View source for Halloween H20: 20 Years Later

{{Short description|1998 film by Steve Miner}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = March 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Halloween H20:<br /> Twenty Years Later
| image          = HalloweenH20poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Steve Miner]]
| producer       = Paul Freeman<!-- only producer, not executive producers -->
| screenplay     = {{plainlist|
* Robert Zappia
* [[Matt Greenberg]]
}}
| story          = Robert Zappia
| based_on       = {{basedon|Characters created|[[Debra Hill]]<br />[[John Carpenter]]}}
| starring       = {{plainlist|
* [[Jamie Lee Curtis]]
* [[Adam Arkin]]
* [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]]
* [[Adam Hann-Byrd]]
* [[Jodi Lyn O'Keefe]]
* [[Janet Leigh]]
* [[Josh Hartnett]]
* [[LL Cool J]]
* [[Joseph Gordon-Levitt]]
}}<!--PER BILLING BLOCK-->
| music          = [[John Ottman]]<br />[[Marco Beltrami]]
| cinematography = [[Daryn Okada]]
| editing        = [[Patrick Lussier]]
| studio         = {{plainlist|
* Nightfall Productions<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=65163|title=Halloween: H20|work=[[American Film Institute]]|access-date=July 8, 2016|archive-date=April 3, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140403034743/http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=65163|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Compass International Pictures|Trancas International]]
}}
| distributor    = [[Dimension Films]]
| released       = {{Film date|1998|7|27|[[Los Angeles]]|1998|8|5|United States}}<!--WARNING! Do not change the official release date and based on the film's poster-->
| runtime        = 86 minutes<ref>{{cite web|work=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/halloween-h20-20-years-later-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmzcwmde|title=Halloween H20 - 20 Years Later|access-date=December 23, 2016|archive-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908132351/https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/halloween-h20-20-years-later-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zmzcwmde|url-status=live}}</ref>
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $17 million<ref name="boxofficemojo">{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=halloween7.htm|title=Halloween: H20 (1998)|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=October 20, 2019|archive-date=June 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607134431/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=halloween7.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
| gross          = $75 million<ref name=ww/>
}}
'''''Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later''''' is a 1998 American [[slasher film]] directed by [[Steve Miner]], and starring [[Jamie Lee Curtis]], [[LL Cool J]], [[Adam Arkin]], [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]], [[Janet Leigh]], and [[Josh Hartnett]], in his film debut. It is the seventh installment in the [[Halloween (franchise)|''Halloween'' franchise]]. ''H20'' is a direct sequel to [[Halloween (1978 film)|''Halloween'']] (1978) and [[Halloween II (1981 film)|''Halloween II'']] (1981), ignoring the [[Jamie Lloyd]] story arc of the [[Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers|previous]] [[Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers|three]] [[Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers|installments]].<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Verniere |first1=James |title=JOHN CARPENTER: Doing His Own 'Thing' |magazine=The Twilight Zone Magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/Twilight_Zone_v02n08_1982-11_noads/page/n19/mode/2up?view=theater|pages=24–30 |date=November 1982 |access-date=December 2, 2023}}</ref> It follows a [[Post-traumatic stress disorder|post-traumatic]] [[Laurie Strode]], who has faked her death in order to go into hiding from her murderous brother, [[Michael Myers (Halloween)|Michael Myers]], who finds her working at a private [[boarding school]] in [[California]].
''Halloween H20'' was released in the United States on August 5, 1998. The film received mixed reviews from critics, with many saying it was at that point the best of the sequels but still paled compared to the original. It grossed $75 million worldwide against a budget of $17 million, making it the highest-grossing film in the franchise. A sequel, ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]'', was released in 2002, while [[Halloween (2007 film)|a remake of the original film]] was released in 2007, and later another trilogy of films that follow only the original film and disregard all previous entries, were released beginning in [[Halloween (2018 film)|2018]].
==Plot==
It has been almost twenty years since Michael Myers escaped from Smith's Grove and [[Halloween (1978 film)|returned to his hometown of Haddonfield]] to kill his long-lost sister, Laurie Strode. After an [[Halloween II (1981 film)|explosion at Haddonfield Memorial Hospital]] caused by Dr. Sam Loomis, Michael's body disappeared and was presumed dead.
On October 29, 1998, [[Marion Chambers|Marion Wittington]] (née Chambers), Loomis' former colleague who took care of him until his death, returns home to the house they shared in Langdon, [[Illinois]], only to find that it has been broken into and discovers that the file on Laurie Strode is missing. Marion seeks help from her teenage neighbor, Jimmy, only to discover that he and his friend, Tony, have been murdered by Michael, before she, too, is killed. Michael drives away in Jimmy's car, as the police arrive on scene.
In Summer Glen, [[California]], Laurie lives under the identity of "Keri Tate", having faked her death to stay hidden from Michael.  She lives with her son, John, and is the headmistress of Hillcrest Academy, a private boarding school, where she is supported by her secretary, Norma Watson, and guidance counselor Will Brennan, with whom she is in a relationship. Despite the normal life she has built for herself, the traumatic events of her past have caused her to suffer from chronic nightmares as well as becoming an alcoholic, living in fear that her brother will one day find her. Michael, having gotten a flat tire, is forced to steal another vehicle from a woman and her daughter who stop by a highway rest area and inadvertently leaves them both unharmed and stranded.
