Joining critics in the divisive reactions to Halloween Ends is longtime franchise star Danielle Harris, who shares her thoughts on why the movie failed. The 2022 sequel served as the finale to David Gordon Green’s legacy trilogy, exploring Haddonfield outcast Corey as he was influenced by Michael Myers to become a serial killer, putting them both on a deadly path with Laurie Strode and her granddaughter Allyson. Once again led by Jamie Lee Curtis and Andi Matichak, Halloween Ends garnered mixed-to-negatives and was only a modest box office success, becoming the lowest-grossing in Green’s trilogy.
During a recent interview with Screen Rant for Dark Obsession, Danielle Harris was asked her thoughts on Green’s overall Halloween trilogy. After noting that she enjoyed “a lot” of what the movies had to offer, she shared some candid thoughts on Halloween Ends and why the movie failed, believing that there was a good story at the heart of it, but that she ultimately didn’t like it “as a Halloween movie.” Check out what Harris said below:
I liked a lot of it. I liked the last one, I just didn’t like it as a Halloween movie. I think if it hadn’t been called Halloween Ends, it would have received great reviews. The fans are really particular about Michael Myers, and I get it, I totally get it. Without Jamie Lee Curtis in it, I don’t know how well it necessarily would have done, obviously, but you have her and everyone’s gonna go see it.
How Halloween Ends’ Divisive Story Could’ve Worked
Much like Season of the Witch prior, the idea of a Halloween movie not centering on Michael Myers was always going to be a tough sell for audiences who have come to associate the franchise with the killer. With Halloween Ends, however, longtime fans had only a few expectations for the legacy trilogy closer, namely pitting Laurie and Michael against one another for a final, bloody battle, particularly after he killed her daughter at the end of Kills. Following its divisive release, Green not only defended the movie, but even confirmed that this was never his plan for its story.
While some could commend Green for his dedication to his vision for the trilogy, Harris’ point that the story didn’t work for Ends is ultimately the right one in that it didn’t feel like a seamless continuation of its predecessors. That’s not to say, however, that his desire to introduce a new killer echoing Michael’s rage and isolation couldn’t have worked within the trilogy, but the truth is it would’ve been a better fit for the second movie. Audiences were already left disappointed that Laurie was left sidelined in Kills while the rest of Haddonfield tried to take down Michael.
Was Halloween Ends Really That Bad? Re-Examining The $105M Disappointment
Halloween Ends is one of the most controversial entries in the beloved horror franchise, but looking back on the film, is it really that bad?
This concept may have proven effective for exploring themes of community during the movie’s COVID-set production and release, but otherwise came across as a retread of the franchise’s slasher formula. If Green had instead introduced Corey and his story in Kills, he could have not only kept some of the narrative beats, including the death of Karen, but it could’ve made Michael’s resurgence far more meaningful in Halloween Ends as he squared off against Laurie one more time. With Miramax reportedly developing a new cinematic universe and TV show for the franchise, one can hope they avoid the same divisiveness of Green’s trilogy.
Halloween Ends
The showdown against Michael Myers, Laurie Strode, and the entire town of Haddonfield comes to a head in the final installment in the David Gordon Green Halloween trilogy, Halloween Ends. Set four years after the last film, Allyson is now living with Laurie and believes that the ghost of Michael Myers is no longer haunting her as he once did – deciding to live a new life with her granddaughter and carry on. But when history repeats itself when one man is accused of murder after babysitting a child, Haddonfield again descends into chaos. Now believing the killer to have struck once more, Laurie Strode will prepare herself to face off with Michael Meyers for the final time.
- Release Date
- October 14, 2022
- Director
- David Gordon Green
- Cast
- Jamie Lee Curtis , Andi Matichak , James Jude Courtney , Will Patton , Kyle Richards , Rohan Campbell , Nick Castle
- Runtime
- 111 Minutes
- Writers
- Chris Bernier , John Carpenter , David Gordon Green , Debra Hill , Paul Brad Logan , Danny McBride
- Story By
- 213011,213013
- Budget
- $33 Million
- Studio(s)
- Universal Pictures , MiraMax , Blumhouse Productions , Trancas International , Rough House Pictures
- Distributor(s)
- Universal Pictures
- prequel(s)
- Halloween Kills , Halloween (2018) , Halloween (1978)
