PopHorror Let's Get Scared
With David Gordon Green’s Halloween roughly 3 months away, many horror fans have been wondering what the future holds for Michael Myers’ own personal franchise, curious to see what other changes could be made to the slasher series, whether it be on a cinematic, TV or streaming scale. Here are five potential directions that filmmakers could take to change up the Halloween franchise.
5. A Modern Reimagining Of The Original Halloween As A Netflix Series
Seeing as there are a surprising number of younger horror lovers who are not familiar with the full series of Halloween films, I feel it will be a good idea if Blumhouse were to bring a reimagining of the original Halloween film in the form of a Netflix series set in modern times. Each episode could build up and exposit a little bit more backstory for Michael, Laurie and Dr. Loomis, along with original characters that could be added to the series. Despite being set in modern times, the series could retain the elements that made the ’78 film a classic. Seeing as Netflix is on a roll with making good series, an episodic installment of the Halloween story would make a nice addition to their lineup.
4.) A Netflix/TV Series Based On Michael’s Bloodline
Another interesting direction the franchise could go would be in the form of a Netflix or TV series based on the bloodline of Michael Myers. In the 1979 novelization of Halloween, we got a brief backstory on Michael’s bloodline. The story implied that evil runs in the Myers family, beginning generations before Michael began his rampage. It’s said that during the late 1800s, Michael’s great-grandfather also committed an act of violence for no known reason. It would be an interesting take on the story, as we would get to see just how far back this reign of terror runs in the Myers family. It would also be an interesting addition if the show also detailed the origin of Samhain and the effect it had on the Myers family in Gaelic Ireland.
3.) The Loomis Chronicles
One unique direction could be if Blumhouse were to focus on a much younger Dr. Loomis, showing how the character became a psychiatrist. They could also depict Loomis dealing with other troubled patients before meeting Michael. I could see this going in a similar direction as Father Lankester Merrin’s story in 2005’s Dominion: A Prequel To The Exorcist, revolving around the troubles Loomis had in his early life long before becoming his introduction to the psychotic six-year-old Michael Myers. This would be a very interesting take, as there are fans that wonder if Michael was Loomis’ only dangerous patient.
2.) A Separate Animated/Live Action Film/TV Series Based On The Halloween Comics
One of the most surprising successes to come out of the Halloween franchise are the comics that have grown to have a large fanbase, the most well-known issues being Nightdance, One Good Scare and The First Death Of Laurie Strode. Of course, if Blumhouse didn’t want the comics interfering with their current timeline, they could easily make it a separate animated or live action TV series on AMC or Netflix. Just imagine the animation presenting Michael as a much more terrifying evil presence than we have ever seen before. This could be done in a direction similar to the Platinum Dune’s cancelled reboot of Halloween, the concept art of which can be seen below.
Although the reboot was going to be live action, the idea of an animated film or TV series in a more dark and terrifying direction, such as what is seen above, would be a treat for fans of the comics, as well as for new audiences who have yet to be introduced to The Shape. You can also view the animated pitch from director Federico D’Alessandro below:
https://youtu.be/9ZECC-f1CKU
As you see, D’Alessandro wanted to take his film in a more dark and suspenseful direction by introducing Michael as a much more shadowy figure. Seeing something like this brought over from the comics adaptation would bring something new and unique to the franchise.
1.) The New Films Could Go With John Carpenter and Debra Hill’s Original Vision
For those that may not know, John Carpenter and Debra Hill originally planned on having the Halloween films as an anthology consisting of unrelated, original stories, with All Hallow’s Eve being the main theme of each installment. This plan kicked off with the 1982 sequel, Halloween III: Season Of The Witch, which saw a negative reception from critics and fans who had expected a return of Michael Myers. Because of the backlash, the studio decided to bring Michael back in the 1988 sequel, Halloween 4: The Return Of Michael Myers.
Although many horror fans bash the 3rd film, others have praised it as a standalone sequel. If Blumhouse moves forward with Carpenter’s original vision, then it’s likely that the new timeline will kick off with David Gordon Green’s Halloween before moving on to new, original sequels. Going in this direction will finally answer the question: will the franchise will be even more successful without Michael Myers front and center? Seeing as Blumhouse is on a hot streak with producing a great line of films, I have no doubt that they could create decent, original stories living up to what made the original film a classic.
