Halloween (franchise)
A slasher franchise with multiple timelines and reboots.
The Halloween franchise is an American slasher media franchise consisting of thirteen films, as well as novels, comic books, video games, and other merchandise. The series primarily focuses on serial killer Michael Myers, who was committed to a sanitarium as a child for the murder of his sister in 1963 and escapes fifteen years later to stalk and kill the people of the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois, on Halloween. The original 1978 film, written by John Carpenter and Debra Hill, inspired a long line of slasher films and is known for its multiple timelines, continuities, remakes, and reboots, which Forbes' Scott Mendelson called the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' of horror movie franchises.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Halloween
- Creator
- John Carpenter · Debra Hill
- Origin
- Halloween (1978)
- Owner
- Trancas International Films / Miramax / Universal Pictures
- Years
- 1978–present
- Vgs
- Halloween (1983) / Halloween: The Game (2026)
- Novels
- List of novels
- Comics
- List of comics
- Films
- List of films
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) attempted to turn the series into an anthology, featuring a plot about a company using Stonehenge's mystic powers to kill children via Halloween masks, with no connection to Michael Myers. The franchise returned to Michael with Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), which introduced his niece Jamie Lloyd. Subsequent sequels through 2002 continued the story, including Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995) which introduced the Cult of Thorn. In 2007, Rob Zombie created a remake of the 1978 film and a sequel in 2009. After a nine-year hiatus, a direct sequel to the original film that ignores all previous sequels was released in 2018, followed by Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022).
Reader's Guide
The Halloween franchise is significant for its enduring influence on the slasher genre, with the original 1978 film inspiring a long line of similar films. It is notable for its complex narrative structure, featuring multiple timelines, continuities, remakes, and reboots that can confuse new viewers, leading to explanatory articles before each new release. The franchise has collectively grossed over $884 million at the box office worldwide and ranks first at the United States box office in adjusted 2018 dollars among American horror film franchises. The original film received critical acclaim, while the 2018 film received mostly positive reviews; other entries have received mixed or negative reviews. A television series is in development. The franchise's legacy includes its iconic antagonist Michael Myers and the recurring theme of Halloween as the setting for the killings.
Did You Know?
- All but one of the thirteen films focus on serial killer Michael Myers; the exception is Halloween III: Season of the Witch.
- The original 1978 film was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Bob Clark's Black Christmas.
- The franchise contains multiple timelines, continuities, remakes, and reboots, described by Forbes as the 'Choose Your Own Adventure' of horror movie franchises.
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