For better or for worse, Michael Myers comes back home after finally killing Laurie Strode in Halloween: Resurrection. Let’s revisit Rick Rosenthal’s controversial sequel from 2002 with these ten killer facts about the film!
1The movie’s trailer premiered with Jason X in 2002
In a way, Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees came together on the same movie screens in 2002. Jason X premiered in theaters that year on May 13, two months before Halloween: Resurrection would hit theaters. However, the trailer for Resurrection was officially debuted ahead of screenings of Jason X, as studio heads were probably hoping Jason’s return would amp people up for Michael’s next movie.
Related Article: Jason X Still Entertains On So Many Levels
2Its scream queen can’t scream
Every slasher movie needs its final girl, and for Resurrection, that would be franchise newcomer Sara Moyer. She’s the one who makes it to the end of the movie after a harrowing ordeal with Michael Myers. From her casting on the reality series to her close encounters with Michael, Sara gets plenty of chances to scream in the movie.
As it turns out, this is ironic, as Sara is apparently unable to scream in real life. Bianca Kajlich, the actress who plays Sara, could not audibly scream when playing the part. Because of this, the character’s screams were all dubbed into the movie in post-production.
3Scream writer Kevin Williamson devised the switcheroo
While Halloween H20 gave what seemed to be a definitive ending to the franchise when Laurie decapitated Michael, producers were always planning on making more sequels. Because of this, the writers were legally forbidden to kill Michael Myers. Ultimately, a compromise would need to be found which would present a fairly clear ending to Halloween H20 until the inevitable sequel was announced.
Cue Kevin Williamson, best known for writing three of the four Scream movies. It was Williamson who pitched the idea of having Michael switch clothing with a paramedic, tricking Laurie into killing him instead. It’s certainly creative and definitely accomplished its goal of making viewers think it was the real Michael in 1998, but the swerve is one of the most widely criticized aspects of Halloween: Resurrection.
4Jamie Lee Curtis is definitely not a fan
Although she would eventually return to the Halloween franchise, Jamie Lee Curtis hasn’t been shy with her feelings about Resurrection. She wasn’t exactly keen on having her character killed off following Halloween H20, but the decision wasn’t up to her. In fact, the actress personally revealed that the only reason she appeared in Resurrection was because she was contractually obligated to do so.
“Halloween: Resurrection was a joke. Halloween: Resurrection I had to be in, because the only way that I could have done Halloween H20 was to agree to come back in a next movie,” Curtis said about the sequel in 2015 interview. You can watch it below, courtesy of toofab.
5John Carpenter isn’t too fond of the film either
JLC isn’t alone with her disdain for Halloween: Resurrection. The director of the original movie himself, John Carpenter, was left unsatisfied with the sequel as well. While the legendary filmmaker admits he hasn’t seen many of the other sequels, he says he did see Resurrection, and was pretty unhappy with how it turned out.
“I watched the one in that house, with all the cameras. Oh my god. Oh lord, god. And then the guy gives the speech at the end about violence. What the hell? Oh my lord. I couldn’t believe,” Carpenter says in a 2018 interview with toofab. However, he does praise another controversial installment of the series by adding: “But Season of the Witch was terrific, because it went in a different direction.”
6Director Rick Rosenthal has a cameo
It’s not unusual for directors to make cameo appearances in their own movies, and Rick Rosenthal is no exception. After previously directing the second installment of the film series, Rosenthal returned to the franchise to helm Resurrection. Then, when casting the Michael Myers movie, Rosenthal found a part he figured was perfect for himself.
In the beginning, a professor can be seen teaching a class in Haddonfield University. The teacher is none other than Rosenthal himself. As a side note, his character’s last name is Mixter, which is the same last name as the drunk doctor Michael murders in Halloween II. Haddonfield seems to be a small enough town to suggest the two are related.
7An alternate opening would reveal more of Michael as a child
Not counting Rob Zombie’s movies, we have only ever seen Michael Myers as a child in the original Halloween film. The moment comes in the beginning after Michael murders his older sister Judith with a kitchen knife. Their parents come home shortly after, removing the clown mask from Michael’s face to reveal a cold stare underneath.
Originally, an opening scene for Resurrection would have shown more of Michael’s childhood. Presented in the form of home movies, a young Michael would be seen with his family before also peering into the camera with a similar blank stare. The footage was ultimately cut from the film but can these days be found on the internet.
8There were plans to continue the story in a sequel
While Halloween H20 seemed to end with the death of Michael Myers, Resurrection wasn’t so bashful about leaving the door open for a sequel. The closing moments of the film reveal Michael has miraculously survived the blaze which badly burned him, teasing another killing spree in Haddonfield. At the time, there was talk of bringing back Josh Hartnett as Laurie’s son John for the next sequel, which would see him challenge Michael to avenge his mother’s death.
As we all know now, these plans were ultimately scrapped in favor of a total remake from Rob Zombie. It wouldn’t be the first time the franchise would disregard the previous movies, and it definitely wouldn’t be the last, either.
9There actually is a sequel comic book
While Resurrection never got a movie sequel, the story did continue in a rare comic book. Called Halloween: One Good Scare, the comic was released as a collector’s item at a 25th anniversary convention for the franchise in 2003. They can still be found floating around for sale on the internet, but good luck finding a copy at an affordable price.
In the comic, the story follows Dr. David Loomis – son of Sam Loomis – picking up where his father left off. He is convinced Michael Myers has returned to Haddonfield when he takes on a new patient by the name of Lindsay Wallace, who says the boogeyman is after her. While no characters from Resurrection return to appear in the comic, it does mention Laurie’s death at the sanitarium, linking itself to the H20 timeline.
10Halloween: Resurrection has three alternate endings
If you didn’t like the theatrical ending to Resurrection, perhaps you may prefer one of three alternate endings which have since been made available on the DVD. In one of them, final girl Sara is saved by her internet friend Myles (using the pseudonym Deckard) who personally pulls her away from the fire at the Myers house. In the theatrical version, Myles merely sends her a text reading, “You’re alive!”
Another alternate ending focuses more on Michael’s survival and the teasing of another sequel. In theaters, Michael comes back to life at the morgue and attacks the coroner who unzipped his bodybag. This alternate ending instead has an FBI agent investigating a hole in the remains of the Myers home, only for Michael to pull her inside. Apparently, he had escaped the fire by retreating into this hole, and the woman’s screams can be heard in the darkness.
Finally, a third ending goes another route entirely. This one picks up after Sara asks to see Michael’s corpse in the bodybag, and this time, Michael resurrects at this moment instead of at the morgue. He grabs Freddie and begins to choke him, prompting Sara to slam an axe into Michael’s head. This one actually seems to imply Michael’s death, as the film ends after Freddie smiles at Sara.
ALSO CHECK OUT: ‘Halloween H20’: 10 Things You May Not Know and our other trivia lists!
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