Miramax Buys ‘Halloween’ TV Rights in New Deal

in Movie

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Michael Myers (aka The Shape) in ‘Halloween Ends,’ directed by David Gordon Green.

Preview

Miramax has bought the rights to make TV series based on John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween’ concept.
The deal is with the company that also owns the movie rights, so that could indicate more movie plans.
Other companies such as A24 and Blumhouse were also interested in securing a deal.

Having stalked cinema screens off and on since he first debuted in John Carpenter’s landmark horror ‘Halloween’ back in 1978, Michael Myers could be forgiven for thinking he’d earned a nice long snooze before picking up his knife (or whatever else comes to hand) again for more murderous rampages.

Yet despite being the subject –– well, alongside his most usual target, Laurie Strode –– of a movie trilogy from David Gordon Green that started with 2018’s eponymous legacy sequel, it looks like he’ll be back for more, and this time on the small screen.

How so? Miramax has now locked in a deal to buy the rights to make a TV series (probably more than one) based on the basic ‘Halloween’ story from Malek Akkad’s Trancas International Films, which produced the most recent trilogy.

The new deal gives the company the option to craft TV properties from any elements of the ‘Halloween’ movie story and may even end up in it being able to forge a new cinematic universe around the characters, since that’s what people still seem to want to do these days.

Miramax speaks out about the ‘Halloween’ deal

Jamie Lee Curtis in 2018’s ‘Halloween.’

Here’s what Miramax’s Head of Global TV Marc Helwig said about the deal in a statement run on Deadline:

“We couldn’t be more excited to bring Halloween to television. We are thrilled to expand our long and successful partnership with Trancas and the brilliant Malek Akkad in introducing this iconic franchise to a new form of storytelling and a new generation of fans.”

For his part, Akkad seems just as enthusiastic:

“Trancas International Films is extremely enthused to be expanding our long-standing relationship with Miramax, and we look forward to working with Marc Helwig and the entire team in creating this new chapter.”

Where other companies interested in the ‘Halloween’ rights?

(L to R) Michael Myers (aka The Shape) and Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in ‘Halloween Ends,’ directed by David Gordon Green.

Miramax was not alone in pursuing the Myers rights – though no one is officially commenting, Deadline heard that other companies had been looking to snap up the chance to make more from ‘Halloween’.

A24 and Blumhouse (which oversaw the most recent trilogy) were among those making bids and pitches for the rights, and the latter in particular makes sense considering its history with the subject.

As for what will become of the new show, that’s anyone’s guess at this point –– could it be an expanded universe gamble like MTV’s ‘Scream’ series?

With Writers Guild of America members now back at work following the strike, we’d expect meetings to start taking place soon. And Michael Myers will be looking to come home again.