michael Myers escapes while being transported to a new prison, she has to pull herself together to get her family to safety.

It seems a fresh start was exactly what this horror franchise needed because Halloween (2018) was the best-reviewed of the Halloween films since the original, according to Rotten Tomatoes. Perhaps it helped that Carpenter served as an executive producer and creative consultant for the film. Halloween (2018) currently boasts a score of 79 percent on the review aggregate website, compared the original film’s 95 percent. (The other eight films are all “rotten,” with scores 52 percent or lower.) It was also the most financially successful installment—it grossed a massive $254 million at the worldwide box office on a budget of $10 million, meaning that, yeah, there’s probably going to be a sequel.

Back in October, comedian Danny McBride, who co-wrote the script, said a sequel was underway. Just this week producer Jason Blum said on Twitter that he was “working” on getting an official Halloween II announcement out soon.

No news on whether Gordon Green would be involved, but hopefully they’ll also title the sequel Halloween. Because, why not?

Where to stream Halloween.