Necessary Evil: Next Halloween Movie

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Hi there, horror friends! I can't believe the weekend before Halloween is already here! I hope none of you are dressing up like creepy clowns, which happened to be the basis for our last Necessary Evil. For today's column, I really wanted to tackle the perfect topic. It's almost Halloween and no self-respecting horror fan can think of the holiday without immediately associating it with Michael Myers! Now, I understand that the Blumhouse crew is trying to make a new Halloween movie and have even enlisted the help of John Carpenter. I'm totally cool with that, however I'm not sure how smoothly things are moving along. Hence, we here at AITH decided we should give you our OWN version of what the next film in the Halloween franchise should be!

IDEA: A new entry in the Halloween movie franchise. Let's call it Halloween: Memorial!

OUTLINE: NOTE – First off, I understand that the Halloween franchise has been divided into a few separate entities. There's the original movie timeline with Jamie Lee Curtis, there's the Thorn timeline with Jamie Lloyd, and there's Rob Zombie's remake attempts. Since the characters to the franchise are key, there is no point in remaking the whole thing again, and the whole Thorn cult crap is too convoluted and dumb so… we chose to stick with the original movie's timeline despite the fact that it means using the awful Halloween: Resurrection as a springboard. Okay, here's the plot breakdown:

The movie opens with a POV shot through a pair of eye holes looking on as Dr. Loomis fires six shots into the viewer. The POV shot stumbles back away from Loomis and falls off a second story balcony straight to the ground. (Yes, we are recreating the end of the first Halloween through Michael's eyes.) On the ground, the POV is beginning to fade when an unknown person comes into view and pounds some sort of large syringe down into the body. The person disappears and the POV fades back in and gets up off the ground and walks off. CUT TO: another POV shot moving through a dark hallway with flames engulfing the eyeholes. (The final scene in Halloween II.) The POV collapses to the ground, but the Shape's breathing can still be heard. CUT TO: the last shot of that awful Halloween: Resurrection when Michael is lying on the medical examining table and his eyes open through the mask. This startles the doctor performing the autopsy, but she soon settles upon realizing that his eyes opening was merely a lingering spasm. She breathes a sigh of relief and re-closes the eyes. Suddenly, a hand grabs her from behind and cuts her throat. A pair of hands come into view holding a familiar-looking syringe that is plunged down into Michael. His eyes reopen!

The bulk of the story takes place years after the lame events in Resurrection. Michael Myers has disappeared, however his presence still looms over the town. Haddonfield has become a desolate slum because families no longer desire to live there anymore on account of the "Halloween curse". Poor, trashy people are the only ones that are stuck living there now (But not as trashy as the characters that Rob Zombie can only create). The old Myers house still stands, however Randolph Rogers, a rich land developer, has bought up all the cheap land in Haddonfield. He is looking to build a whole new town and schedules the Myers house to be demolished as a sign of good faith that the town is moving on from Michael Myers. Randolph is in partnership with Dr. Westfield, an older physician who is looking to purchase and refurbish Haddonfield General.

Randolph and Dr. Westfield look to drum up interest by scheduling the demolition of the Myers house as a big event. Of course, they choose to swing the first wrecking ball on Halloween. People in costume are attending as well as news crews. A woman with an English accent is in attendance named… Rosie Loomis. She urges the partners to stop this spectacle, citing all her father had done in an attempt to keep Haddonfield safe. Dr. Westfield says he knew her father and that they are not doing anything to harm the town. Rosie is ushered away and ends up next to another slightly older woman with long brown hair that is turning grey. The woman applauds Rosie's efforts, but says the partners already dug their graves.

At last the time has come to swing the wrecking ball. There is a countdown, but at the end, the ball doesn't swing. Randolph goes to check on the operator and finds him with his throat slashed. A panic sweeps over the crowd. All hell breaks loose. The greying-haired woman runs towards the house. Rosie follows, telling her to stop. Randolph runs after them both while Dr. Westfield sneaks around back and is grabbed by the neck by a dark shape that pulls him into the house through a door to the basement.

Yes, Michael Myers is indeed back in town and begins terrorizing those there to destroy his childhood home. Upon learning about Dr. Loomis's daughter, his goal becomes to kill her. Action takes place in the Myers house, the streets of Haddonfield and finally culminates at old Haddonfield General (sort of a trip down memory lane for the first two movies). At the hospital, it is revealed that Dr. Westfield never wanted to restore the town. He simply (and psychotically) wanted Michael back, creating evil. He worked at Smiths Grove way back when Michael escaped and even assisted in it. He was the one that taught him to drive! He also developed and administered the drug in the syringe which is a type of steroid that made Michael nearly indestructible. What NOBODY counted on, though, was the greying-haired woman who reveals that she is the only one who can stop Michael… because she's his sister! Yes, she is Laurie Strode! Her fall from the roof of the sanitarium did NOT kill her. She was brought to a hospital, but then escaped only to have her face surgically altered (no need to worry about bringing Jaime Lee back)! She had longed for a chance to end Michael for good and saw the announcement of the Myers house demolition as a possible way to do so!

WHY IT COULD WORK: To say that fans have been dying for a new Michael Myers movie to wash the Zombie garbage out of their mouths is an understatement. If the newest Halloween movie is made with proper respect and aims to truly scare, I believe it can be huge. Also, calling back to the original two in a creative way and actually utilizing it to propel the current plot will add a welcoming dose of familiarity to the proceedings (which also worked for Star Wars: The Force Awakens). Plus, we don't have to worry too much about age slowing Michael down because Rosie Loomis is there to remind everyone how her father used to say that the Shape ran on pure evil (as well as the syringe dosages).

CHARACTERS: For Rosie Loomis, we should definitely go with a woman who has an authentic English accent. For some reason, I picture her with red hair, so even though it would never happen, my pick would be Kate Winslet. For Randolph Rogers, I see someone older and stout, which is why I'd go with John Goodman. For Dr. Westfield, I want to go with John Glover from Gremlins 2 and Smallville because he'd be perfect! Lastly, to play the surprise role of Laurie Strode, I'm tempted to go with an unknown that bears somewhat similar facial features to Jamie Lee Curtis… or if the Gods of Horror can somehow come together and convince her to return, I’d LOVE it if Jamie Lee Curtis decided to reprise Laurie for a Halloween sequel that was not shit!

CONCLUSION: Halloween is a much revered franchise and fans are not willing to tolerate a subpar sequel. After what Zombie did, coupled with how long it's taken to deliver a fresh entry, you better get it right! I think tapping into the nostalgia factor of the original two is a key factor towards succeeding. Since remaking the whole thing again just won't work, the new film has to provide a believable enough plot that would allow what we loved so much in the Laurie Strode films to progress logically. It's about Halloween, Haddonfield, and people whose families tie in to Michael Myers in some way. That is how you make a successful Halloween sequel!

Oh man! What could you possibly be thinking about all this?! Does this Halloween idea come off as a trick or a treat? Do you have any ideas that would make for a great Halloween sequel? I've gotta know so please whip out the item which "heightens your sense of security" and fire six bullets into the comments section below! And if you have any ideas that you think should be made into horror reality, let me know at [email protected].