Back at the academy, most of the faculty and students are preparing to leave for a trip to Yosemite. Laurie has forbidden John to go, afraid that something bad will happen to him while he is gone. John's girlfriend, Molly Cartwell, is unable to attend as well prompting  fellow couple, Charlie Deveraux and Sarah Wainthrope, to forego the trip so that they can all have a Halloween party on campus. Laurie, following a heated argument with John about how her fears are affecting him, changes her mind about not letting him go on the trip, now afraid that him being around her on Halloween is too dangerous, though he ultimately decides to remain behind with Molly, Charlie, and Sarah, unbeknownst to his mother.
After most of the teachers and students have departed, Ronny Jones, a security guard who earlier helped John and Charlie sneak out of school, spots Michael's stolen truck parked at the main gate and goes to investigate but is oblivious as Michael sneaks onto the school property. Meanwhile, Laurie reveals her identity to Will and in the process discovers a connection between her age when Michael first came after her which is also how old her son is now. Upon going to call John, she finds out that not only are the phones not working, but that he did not go on the trip. She arms herself with a revolver and, along with Will and Ronny, goes looking for her son and the others. Unfortunately, Michael finds them first and kills both Charlie and Sarah in a gruesome manner. John and Molly are then attacked as well while trying to get away. Michael attempts to kill Molly but John comes to her defense and is stabbed in the leg. The two barely manage to escape and are rescued by Laurie who, much to her horror, comes face to face with her brother for the first time in twenty years.
Will accidentally shoots Ronny in the head, mistaking his shadow for Michael approaching from around a corner. As Laurie is checking Ronny's body, Michael emerges from a doorway behind Will and stabs him in the back, killing him. Laurie then tricks Michael and momentarily stuns him while she retrieves John and Molly from their hiding place. The trio make a run for Laurie's truck and drive off towards the main gate of the school. Knowing that Michael will never stop hunting her, she sends them on without her to get help, locks the gate, arms herself with an axe and heads back up to the campus to confront Michael once and for all. Following a deadly game of cat and mouse, Laurie stabs Michael several times and shoves him off a balcony through a table in the cafeteria below. As she prepares to stab him one final time, Ronny, who survived the gunshot, stops her, believing Michael to be dead.
The authorities arrive a short time later and the entire school becomes a crime scene. A seemingly dead Michael is put in a body bag and loaded into a coroner's van, but Laurie knows that he is still alive, having grown accustomed to her brother's tricky nature. She grabs her axe, steals a police officer's gun, and hijacks the van with the intent of killing him for good. Michael awakens down the road, breaks out of the bag, and attacks Laurie who slams on the brakes sending him crashing through the windshield. As Michael sits up then proceeds to stand, Laurie drives into him and then off the road.
Laurie manages to jump free of the van as it tumbles down the embankment while Michael is pinned between the van itself and a downed tree. Bloodied and bruised, she makes her way down to the bottom and calls out to her brother. The two siblings share a moment as they reach out for one another. Laurie feels a moment of pity for Michael before raising her axe and decapitating him. Sirens approach in the distance as she closes her eyes and takes several deep breaths as the scene cuts to black.
==Cast==
{{div col}}
{{Main|List of Halloween (film series) characters}}
* [[Jamie Lee Curtis]] as [[Laurie Strode|Laurie Strode / Keri Tate]]
* [[Josh Hartnett]] as John Tate
* [[Adam Arkin]] as Will Brennan
* [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]] as Molly Cartwell
* [[Adam Hann-Byrd]] as Charlie Deveraux
* [[Jodi Lyn O'Keefe]] as Sarah Wainthrope
* [[Janet Leigh]] as Norma Watson
* [[LL Cool J]] as Ronald 'Ronny' Jones
* Chris Durand as [[Michael Myers (Halloween)|Michael Myers]]
* [[Nancy Stephens]] as Marion Chambers-Whittington
* [[Joseph Gordon-Levitt]] as Jimmy Howell
* Branden Williams as Tony Alegre
* [[Beau Billingslea]] as Detective Fitzsimmons
* [[Matt Winston]] as Matt Sampson
* Larisa Miller as Claudia
* Emmalee Thompson as Casey
* [[Tom Kane]] as [[Samuel Loomis|Dr. Sam Loomis]] (voice)
* [[LisaGay Hamilton|Lisa Gay Hamilton]] as Shirley 'Shirl' Jones (voice)
{{div col end}}
==Production==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2015}}
