Over the past several decades, arguably no genre of entertainment has seen quite as much growth as the horror genre in particular. Bolstered by the success of the iconic horror franchises of the 1970’s and 80’s such as Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Nightmare on Elm Street, the horror genre has seen astounding growth in both film and television that is virtually indisputable regardless of your opinion on the genre as a whole. Another major horror franchise that spawned during this heyday for horror is the iconic Halloween franchise, most notorious for its iconic villain Michael Myers. The murderous maniac that Michael is have led to him becoming a staple in popular culture since his initial debut in 1978, and the Halloween franchise has been rebooted twice since its initial seven film run with the most recent reboot beginning back in 2018. That film, directed by David Gordon Green, was a massive success when it amassed $255 million in box office receipts globally upon its release, and a sequel was released in October of last year that was met with relatively positive reviews and left the story on a cliffhanger that virtually demanded a third film. Well now we know that it’ll be easier than ever for fans to watch it once it premieres because it was announced this week that Halloween Ends, the third installment in the latest Halloween reboot, will be available on Peacock the same day it debuts in theaters this October.
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, many major production studios and film distributors elected to release films via streaming services given the difficulty COVID-19 created for avid moviegoers who would typically be at the movies if not for quarantine. In the process they were utilizing their films to bolster the success of their respective streaming services and increase subscribers, but what they also seemingly did, albeit inadvertently, was establish a new way to release films. Halloween Kills released in October of last year during a time in which the worst of COVID-19 seemed behind us yet it still saw its streaming debut coincide with its theatrical debut, and now an entire year later its follow-up Halloween Ends will follow the same schedule. Slated to release on October 14th of this year and serve as the ultimate chapter in the Halloween franchise, Halloween Ends will also debut on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service the same exact date and will see Michael go toe-to-toe with the arguably the most considerable adversary he has seen since his inception in the form of Jamie Lee Curtis who also starred in the original Halloween film over forty years ago. David Gordon Green will also be back to direct the third and final installment and seemingly give the franchise its proper send off, so it’s safe to assume that Peacock subscribers have plenty to look forward to this fall when Halloween Ends premieres there as well as in theaters for avid fans who may not be Peacock subscribers.
Depending upon whom you ask, Halloween could be considered quite possibly the most iconic horror franchise of all time at this point. It’s safe to say that none have managed to captivate audiences for nearly as long as the iconic John Carpenter brainchild has, which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in six years. While it might be disappointing to see it end before it reaches that milestone, it certainly doesn’t take away from how iconic the Halloween franchise truly is and the place it holds in Hollywood history. Eager fans can begin counting down the days until Halloween Ends debuts on October 14th and closes the door on one of the most iconic characters in the history of film.
