Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
 

Jamie Lee Curtis Reflects on Playing Laurie Strode in ‘Halloween’ For the Last Time

Left Photo Credit: Compass International Pictures / Sony Pictures / Mike Moore via MovieStillsDB, Right Photo Credit: Universal Pictures / gj217 via MovieStillsDB
Left Photo Credit: Compass International Pictures / Sony Pictures / Mike Moore via MovieStillsDB, Right Photo Credit: Universal Pictures / gj217 via MovieStillsDB

Nearly 45 years after Michael Myers made his haunting debut on screen (and in our nightmares), the Halloween franchise is officially coming to an end. After twelve films, the series will be concluding with the release of the thirteenth and final movie Halloween Ends, which is set to hit theaters on October 14, 2022.

A ‘satisfying’ ending to the iconic franchise

Michael Myers looks at the camera from behind a bush
The menacing Michael Myers in Halloween, 1978. (Photo Credit: Compass International Pictures / Sony Pictures / jrnyfan via MovieStillsDB)

The “Scream Queen” herself Jamie Lee Curtis reflected on her experience as Halloween’s heroine Laurie Strode since filming of the final installment of the series ended. Curtis told PEOPLE Magazine about how surreal it was to shoot the final scene.

“The last shot [filmed] was [part of] a night shoot and I was in a car — it was a close-up of me in the car. And when we got out of the car, it was 4:30 in the morning and there was the picture of my face on the screen,” said Curtis. “And I realized that was the last image of Laurie Strode after 44 years of portraying her. Isn’t that amazing? And it felt very satisfying.”

The making of ‘Halloween’

A lot has changed since Curtis first stepped on set to film John Carpenter’s low-budget horror flick Halloween in the late 1970s. At just 20 years old, Curtis landed her debut role as the ultimate nod to the master of horror Alfred Hitchcock, who had given Curtis’ mother Janet Leigh the role of a lifetime in Psycho.

Jamie Lee Curtis holds a knife in 'Halloween'
Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in the original Halloween film (1978). (Photo Credit: Compass International Pictures / Sony Pictures / GLOWWORM via MovieStillsDB)

The first film follows the story of Michael Myers, a boy from the fictional town of Haddonfield, Connecticut who violently stabs his older sister to death in 1963. Flash-forward 15 years and Myers has escaped from Smith’s Grove Sanitarium the day before Halloween while his psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis is driving Myers to a court hearing.

Myers returns to the house where the original killing happened in 1963, donning a pair of coveralls and a creepy white Halloween mask – which was actually a Captain Kirk mask purchased from the dollar store and painted over.  The following day, teenager Laurie Strode comes face to face with Myers in a violent showdown while babysitting some local kids. Ultimately, Myers escapes back into the night – and his desire to kill Strode becomes his main motive, which has continued over thirteen films.

Nick Castle holds the Michael Myers 'Halloween' mask
Behind-the-scenes photo of Nick Castle, who plays Michael Myers, holding the infamous mask. (Photo Credit: Compass International Pictures / Sony Pictures / Maxim via MovieStillsDB)

Filmed over four weeks with a budget of just $300,000 dollars, Halloween shocked the world when it became one of the highest-grossing independent films ever made – earning $70 million at the box office (equivalent to over $300 million today!).

What to expect from ‘Halloween Ends’

The much-anticipated finale of the recent Halloween sequel trilogy will apparently be a “departure” from the other recent films Halloween (2018) and Halloween Kills (2021), focusing on the transformation of Michael Myers from a boogieman to an unstoppable force of evil.

A still from 'Halloween Ends'
Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and Michael Myers (Nick Castle) battle it out in Halloween Ends (2022). (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures / yassi via MovieStillsDB)

“The departure is, I think, based on all of the lore, the lore and gore of what Michael Myers has represented,” said Curtis. “Because we’ve talked a lot in the last release about Michael transcending from a man to something bigger. And the story of Michael has transcended.”

The trailer for Halloween Ends echoes the original Halloween films, including clips of Laurie Strode taken from the 1978 film spliced between an intense brawl between Myers and Strode’s much older self. The trailer hints at what Curtis has shared about the horror film, claiming it will be unlike any other film in the Halloween franchise.
Jamie Lee Curtis in the 2018 film 'Halloween'
Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) looks on as Michael Myers wanders off in the 2018 film Halloween. (Photo Credit: Universal Pictures / Nofear6061 via MovieStillsDB)
More from us: The Fact These 6 Horror Films Are Based On Real Events Make Them Even Scarier
What can we expect from the bittersweet ending for the iconic franchise? Curtis shared what she hopes audiences will take away from Halloween Ends this October: “Endings are very difficult to do in a very satisfying way… I think people will be very satisfied with the movie, and I think they will be very moved. They’re going to lose their minds.”

Elisabeth Edwards

Elisabeth Edwards is a public historian and history content writer. After completing her Master’s in Public History at Western University in Ontario, Canada Elisabeth has shared her passion for history as a researcher, interpreter, and volunteer at local heritage organizations.

She also helps make history fun and accessible with her podcast The Digital Dust Podcast, which covers topics on everything from art history to grad school.

In her spare time, you can find her camping, hiking, and exploring new places. Elisabeth is especially thrilled to share a love of history with readers who enjoy learning something new every day!

The Digital Dust Podcast

linkedin.com/in/elisabethcedwards