The first footage from the upcoming horror sequel and the conclusion to the Halloween franchise, Halloween Ends, was shown at CinemaCon 2022 and pits Laurie Strode against Michael Myers. The description of the footage comes courtesy of ComicBook.com's Cam Bonomolo, who was present at the event, and it should have audiences excited to see the two horror icons come to blows one final time.
"44 years ago, the face of fear was born," the CinemaCon exclusive trailer begins. What follows is snippets of footage from previous Halloween outings, including “Classic footage from John Carpenter's HALLOWEEN,” and a murder montage that “shows the victims of Michael Myers on Halloween night '78 and 2018.”
"Every scream. Every scare. Every slash. Has led to this," the trailer continues. Some new material then begins, showing Laurie Strode breathing “heavily as she hides in a dark closet” while “Michael Myers stalks a kitchen with a knife.” The clip then ignites into action as “Laurie lunges at Michael and slashes at him” in what is described as “a BRUTAL fight.”
Michael Myers then “grabs Laurie's hair and slams her face first into a glass cabinet. Laurie grips her knife and stabs it into Michael's hand.” The trailer “ends with Michael on the table. Laurie stands over her prey with a butcher knife. HALLOWEEN ENDS.” Following the final moments of Halloween Kills, brutality is likely the main thing on Laurie’s mind and could make Halloween Ends the most personal installment in the series.
Jamie Lee Curtis Believes Halloween Ends is “Gonna F—k You Up”
Returning star Jamie Lee Curtis, who first played the role of Laurie Strode way back in 1978’s Halloween, was on hand at the event to discuss the direction of Halloween Ends and what audiences can expect from Laurie and Michael’s final showdown. Curtis called playing the character "the ride of my life," adding:
"I had no idea when I was cowering in the closet 45 years ago that this character would become the most important relationship of my entire career and professional life. And I'm grateful because Laurie Strode is the OG Final Girl. She's the one that term apparently was created for. The one that won't be stopped, won't be killed, will face the monsters when others run, and over the years that has taken on obviously new dimensions."
The actress then pondered the wider horror genre saying:
"It lets us confront something we can't control. It allows us to scream and fight and sometimes we're in a world that doesn't always allow those cathartic opportunities, and horror films are fun to see in a big crowd because horror matters, but sadly all things must come to an end."
With regard to her time in the franchise coming to an end, Curtis teased the shock and horror in store. "Mama's tired," Curtis finished with a laugh. "This Halloween, we will experience Laurie's last stand. It's gonna f-ck you up."
Directed by David Gordon Green and written by Green, Danny McBride, Paul Brad Logan, and Chris Bernier, Halloween Ends is scheduled to be released on October 14, 2022, by Universal Pictures.