Halloween Ends Pushed to 2022

With every passing week, new projects are delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic, with today seeing the announcement that Halloween Kills, which was set to hit theaters on October 16th, was pushed to October 15, 2021, a date previously held by Halloween Ends, which has subsequently been pushed to October 14, 2022. The news was far from unexpected, given that theaters have yet to resume business and likely won’t be operating at full capacity for months, at best, but the news still comes as a disappointment, knowing that a year got added to the waits for each film, though October marks the perfect time for the sequels to hit theaters.

“We write this heartbroken over the fact that the delay of our film is even a discussion, but if there’s one thing that a career in the film industry has prepared us for, it is the unexpected,” series co-creator John Carpenter shared in a statement. “If we release it in October of this year as planned, we have to face the reality that the film would be consumed in a compromised theatrical experience. After weighing our options, we have chosen to push the film’s theatrical release by one year.”

Reactions to this news from fans were an understandable disappointment, but fans largely accepted the reasoning behind the decision. As it stands, some movie theater chains are attempting to start the reopening process in the coming weeks as they implement new safety measures and limit the capacity of each theater. Due to how early in the process these reopenings are, in addition to coronavirus cases increasing in recent weeks, it’s sadly unknown if any theaters will be open in October, even at reduced attendance.

Christopher Nolan’s new film Tenet and Disney’s live-action Mulan both currently have August release dates, but given how apprehensive audiences are about returning to theaters, we won’t be surprised if these releases are delayed further.

One silver lining with the news is that Carpenter confirmed that Halloween Kills will be earning an IMAX release alongside a traditional release, allowing audiences to witness the gruesome adventure on a massive screen and with optimal sound systems.

Halloween Kills will hit theaters on October 15, 2021 and Halloween Ends hits theaters on October 14, 2022.

Are you disappointed that both films have been delayed? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!