Jamie Lee Curtis promised theater owners at CinemaCon that “Halloween,” the latest film in the venerable horror franchise, will be “hella scary.”
Based on footage that debuted at the annual exhibition industry trade show on Wednesday, “Halloween” more than delivers on the scares, eliciting audible shrieks from the audience in the Caesars Palace auditorium.
“It will scare the living sh-t out of all of you,” said Curtis shortly before footage unspooled.
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In fact, Michael Myers’ return was so chilling that Kevin Hart, on hand to present a trailer from “Night School” immediately after the “Halloween” trailer dropped, said he was still shaking.
“Is he here? Is Jason here?,” said Hart.
Curtis said it meant a great deal to return to the role of Laurie Strode, a part that made her an iconic scream queen and put her on Hollywood’s A-list when the first film debuted in 1978.
“”Except for ‘Star Wars,’ I can’t think of another movie where the same actor is playing the same part 40 years later,” said Curtis.
She noted that the first movie was so low-budget that the crew roughed up a William Shatner mask to give Michael Myers his signature look. The new “Halloween” finds Strode as a reclusive grandmother still traumatized by her encounters with the killer and praying every night to get one more chance to go toe to toe with Myers. After he escapes prison, she gets her wish, but not before Myers racks up an impressive body count and finds some grisly ways to dispose of his victims.
Jason Blum, the producer of “The Purge” and “Insidious,” is reviving the franchise. But Curtis isn’t the only one returning. Series co-creator John Carpenter serves as an executive producer and creative consultant for the film. “Halloween” opens October 19.
“Halloween” was unmasked during Universal Studios’ annual presentation to theater owners. At the Las Vegas event, the company screened footage from “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,” and “Glass.”
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