Exclusive: Nick Castle talks the new Halloween and returning as The Shape

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

If somehow you were unaware, The Shape aka Michael Myers behind the mask in John Carpenter's original HALLOWEEN was played by a guy named Nick Castle. Castle went on to be a director in his own right (THE LAST STARFIGHTER, MAJOR PAYNE) but now the man is back behind the mask – in part – for Blumhouse's upcoming direct sequel.

And if you're as into Nick Castle as all of us here at AITH are, then you'll be excited to know our own Jimmy O recently had the chance to sit down and talk to Castle a bit about not only the upcoming Blumhouse sequel and the upcoming 4K restoration of John Carpenter's original film. Look for the FULL INTERVIEW SOON!

About seeing these characters return 40 years later and what a rare thing that is:

I guess, didn't STAR WARS just do that in a sense with the original characters in it? So that had to be 40 years later. But you are right, it's very rarely done. Maybe. And this of course was done from a pitch, I think that David and his writer's group came up with about how to reestablish the franchise in a way that would honor the first movie. You know, one of my movies, THE LAST STARFIGHTER, a few years ago I had it up and running and ready to shoot. And that was going to be like a 35 years later kind of movie. I just think people love the original characters sometimes that you want to see where they were and what happened to them. The conceit of this, I'm sure you know, is that after the first one they pretend like the rest of the sequels didn't happen and we find Michael in an insane asylum. And whoops, he got out again. I think it's a great premise. I think most of the fans at least are going to buy into the way that they've approached this. And I think they'll have a great time.

On the idea that this is a sort of "Battle to the Death" between The Shape and Laurie Strode:

That's the way they are playing it. And what I liked about it too, they are not going to tell you a lot about why this, and when this, and what is his motivation and why is he after [Laurie]. Let the audience, as they did in the first one, kind of fill in the psychology of Michael. In some ways, it's just the mystery of it all that adds to the mystic of the character and the enjoyment of the film.

In regards to how it has changed for him as an actor stepping into the role and was there a different approach on his end:

No. No. I mean, my approach on the first one was to show up on the set and put the mask on and it was the same one as this one [Laughing]. It's pretty simple. And in fact, you know, hopefully, people are starting to read some of the more specific stuff that I'm putting out there as the movie gets closer to release, that I'm in the movie in a cameo. The work is really done in this movie by a great actor by the name of James Jude Courtney. And he does a wonderful job and we became good friends on the set. And you know, he said he channeled me [Lauging] for this movie. He'll be a great interview for you down the line, But for me, it was just so much fun. David did the movie in South Carolina where he lives and that was fun. And believe me, this new crew reminded me of the original one, young people having a ball, and enjoying it – with the one exception that they are dealing with this crazy franchise that they really are honoring in the course of their work.

Blumhouse's HALLOWEEN will see the return of Jamie Lee Curtis to the role of

Laurie Strode, who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

Also in the cast are Judy Greer as Laurie's daughter Karen; Andi Matichak as Karen's daughter Allyson; Miles Robbins, Virginia Gardner, Dylan Arnold, and Drew Scheid as Allyson's Haddonfield High classmates; Will Patton and Rob Niter as police officers; Rhian Rees as a character named Dana; and Diva Tyler as a caretaker, with stuntman James Jude Courtney and original Michael Myers performer Nick Castle both wearing the mask of the iconic slasher.

John Carpenter served as an executive producer on the film and is composing the score. The film has been officially rated R via the MPAA for "horror violence and bloody images, language, brief drug use and nudity." HALLOWEEN will debut at the Toronto International Film Festival this September before hitting theaters on October 19, 2018.