Halloween Kills’ Alternate Ending Explained (& Why It Should’ve Been Used)
Halloween Kills supposedly has an alternate ending that extends the closing scene by giving Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) a role in Michael Myers’ final murder. The movie from David Gordon Green marks the second installment in the modern trilogy and the third entry in the newest Halloween timeline. The survivors from 2018’s Halloween, including Laurie, Karen (Judy Greer), and Allyson (Andi Matichak), receive help from other Haddonfield citizens, but Michael Myers winds up receiving the happy ending.
After Lonnie Elam (Robert Longstreet), his son Cameron (Dylan Arnold), and Allyson track Michael to the old Myers home, the latter is the last one standing during the showdown. Though Allyson bravely faces off with the masked madman, her mom Karen comes to her rescue by impaling Michael Myers with a pitchfork to the back. She then lures him to the waiting mob, who attempt to beat the serial killer to death. Unfortunately, Halloween Kills seemingly makes Michael Myers immortal as he regains his strength, strikes down the mob one-by-one, and unknowingly returns to his former home. As Karen stands at Judith Myers’ window, believing her family won, Michael appears and kills her. Halloween Kills ends with Michael staring out of Judith’s window as he enjoyed doing decades prior.
According to the previously leaked Halloween Kills script and revelations (via Comicbook.com) following the movie’s release, an extended cut of the theatrical and Peacock version was filmed, and it would have been much more satisfying. Rather than end with Michael standing by the window, Karen’s body is shown on the floor in the same spot Judith succumbed to her stab wounds in 1978. Karen’s phone then rings, showing “Unknown Caller,” which happens to be Laurie calling from a hospital. All Laurie hears on the other line is breathing before she says her daughter’s name, instantly understanding what Michael Myers did to Karen. Laurie then grabs the knife Allyson left for her in the hospital room as the camera focuses on the weapon.
Though the Halloween Kills ending used in the theatrical cut effectively implies that Laurie has another battle to deal with, it would have been exciting to get somewhat of a confrontation between Curtis’ character and Michael Myers. Despite being the two most important characters in the franchise, the pair don’t have any encounters in Halloween Kills. Instead, the Halloween sequel wastes Laurie by keeping her inside the Haddonfield Hospital for much of the movie. By pinning the two figures together, even through a phone call, the extended scene could have reset the plot back to the real focus: Laurie Strode vs. Michael Myers.
Green confirmed a Halloween Kills alternate ending was shot, and it’s presumably the one featuring the phone call from Laurie. The filmmaker claimed the scene was trimmed because he wasn’t sure where Halloween Ends would begin. In the end, Green felt like the direction of the alternate scene could have thrown off the direction of the forthcoming sequel. Halloween Ends is time-jumping to the present-day, so it makes sense why the writers would want to trim the scene. Viewers would likely want to see the result of Laurie’s phone call, but if Halloween Ends plans to jump to 2022, that wouldn’t be possible in a continuity sense. Though the theatrical ending isn’t as thrilling compared to the alternate sequence, the decision is justified.
Thankfully, the extended Halloween Kills ending will see the light of day in the Blu-ray home release. The inclusion will confirm whether or not the alternate ending matches the leaked script or if Green has another surprise to unveil. The release could also include other deleted scenes despite Green calling the theatrical release his “director’s cut through and through” aside from the unseen ending. The new look into the ending will hopefully tide over fans ahead of Halloween Ends release in October 2022.