It’s been almost five years since Rob Zombie’s critically ravaged sequel Halloween II hit theaters, and despite the mostly negative fan reaction, the film still made enough money to be profitable. Naturally, this led to a sequel almost immediately entering development. While Zombie quickly made it clear that he would under no circumstances return for the follow-up, this did nothing to deter the Weinsteins, who entered negotiations with My Bloody Valentine 3D director Patrick Lussier and writer Todd Farmer.
Since the Lussier/Farmer duo had just made a successful slasher film in the third dimension for Paramount, the Weinsteins decided to continue that trend with Michael Myers in the tentatively titled sequel Halloween 3D. However, the honeymoon didn’t last long, as production was shut down within a few months. Lussier and Farmer were let go from the project, and it appeared that Michael Myers might finally be deceased for good. Of course, as always, the boogeyman in the white William Shatner mask was merely hibernating, waiting for the best time to make a comeback.
According to a new report by Bloody Disgusting, The Weinstein Company is once again trying to get Halloween 3D made. Information is currently scarce, and no writer or director is attached to the project, at least not publicly. It is also unclear whether the potential new Halloween film would end up being a sequel to the Zombie films, a reboot/remake of the franchise, or an entry in the original series continuity. The only thing BD claims to know for sure is that Bob and Harvey are intent on bringing The Shape back to the big screen.
Whatever one’s opinion of the Rob Zombie films, there is very little question that the Halloween franchise still has legions of fans, with new viewers discovering the original film and its sequels every time the titular holiday rolls around. Much like A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th – the remakes of which were both somewhat successful, despite their lack of sequels – the Halloween name alone carries enough weight to virtually guarantee a return on the Weinstein’s investment.
The big question here from a fan perspective is just what path the story will end up taking. Will Halloween 3D follow the original plans and simply be a sequel to Zombie’s Halloween II? Judging by the widespread backlash to that film, going that route probably isn’t advisable. Could the new film be another remake of John Carpenter’s original classic? Considering the fact that many hardcore fans still curse Rob Zombie’s name over him having the gall to remake Halloween in the first place, it’s hard to imagine a director that would want the job.
Another option might be to take the Halloween H20 route, and simply pick up the original series’ continuity. Of course, that too presents a potential issue, in that Halloween: Resurrection killed off the franchise’s heroine Laurie Strode, and nobody wants to see Busta Rhymes spin-kick Michael Myers while shouting curse words again. So continuing the original continuity would require the invention of new characters for Michael to target, basically rebooting the franchise anyway.
Whichever option the Weinsteins choose, the Halloween die-hards will still likely flood theaters on opening day. Not because they’re gluttons for punishment, but because they really love the Michael Myers character, and want him to finally return to the level of respect they feel he deserves.
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Halloween 3D has no release date currently.
