Director Marcus Dunstan talks casting and more details for Halloween Returns
Back in June, we learned exclusively how Dimension Films and director Marcus Dunstan’s upcoming Halloween Returns will connect to the franchise, and now (via Halloween Daily News) the filmmaker has discussed several details, including that he wants actress Gillian Jacobs for the lead.
“I really like this actress Gillian Jacobs,” Dunstan said. “She’s known for all this comedy on ‘Community,’ and yet I didn’t know her from ‘Community’ first, I knew her from a movie called ‘Gardens of the Night,’ which is one of the most wrenching dramas, and she’s excellent. I thought, ‘I wonder if this great performer would do that again, would like to go there,’ and I think so.”
That sounds like a confirmation of her casting, but we will be sure to solidify that with an official statement from Dimension once principal photography begins. While Jacobs may be best known for “Community” (which had several Halloween holiday episodes), her experience in the genre also includes 2009’s The Box and 2013’s comedic horror flick Bad Milo.
As for the title itself, Dunstan sheds some light on its meaning, which ties into our earlier report.
“It does function as what it means to say: If you commit a violent act, sometimes you get returns,” he suggests. “What are the repercussions of being a violent entity? In that case, ‘Halloween Returns’ could mean a number of things.”
Halloween Returns will follow the events of 1981’s Halloween II and will attempt to pave a new continuity from there, ignoring all subsequent sequels and remakes. It will follow the first sequel’s Deputy Gary Hunt (originally played by Hunter von Leer), who accompanied Dr. Loomis to the school and is now acting sheriff of Haddonfield, Illinois.
“The coolest thing we’ve done so far is a couple motion tests of potential Michaels,” continues Dunstan of his vision for a more old school horror film. “I want to see a film shot on film. I want it to be one that stands on its own. Suspense isn’t expensive. A karate fight in a burning room is expensive. Michael Myers is subtlety and suspense.”
Dunstan and Patrick Melton, with whom he wrote a number of the Saw films, have written the script for Halloween Returns, which is said to offer “a terrifying new installment of the classic franchise originated by John Carpenter.” Malek Akkad is set to produce with Matthew Stein as executive producer. The log line is currently being kept under wraps.
(Photo credit: WENN)
