'Halloween Kills' Changes Release, Will Now Also Premiere on Streaming

Universal Pictures has surprisingly changed its release plans for Halloween Kills, the latest entry in the studio's Halloween horror franchise. The movie will also now be available at no additional charge for subscribers of Peacock, NBCUniversal's streaming platform. This is an exception to the theatrical window Universal established in deals with AMC, Regal, and other theater chains last year during the pandemic.

Halloween Kills was originally set to hit theaters exclusively on Oct. 15. However, it will now be available to stream on that day as well. Universal previously did the same for The Boss Baby: Family Business, which was released in theaters and Peacock on July 2, notes IndieWire. The film still managed to make over $105 million worldwide. Universal previously reached a deal with Regal, AMC, and other chains to give movies that grossed $50 million or more on their opening weekend a 31-day theater-exclusive window. Movies that opened to less than that would get a 17-day window.

The new movie is a direct sequel to David Gordon Green's 2018 Halloween reboot, which was simply titled Halloween. The new film is the 12th overall movie in the franchise and once again stars Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode. Nick Castle plays Michael Myers, while Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, and Will Patton are back to reprise their roles from the 2018 movie. Thomas Mann and Anthony Michael Hall joined the cast. Halloween Kills was written by Green with Scott Teems and Danny McBride. John Carpenter, who directed the original Halloween in 1978, co-wrote the musical score with Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.

Halloween Kills had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on Wednesday. Its reception from critics was not as positive as the 2018 film, as it has a 53% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, Green has plans for at least one more movie, Halloween Ends, which is now scheduled for Oct. 14, 2022.

In an interview with Deadline from Venice, Green said his "immediate goal" with the 2018 film was "to make something that if it didn't connect for any reason it would feel like its own contained movie... Upon the success, we were very thrilled to be able to activate the second chapter" which leads to "operatic chaos." He teased Halloween Ends as "our version of meditation and resolve."