Yahoo News ‘Halloween,’ ‘Halloween 4,’ ‘Halloween 5’ Returning to Theaters in October (EXCLUSIVE)
John Carpenter’s original “Halloween,” “Halloween 4” and “Halloween 5″ are returning to theaters and drive-ins in more than two dozen U.S. markets in October.
The showings have been booked for a total of 225 screens, including 104 drive-ins through a partnership between CineLife Entertainment, Compass International Pictures and Trancas International Films.
“We are so excited to be bringing these films back, especially to drive-ins across the country where this iconic franchise launched,” said Ryan Freimann, senior vice president of Trancas and Compass. “Now, with the fall season growing closer, the drive-in format is helping keep both Halloween spirit and the cinema experience alive in these unprecedented times.”
The “Halloween” film franchise was started in part by Carpenter and Moustapha Akkad in 1978, and has led to 11 films that have grossed more than $600 million worldwide. The original “Halloween,” which premiered on Oct. 25, 1978, was directed and written by Carpenter about serial killer Michael Myers as he stalks and kills teenage babysitters on Halloween night. The film begins with six-year-old Michael killing his teenaged sister on Halloween in 1963; he escapes 15 years later from a sanitarium and stalks Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and her friends as they babysit.
The version of “Halloween” shown next month at drive-in theaters is a restored and remastered digital print, created under the supervision of cinematographer Dean Cundey.
The fourth Halloween movie, also known as “Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers,” was released in 1988 and centered on Michael Myers escaping from the sanitarium an attempting to kill Laurie Strode’s daughter, portrayed by Danielle Harris. “Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” focused on Myers awakening a year after being left for dead and attempting again to kill his niece, again portrayed by Harris.
“We are proud to partner with Trancas International Films and Compass International Pictures to bring this fan-favorite horror film to theaters worldwide,” said Bernadette McCabe, CineLife Entertainment’s executive vice president. “For generations of horror film fans who weren’t able to experience the original classic franchise in theaters, and even for those who remember when the films first premiered, we hope to capture the same thrilling and hair-raising atmosphere for all viewers to enjoy this quintessential Halloween experience.”
The markets included in the releases are Birmingham and Montgomery-Selma, Ala.; Los Angeles, Calif.; Moncton, Canada; Denver, Colo. ; Tampa-St. Petersburg and Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, Fla.; Atlanta, Ga.; Chicago, Ill.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Lexington, Ky.; Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham, N.C.; New York, N.Y.; Dayton, Ohio; Wilkes Barre-Scranton-Hazelton and Buffalo, Pa.; Sioux Falls, S.D/; Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville, Tenn.; Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Tyler-Longview, and Dallas, Texas; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Spokane, Wash.
It is up to the discretion of the exhibitor in terms of which films are screening. Most drive-ins are presenting the three “Halloween” films back-to-back while indoor theaters are only showing the original.
Universal Pictures released the 11th installment of the franchise, titled “Halloween,” in 2018 with Curtis returning as Strode. Universal announced in July that they were was pushing back the openings of the next two “Halloween” films, with “Halloween Kills” delayed from Oct. 16, 2020, to Oct. 15, 2021, and “Halloween Ends” moving from Oct. 15, 2021, to Oct. 14, 2022.
More from Variety
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
