HOLLYWOOD—The theatrical releases of “Halloween Kills” and “Halloween Ends” have been delayed by Universal Pictures which made the announcement on Wednesday, July 8.

The films are sequels to the 2018 “Halloween,” a direct follow-up to John Carpenter’s 1978 classic. “Kills” will move from October 16, 2020, to October 15, 2021; “Ends” will move from  2021 to October 14, 2022.

“Kills” and “Ends” are joined in the delay by the other 2020 Blumhouse production “The Forever Purge,” the fifth installment in the “Purge” franchise.

Carpenter, the creator of the franchise, and the director of the 2018 “Halloween” sequel David Gordon Green shared the news in a message on Twitter, saying they are “heartbroken over the fact that the delay of our film is even a discussion.”

“If we release [‘Halloween Kills’] in October of this year as planned, we have to face the reality that the film would be consumed in a compromised theatrical experience,” they said. “After weighing our options, we have chosen to push the film’s theatrical release by one year.”

Jamie Lee Curtis, who played the protagonist Laurie Strode in both the original, surviving the killing spree of Michael Meyers, and in the 2018 sequel, dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, tweeted:

“I am as disappointed as you are. I promise it will be worth the wait.”

According to Carpenter and Green’s message, Universal will add an IMAX presentation of the film in 2021. “Kills” is currently in post-production, and preparation for “Ends” has begun.

“We’re going to have time to complete the film with the quality that fans deserve,” they said. Universal’s Instagram account shared a teaser for the upcoming 2021 film.

Universal will fill the October 16 release date with another horror production. “Candyman” directed by Nia DaCosta and co-written by Jordan Peele (“Get Out”, “Us”) will move from its original September 25 release date.

“The Forever Purge” will be released in the summer 2021. Other Universal titles including the next “Fast & Furious” film, “F9” and “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” have also been delayed by the studio.

A number of film studios, such as Disney and Warner Bros., have delayed major summer blockbuster releases due to the current health crisis.

Written By Brenno Carillo