Halloween in AmericaNo. 7068 · The 2026 edition
The Strange Story of John Carpenter and Debra Hill's Plan to Turn Halloween Into an Anthology
John Carpenter and Debra Hill once envisioned a bizarre future where Michael Myers wasn't the star of Halloween—and the franchise became something entirely different.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at syfy.com.
This article explores the little-known plan hatched by John Carpenter and Debra Hill to transform the Halloween franchise into an anthology series, with each new film telling a standalone horror story rather than continuing the saga of Michael Myers.
About this
A SYFY WIRE feature recounting how John Carpenter and Debra Hill tried to transform the Halloween franchise from a Michael Myers saga into a big-screen horror anthology with Halloween III: Season of the Witch. It traces the original 1978 film, the reluctant 1981 sequel, the anthology experiment, its critical and commercial failure, and the return of Michael Myers in 1988.
The list
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01
Halloween 1978
Directed by John Carpenter, who co-wrote with Debra Hill; starred Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode and introduced Michael Myers, who wore a bleached William Shatner mask and used a kitchen knife. Netting close to $50 million, it gave birth to the slasher genre and influenced imitators like Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger.
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02
Halloween II 1981
Directed by Rick Rosenthal; Carpenter signed on as producer and co-writer after the studio offered money. Picked up directly after the events of the first movie and introduced the twist that Michael Myers and Laurie Strode are siblings. Grossed just over $25 million, and Carpenter called it "an abomination and a horrible movie."
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03
Halloween III: Season of the Witch 1982
Directed by Tommy Lee Wallace; Carpenter's final involvement with the series until the 2018 reboot. A "pod movie" about paranoia and conformity featuring supernatural masks, android assassins, a stolen piece of Stonehenge and the Silver Shamrock jingle. Flopped critically and financially but has since gained a cult following; Michael Myers appears only via a clip from the 1978 film.
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04
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers 1988
Michael Myers returned six years later, cementing the slasher villain as the franchise's cornerstone.
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05
Halloween 2018
The reboot that marked Carpenter's return to involvement with the series.
Where to watch: Peacock
More photos
Photos hosted by syfy.com.
