Halloween Movie Timelines

For the Halloween season and for the upcoming Halloween sequel it might do us all well to review just how these films, scattered over decades all fit together. Surprisingly, a series that comes from a one-off dream film in the late 70's that has had a number of creatives take it over is not as seamless a tale as you might think. We have different avenues to follow if it is bothersome for films to contradict or retcon each other.



SPOILERS ahead for the whole of the Halloween franchise.


It starts with the original, Halloween. a grown-up Michael Myers comes back to his hometown bent on killing a group of teenagers. In the end, he is gunned down by his psychiatrist.

A simple and tense tale that works perfectly well on its own. And with this film, you have all you need to see before the new film comes out this month.

In the new film, Michael survives being shot and seems to have been locked away all the decades since that story. Laurie Strode has gone on to marry and have kids, but she has been left mentally marked by the events. She has tried to carefully plan for his inevitable return when she'll kill him.

But that is something we can see later this month.



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Now let's talk about the 2 points in the series that do deviate.

First, the Rob Zombie Halloween films, Halloween and Halloween 2. They follow closely on the basic structure of the first film. But they add a look into the makings of young Michael Myers, who lives an abused life with a combative family.

The main break from early films is in how it tries to explain what made Michael and then adds things in for the 2nd film that seem to contradict that.

They are not films particularly for me, with the characters all coming off so harsh.



Halloween 3: Season of the Witch, is the sequel to the original 2 films and a break from the Michael Myers story. Originally, some of the people making the films had a vision of these Halloween movies being about more than a serial killer, rather a Halloween anthology. This film tries to bring this concept to life. But fans just seemed to want more Michael Myers.

The film could be seen as part of the Halloween universe...though the first movie is on TV in the film...Meta?

It makes for a fun tale of its own making. Druidic fanatics out to retake Halloween and bring terror to the world. And androids!

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Now back to the Michael Myer's Misadventures.



Halloween 2 acts as a direct sequel to the original, continuing that horrific Halloween night. Dr. Loomis is obsessively running around town trying to find a Michael who disappeared from where he landed after he was shot. Laurie has been raced to the hospital for treatment. And the city is just slowly waking up to the terror that has descended into their midst.

The film introduces new characters at the hospital who enter the struggle to face and survive Michael's onslaught. But it is not quite at the level of the first film.

We also start adding to the mythology. Michael seeming to come back from being, possibly, mortally wounded. So we start wondering just what he really is, and if he could possibly be unkillable.

Then we get the big change that runs through the rest of the movies, Michael is related to Laurie Strode. She is his baby sister. Hence why she is the target he keeps coming after. He's drawn to her and seems to compelled to murder her.

In the end, it seems that Michael and Loomis are consumed in a fireball.


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And then we get to the trilogy of films 4, 5, and 6. These offer numerous changes, as many of those involved with the original film has moved on, including their lead actress, Jamie Lee Curtis.

With Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers we see that Michael did survive the fire, as did Loomis. Comatose, Michael slumbers. But as he's being moved to a new hospital, the people handling him talk about Laurie Strode and reveal surprising info in his presence. And Michael awakens and murders everyone.

We also meet a young girl, Jamie Loyd, who is a sweet kid, that has started to suffer visions of blood and violence. We learn that she is the daughter of Laurie Strode, who ended up dying in an accident between movies. And now that her uncle is awake, her mind is picking up all his horrific acts.

As the movie's end approaches Michael is confronted by a mob that guns him down. He then collapses down into a mine shaft. Then when it all seems well, Jamie takes a turn that suggests she has become the evil Michael Myers once was, seeming to kill her stepmother.



Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers continues 4's story one year later. Jamie is in a hospital seeking care after nearly killing her stepmother. She has since become mute.

Michael is shown to have survived the showdown, and been saved by a hermit, who has cared for him. When Michael finally awakens, he kills the hermit and heads off to kill his niece.

Jamie and Michael's psychic connection continues, and Loomis tries to use Jamie to lure Michael out to be stopped. But this keeps failing.

