The Eternal Resilience of Halloween's Michael Myers: Unmasking the Timeless Icon

Summary

Halloween director John Carpenter explains why Michael Myers can never die, calling him an "all-purpose character" like Godzilla.

Carpenter points out that the first Halloween depicted Michael Myers in a more realistic manner, whereas films like Halloween Kills portray him as capable of killing all the time.

Although the trilogy concludes with Halloween Ends, it is probable that Michael Myers will make a comeback in some way, as the Halloween franchise intends to move forward with a new iteration of Laurie and has potential plans to broaden its scope with a television series and cinematic universe.

Halloween director John Carpenter, known for helming the iconic 1978 original, spoke about why the character Michael Myers can never truly die. According to Carpenter, Myers is an "all-purpose character" who can continuously come back, similar to the legendary monster Godzilla. While the original Halloween offers a more realistic portrayal, films like 2021's Halloween Kills show Myers' ability to consistently kill. Carpenter's comments can be found in full below.

He's a versatile character, I must say. If you're looking for the first movie, it's available. If you want him to be a relentless killer, he's got that covered too. The only other monster that can match his versatility is Godzilla.

​​​​​​What Happens To Michael Myers After Halloween Ends?

Halloween Ends was cleverly marketed as the conclusion of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode's (Jamie Lee Curtis) tale, but not the franchise as a whole. Despite being fed through a mulching machine, Michael Myers cannot be permanently eradicated, according to Carpenter, signaling the possibility of his return in future installments. Green even acknowledges the potential for a new iteration of the Halloween franchise, featuring a "new Laurie" connected to the established mythology.

After an intense bidding war, Miramax recently obtained the rights to the Halloween franchise, intending to develop a television series and potentially a cinematic universe. Regardless of the format it takes, the franchise is likely to be rebooted, with Michael Myers, one of the most iconic slasher characters ever, resuming his role as the primary antagonist. Carpenter likens Michael Myers to Godzilla, emphasizing his versatility as an enduring symbol, capable of evading total defeat.