Summary
- The Halloween franchise’s television rights have been acquired by Miramax.s.
- This deal could lead to the development of a television show and other potential international shows.
- Miramax has also expressed interest in creating a cinematic universe around the Halloween show.
The Halloween franchise could potentially expand even more thanks to a new deal. The long-running movie franchise kicked off in 1978 with John Carpenter’s Halloween, which followed babysitter Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends being stalked by escaped serial killer Michael Myers (Nick Castle when masked, Tony Moran when unmasked). The franchise has since expanded to include 12 sequels in various continuities, with the most recent title being 2022’s Halloween Ends.
Per Deadline, the television rights to the Halloween franchise have been acquired by Miramax after being put on the market by Trancas International Films. This deal includes the development and co-production of a Halloween television show with a first-look agreement for other international shows. Reportedly, Miramax has an eye on a potential cinematic universe around the show, though it is as yet unknown if it will have any connection to David Gordon Green’s Halloween trilogy, which Miramax made with Universal, Trancas, and Blumhouse.
Where the Halloween Franchise Could Go From Here
One thing that could complicate the future of the Halloween franchise is the Halloween Ends ending. While the movie followed both Michael Myers and a potential new killer Corey Cunningham, both were dead by the time the movie ended. In fact, the movie made a point to have Laurie Strode put Michael’s body into an industrial shredder, implying that the movie is the true ending to the long-term showdown between the iconic killer and final girl.
The Halloween movies have continued beyond seemingly conclusive endings before, however. For instance, Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later featured Laurie beheading Michael, only for the sequel Halloween: Resurrection to reveal that she only thought she was beheading Michael, as the killer had placed his mask on an unwitting paramedic. It is entirely possible that the TV show could produce a similar explanation for Michael’s return, even though it seems unlikely that Laurie Strode will return considering the fact that Curtis has stated she is finished with the franchise.
However, in order for Halloween to expand into a proper cinematic universe connected to the TV show, it seems most likely that the story will be rebooted in some way. Starting over with a younger Michael Myers allows more room for a continuing story to be told in the modern era. It remains to be seen how Miramax decides to proceed, as the previous attempt to reboot the franchise, Rob Zombie’s 2007 movie Halloween, only resulted in one sequel before the franchise reverted back to its original continuity.
Source: Deadline
