Halloween Ends Will Simultaneously Stream on Peacock This Oct. 14

In a surprising announcement for a film that seemed poised to do huge numbers at the U.S. box office, Universal Pictures today announced that director David Gordon Green’s Halloween Ends will be debuting on streaming service Peacock on the same day that it hits American theaters. Viewers will be able to enjoy the final, titanic clash between slasher icon Michael Myers and equally iconic final girl Laurie Strode from the relative safety of their own homes, if they so wish. The news was delivered to fans by none other than Jamie Lee Curtis herself, in a Twitter video you can see below.

A message from Laurie Strode. pic.twitter.com/x9sAOiAHgc

— #HalloweenEnds (@halloweenmovie) August 23, 2022

This is a surprise to say the least, even after the same method was used to distribute last year’s frustrating Halloween Kills. At that point, the tactic made sense, as a recent wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had led to a fresh wave of theater shut-downs, and many film studios were experimenting with simultaneous releases on streaming services. But in 2022, the theatrical distribution model has been attempting to get “back to normal,” including a busy summer slate of blockbusters in which audiences have largely returned to their pre-pandemic behavior. Releasing Halloween Ends on Peacock simultaneously suggests a desire to perhaps grow the Peacock subscriber base more than anything, by offering a marquee bit of spooky season content.

As for the film itself, much has already been made of Halloween Ends supposedly being a divisive and unexpected conclusion to the long-running slasher saga that first began with John Carpenter’s film in 1978. The two installments in the David Gordon Green trilogy to date have often been badly overstuffed and strangely unwilling to focus on the elemental story of the Strode women vs. Michael Myers, and various figures attached to Ends have noted that it is some kind of unconventional departure. We can’t help but wonder if the “Laurie vs. Michael” showdowns promised by the trailer and poster released so far are all misdirection, and that the real Halloween Ends is another beast entirely.

Regardless, we’ll find out for ourselves on Oct. 14, likely from our own living room. In the meantime, you can see the most recent Halloween Ends trailer below.