Why Michael Myers Needs to Die in Halloween Ends

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Over the years, there have been numerous “conclusions” in the Halloween films. The supposed final film has been released multiple times, only for a new continuation to retcon the ending later.

As a result, many people found the series to be stale and confusing, with multiple timelines. In 2018, filmmakers David Gordon Green and Danny McBride, best known for their work on Pineapple Express, took on the Halloween franchise and attempted to pare it down to its bare essentials, making a sequel to the original 1978 film and discarding all sequels.

Ignoring the sequels, 2018’s Halloween paved the way for Halloween Kills, which will be followed by the appropriately titled Halloween Ends, which will be released in theaters and on Peacock on October 14, 2022.

This trilogy’s conclusion claims to be the conclusion of a story that began in 1978. Michael Myers must die permanently in order for this to be true. At least in this timeline.

October 20, 2022: With the release of Halloween Ends rapidly approaching, this article has been updated with additional information about the upcoming sequel as well as how recent horror films may influence the upcoming Michael Myers story.

To say Michael Myers is an icon would be an understatement. No horror fan wants to see him go, but he must in order for the franchise to get a new lease on life. Michael’s only death came in 1981’s Halloween II, when he was allegedly burned to death. Even then, the death was reversed seven years later, and he’s never truly died since.

He may have been defeated, but there was always some line about there not being a body or a cheap jump scare to show that he could return if the studio so desired.

The killer’s inability to die not only made the series predictable, but it also removed much of the suspense because audiences knew The Shape would survive in the end. Halloween (2018) seemed to indicate that Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) had finally killed Michael Myers, but the film’s phenomenal box office returns meant that the series would return, and Halloween would end. Michael must undoubtedly die in the film, and here’s why.

Any horror fan understands that a franchise can never truly die. Even if the main actors move on or, in the case of Friday the 13th, a messy lawsuit prevents any new material from being created, a new entry in a series is unavoidable, even if it takes decades.

Whatever happens in Halloween Ends, fans can be sure that the Halloween series will return in some form or another in the future, as it is one of the most iconic horror franchises in the world.

However, Michael’s death may allow the next installment of the franchise to go in a different direction. Both Halloween 4:

The Curse of Michael Myers and Rob Zombie’s 2009 Halloween II end with what appears to be Michael Myers killed but the possibility of him resurrecting as a new killer.

Neither idea has been pursued, as the series always returns to Michael Myers, but now may be the ideal time to inject some new life into the series.

The final shot of 2018’s Halloween appeared to imply something similar, with Laurie’s granddaughter Alyson holding a bloody knife, leaving an ominous ending for the franchise, but Halloween Kills does not acknowledge this.

The most obvious reason Michael Myers might die is that this is Blumhouse Pictures’ final Halloween film.

This will be the end of their contract with the franchise, which means that any future sequels will be made without their involvement.

This could provide the perfect opportunity for the producers to finally kill Michael Myers, as this timeline would remain untouched and future Halloween films, whether a reboot or a new sequel, would not be linked to this part of the franchise.

Another possible new direction is one that has previously been tried. The third Halloween film, released in 1982, famously took place outside of the continuity of the previous two and did not even feature Michael Myers.

In fact, the film Halloween does exist in this universe, as the trailer is shown multiple times throughout the film. Halloween III:

The Season of the Witch was roundly panned and despised because it didn’t feature Michael Myers. However, in recent years, it has gained a cult following, with some even calling it a daring entry and one of the best. Halloween III is a classic horror film in its own right, so perhaps it’s time to bring back the idea of a Halloween without Michael Myers.

This can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The Silver Shamrock masks from Halloween III are seen in both the 2018 film and Halloween Kills, suggesting that the post-Ends sequel could be a direct sequel to Season of the Witch, allowing the film to officially exist in the same world as Michael Myers.

A sequel to this film has previously been discussed, with producer Malek Akkad open to the idea.

John Carpenter’s anthology plan may be the best way for the series to continue without Myers. The absence of Michael in the third film was due to Carpenter’s intention for Halloween, the movies, to be an anthology. Beginning with Season of the Witch, each film would have its own self-contained story centered on Halloween. Fans have speculated for decades about what the stand-alone films would have been, and killing Michael Myers would be the perfect segue for this idea to come to fruition.

As long as there is money to be made, it is unlikely that studios will not take a chance on a new Halloween film at some point in the future.

However, as unlikely as it may seem, this could be the perfect time to permanently end Michael Myers’ story and ensure that this next film truly marks the end of Halloween.

As previously stated, horror legends never truly die because fans know that a new film will be released at some point. There hasn’t been a big-name horror icon who has earned a truly satisfying ending, and perhaps it’s about time.

Aside from sending Michael to space or some other bizarre location, as in Jason X, there isn’t much that can be done to the character without completely reinventing him, which fans would not approve of.

The most unexpected thing that could happen is that Michael dies, and with him, the franchise, at least as we know it. Nobody wants this to happen, and chances are it won’t because Halloween is one of the scariest and most important horror films of all time.

However, it is fitting that the series that introduced so many horror tropes and sparked the slasher craze be the first to end.

As previously stated, Halloween Ends is the final Halloween film in which Blumhouse Pictures will be involved, so they can afford to take a risk like killing off Michael Myers.

Even if the character returns in another attempted reboot of the franchise, the character can still die in this continuity of the story, and the creative team can give the four films that comprise this timeline an overall satisfying arc.

Fans are expecting Michael to either survive or have his fate left open in the film. Killing Michael will undoubtedly surprise fans, but it will also signal that it is time to lay the icon to rest. While John Carpenter does not consider it the final film, it should be.

As much as audiences enjoy seeing classic monsters return, they are often products of their times. They can’t scare people the same way they used to.

While it may appear that some franchises can and will last forever, they will eventually rest and fade out of favor. Original horror films are thriving, and recent hits such as Barbarian, Smile, The Black Phone, X, and others have demonstrated that there is a new appetite for horror films. Similarly to how Dracula, Frankenstein, and the Wolf Man paved the way for Jason Voorhees, Freddy Kruger, and Michael Myers, slashers like The Purge, Orphan, and The Strangers ushered in new horror franchises like The Purge, Orphan, and The Strangers.

Killing Michael Myers may not only help the franchise following the mixed reactions to Halloween Kills, but it may also draw audiences to see Halloween Ends in a way they may not have seen before. Killing off a true icon in one big grand finale film worked for No Time To Die and Logan, and even if those characters return in different incarnations, they still died in one version of the story that matters.

This will derail not only future Halloween films, but also the horror genre as a whole.

Nobody wants to live in a world where legends like Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger will never return, but this is more than likely necessary for the genre to truly enter a new and fresh era. These characters have been featured in decades of entertainment, so killing them off once and for all won’t exactly erase them from public memory.

As long as horror fans remain as devoted as they have always been, these characters will live on even in the absence of new films.

Movies like Halloween and Scream changed the face of horror, and it’s time for new films to do the same, ushering in a new era of horror legends.

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