Spoilers ahead for the opening sequence of Halloween Kills.
The horror genre has been in a renaissance for years now, resulting in the return of beloved franchises. Case in point: Halloween Kills, which marks the second installment in David Gordon Green’s slasher trilogy. The opening sequence featured the jaw-dropping return of a classic character, and it turns out that was done with no CGI whatsoever.
Halloween Kills’ first full sequence is a flashback to 1978 on the night portrayed during John Carpenter’s original movie. After watching Michael Myers in action, Dr. Loomis is featured despite Donald Pleasence’s death back in 1995. While many assumed this was done through visual effects, it was actually some fantastic prosthetics. Check it out below:
The fact that Loomis was done using no digital effects and only practical effects in #HalloweenKills is jaw-dropping. pic.twitter.com/AlkVhiJiOuOctober 20, 2021
I mean, how cool is that? While digitally de-aging or reviving late actors through visual effects has started to become commonplace, that’s not how David Gordon Green and the team behind Halloween Kills approached the inclusion of Dr. Loomis. Those efforts certainly paid off, as it really looked like Pleasance in the theatrical cut of the slasher.
The above image comes to us from Twitter, and shows how Dr. Loomis was miraculously “revived” for Halloween Kills’ big flashback sequence. The part was played on screen by the movie’s art director Tom Jones, Jr. who has some resemblance to Loomis. His appearance was altered perfectly through prosthetics which transformed Jones into the spitting homage of the late Donald Pleasence. And just like that one of the most iconic Halloween characters of all time was included in the newest sequel.
While Jamie Lee Curtis is known for playing Laurie Strode throughout her illustrious career, Donald Pleasance helped to carry the franchise in the years where she stepped away from the role. He starred in a total of five Halloween movies as Dr. Loomis before his death. While those sequels aren’t part of the current timeline, it’s clear that David Gordon Green and Danny McBride wanted to pay homage in Halloween Kills.
Both the 2018 sequel and Halloween Kills have been intimately connected to the events of John Carpenter’s beloved original movie. While the last movie focused on Laurie Strode’s trauma and how it affected her family, the latest installment makes Haddonfield into a character itself. The town arms up to face The Shape themselves, to bloody results.
It should be interesting to see how the trilogy is wrapped up with Halloween Ends. There weren’t many survivors left from Michael Myers’ return to Haddonfield, which should presumably make for a more contained story. David Gordon Green has already confirmed that the movie will feature a four-year time jump, and may include Kyle Richards back as Lindsey Wallace.
Halloween Kills is in theaters and streaming on Peacock now. Be sure to check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.