In a showdown at the Myer's home Michael tries to get at Jamie, and she evades, and Loomis is able to knock out Michael.

Michael is taken and locked in the sheriff's office. But then a Man in Black appears, killing all the cops and releasing Michael. Jamie is left terrified in the sheriff's office.



Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers closes out this story of Jamie Loyd. It's hard not to see the film as, at least, a little bit of a mess. Two versions of the film have been released, as it was completed and then re-edited by the producers. Later a version closer to the original intent was released. It's a question if that improves the story or not.

The film jumps 6 years ahead, and Jamie Loyd is being imprisoned by a cult that is using Michael Myers. She has also been impregnated by Michael. It's a lot to take in and not want to think about.

Jamie is able to escape with her baby and hide it, then Michael chases her and brutally murders her. RIP Jamie Loyd.

The baby is found by Tommy Doyle, the man who was once babysat by Laurie Strode in the original film. He takes the baby and meets Loomis, who is chasing Michael again.

They help Kara Strode, and her son Danny, who is living with her parents and brother in the old Strode home from the original film. They are being stalked now by Michael, who kills her whole extended family, except for Danny. But Danny is starting to hear voices telling him to kill.

It seems that the cult that controls Michael is trying to create a new killer.

But in the end, the plans are ruined by plotting and a Michael Myers that goes rogue. He disappears, dumping his mask. And in one version of the film, we hear Loomis scream in the distance. In another version, we see that he is cursed by the cult.

After filming his scenes, Donald Pleasance passed away so he would not be returning. And on the whole, the storyline seemed in tatters. It seemed like the end.
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But for the 20th anniversary, Michael Myers awoke once more.

Halloween H20: 20 Years Late, was a return, and a bit of a do-over. The film seems to completely disregard film's 4, 5, and 6. Instead, we learn that sometime after Halloween 2 Laurie Strode fled.

She knew Michael would find a way back, so she faked her death and ran. Under assumed names she tried to build a life, moving around, before finally settling in as a headmistress of a private school in California. There she has been raising a son, John.

The years and fear have had a toll on Laurie as she struggles with substance abuse and paranoia that, somehow, Michael will track her down again.

And, as the film opens, Michael has returned home, searching for information of Laurie. He attacks the nurse who assisted Loomis, and who took care of him in his final days. In Loomis's notes, he finds what he needs to track down Laurie.

Once more siblings meet on the grounds of her school. Most of the kids are on a trip so she, a few kids, and a few adults face Michael. And Laurie finally gets to beat him back, and even kill him.

It makes for a satisfying ending, for the Laurie and the films.



Then they made a sequel.

Halloween: Resurrection is a sequel...

Okay, after the last movie, we now learn that Michael switched places. So he's alive. Laurie, after everything, has a mental breakdown and is committed. Her son is forgotten. And then Michael murders Laurie. And that is how the movie opens.

So now Michael decides to go back to the Myers House. Meanwhile, some TV producers have set up the house as a spook house for a live TV event. A bunch of 20-somethings will wander the house with cameras strapped to their heads. Michael enters and starts killing them, and one of the producers knocks Michael into electrical wires. This electrocutes Michael. But, not to worry, he "resurrects" at the morgue before the end.

I generally ignore this film and leave off with a fitting ending in H20.

Not that his idea couldn't work as a very different take on the films. Paranormal investigators accidentally going in an abandoned sanitarium Michael resides in during his "inactive" years, setting him off. It could be, at least, a little fun.
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I try to be open to this whole franchise, but I do have my own preference for a timeline. Halloween, Halloween 2, H20. A nice arc for Laurie Strode as she faces an unknown past and by the end battles the demons that have haunted, finding some level of victory and peace.


And with the new Halloween we get to see a different arc for this character, as she no longer has the clear link to Michael, but still feels that target on her back. Instead of running, she built roots and defenses that we will soon see be implemented.

Can't wait.