'Halloween' Unleashes Terrifying New Footage In Hall H [Comic-Con 2018]
David Gordon Green and Danny McBride hope to save the Halloween franchise. And they just might do it. The new film ignores virtually all the sequels, and serves as a reboot and sequel to the original film. Green, star Jamie Lee Curtis and more took to Hall H at Comic-Con 2018 and showed the audience a new extended trailer – and it looked terrifying.
David Gordon Green, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more were on hand in Hall H to hype their highly-anticipated new take on Halloween. Curtis returns as original Halloween final girl Laurie Strode, who must once again go up against ultimate boogeyman Michael Myers. The Halloween franchise has fallen on hard times, but there's a great chance that Green and company can revive it. Best of all, original Halloween creator John Carpenter lent his expertise to this movie, executive producing and providing the film's soundtrack.
Green, Curtis, Jason Blum, and producer Malek Akkad came to Comic-Con to showcase an extended trailer – and it did not disappoint. The trailer begins with an extended sequence, constructed to resemble one, long take – similar to the opening of the original film.
The shot opens on a Haddonfield street on Halloween. We see kids trick or treating, and they bump into someone. You know who it is – Michael Myers, back in town. Michael proceeds to walk into a yard towards a tool shed. There, he grabs a hammer, and then moves his way into a suburban home. The Shape follows a woman into her kitchen, and while we don't see her death, we hear it.
It's loud, and it's painful, and it's terrifying. I can't stress that enough: this footage looks genuinely scary. After the kitchen moment, Michael grabs himself a butcher knife and works his way into another home. It's almost as if he's going house to house, door to door, trick or treating...only to kill off hapless residents of Haddonfield. It culminates in an extremely brutal kill that I won't dare spoil. Through it all, John Carpenter's new musical score plays, blending both classic Halloween themes and new, dread-inducing notes.
From there, we saw a more-standard-cut trailer – loaded with intensity and style. David Gordon Green's direction here is astounding and confident. This is the best-looking Halloween movie in years. Maybe...ever.
During the panel, Curtis talked about how this new Laurie Strode, 40 years later, is a character suffering from PTSD. She's had her child taken away from her at some point due to her mental issues, and she lives alone, isolated...waiting. Waiting for Michael Myers to return. And of course, he has. Curtis said that what convinced her to come back to the role was Green's idea for the character: the new Halloween provides a chance for Laurie Strode to "take back her narrative." After having her entire life defined by that one Halloween night 40 years ago, here at last is a chance for Laurie to get closure. And kick some ass.
There were no new huge revelations about the film from the panelists, but David Gordon Green recounted an amusing story about going to John Carpenter's house to pitch him the idea. During the pitch meeting, Carpenter's cell phone went off, and sure enough, his ringtone was the Halloween theme.
The most memorable moment of the panel – besides the amazing trailer – came during the Q&A. A Hall H attendee stepped to the microphone and recounted a tearful story about how Jamie Lee Curtis' portrayal of Laurie Strode in the past helped inspired him, and helped learn how to cope with a traumatic event in his life. Curtis was so moved by the story that she left the stage and gave him a very long hug. I'm pretty sure people wept. The panel in general had that sort of emotional power – Curtis was a powerhouse, constantly speaking about the power of Laurie's journey, while also saying she was honored to be part of the Halloween legacy.
"Laurie Strode is the greatest part I will ever play," she told us. And then she left the stage, and left the audience in rapturous applause as she did.
It's been 40 years since Laurie Strode survived a vicious attack from crazed killer Michael Myers on Halloween night. She now faces a terrifying showdown when Michael returns to Haddonfield, Ill. — but this time, Laurie is ready for him.
Halloween opens October 19, 2018.