The original idea for the seventh ''Halloween'' film began as the second half of the treatment written by [[Daniel Farrands]] during pre-production of ''Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'', which he later submitted as a new treatment entitled ''Michael Myers: Lord of the Dead''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|title=Daniel Farrands Interview (1997)|url=https://73miles-blog.tumblr.com/post/8817919523/daniel-farrands|access-date=2021-01-05|website=73 Miles to Haddonfield|date=August 12, 2011|archive-date=March 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331092802/https://73miles-blog.tumblr.com/post/8817919523/daniel-farrands|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|date=2014-10-24|title=[Interview] Daniel Farrands Reveals 'Halloween 6' and '7' That Could Have Been|url=https://halloweendailynews.com/2014/10/interview-halloween-6-daniel-farrands/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=Halloween Daily News|language=en-US|archive-date=November 24, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124144854/https://halloweendailynews.com/2014/10/interview-halloween-6-daniel-farrands/|url-status=live}}</ref> The story would have opened immediately after the events of the previous film and involved Tommy Doyle discovering that the entire town of Haddonfield was involved in a conspiracy to control Michael Myers. Farrands compared the story to ''[[The Wicker Man]]'', [[The Hitcher (1986 film)|''The Hitcher'']], [[Rosemary's Baby (film)|''Rosemary's Baby'']], [[Shirley Jackson]]'s "[[The Lottery]]," and [[Dennis Etchison]]'s rejected screenplay for ''[[Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers]]''.<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-10-03|title=Halloween 6 writer reveals sequel's insane original ending|url=https://1428elm.com/2017/10/03/halloween-6-writer-reveals-sequels-insane-original-ending/|access-date=2021-01-05|website=1428 Elm|language=en-US|archive-date=July 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727040025/https://1428elm.com/2017/10/03/halloween-6-writer-reveals-sequels-insane-original-ending/|url-status=live}}</ref> Farrands later decided not to continue with the series "since I honestly could not bear to watch another one of my scripts turned into a debacle – especially another ''Halloween''."<ref name=":3" />
Another idea pitched after the Farrands treatment was ''Halloween 7: Two Faces of Evil'', written by Robert Zappia. Originally intended to be a [[direct-to-video]] film, this would have involved Michael Myers stalking an all women's boarding school. The plot eventually also revealed a [[Copycat crime|copycat killer]], causing many fans to compare such a twist to [[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|''The Silence of the Lambs'']]. The pitch itself was changed a couple of times, changing the title to ''Halloween: Blood Ties'' as they brought Laurie Strode into the storyline, before scrapping the idea entirely.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Millman|first=Ashleigh|date=2019-05-08|title=Every Halloween Movie (They Never Actually Made)|url=https://whatculture.com/film/every-halloween-movie-they-never-actually-made|access-date=2020-09-17|website=WhatCulture.com|language=en|archive-date=January 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210107205846/https://whatculture.com/film/every-halloween-movie-they-never-actually-made|url-status=live}}</ref>
The screenplay was based on a story by [[Kevin Williamson (screenwriter)|Kevin Williamson]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://horrorpedia.com/2013/10/20/halloween-h20-20-years-later/|title=Halloween H20: 20 Years Later|date=October 20, 2013|website=HORRORPEDIA|access-date=October 5, 2016|archive-date=October 21, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131021174801/https://horrorpedia.com/2013/10/20/halloween-h20-20-years-later/|url-status=live}}</ref> with the original working title for the film being ''Halloween 7: The Revenge of Laurie Strode''.<ref name=":2" /> Williamson was initially hired to write a script, and the story was to be a sequel to the previous six films, thereby keeping the timeline's continuity.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/halloween-h20-original-script-jamie-lloyd-story-continuation/|title=Halloween H20 Original Script Continued Jamie Lloyd's Story|date=2020-04-14|website=ScreenRant|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-15|archive-date=April 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415070513/https://screenrant.com/halloween-h20-original-script-jamie-lloyd-story-continuation/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://lairofhorror.tripod.com/myerslair/dyk7.html|title=Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later: Did You Know?|website=LairofHorror.Tripod.com|access-date=October 5, 2016|archive-date=October 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006052231/http://lairofhorror.tripod.com/myerslair/dyk7.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=March 2019}} When Williamson first outlined ''Halloween H20'', he created the storyline in which Laurie Strode has faked her own death and taken on a new identity as a specific way of [[retroactive continuity|retconning]] the character's death in ''Halloween 4''. In Williamson's original treatment, there are scenes in which a Hillcrest student does a report on Michael Myers' killing spree, mentioning the death of Jamie, complete with flashbacks to 4–6 mentioned in the text. "Keri"/Laurie responds to hearing the student's report on the death of her daughter by going into a restroom and throwing up.<ref>[[Kevin Williamson (screenwriter)|Williamson, Kevin]]. "[http://soma.sbcc.edu/users/DaVega/FILMPRO_175/Filmpro_175_Film_Writing/TREATMENTS/treatmentexaple_4_halloween7.pdf Halloween 7 treatment] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720041914/http://soma.sbcc.edu/users/DaVega/FILMPRO_175/Filmpro_175_Film_Writing/TREATMENTS/treatmentexaple_4_halloween7.pdf |date=July 20, 2011 }}</ref>
In the film, the voice of Dr. Loomis is heard giving the same speech that he gave to Sheriff Brackett when they were inside Michael's abandoned childhood home in the original film. Audio clips from ''[[Halloween (1978 film)|Halloween]]'' were initially considered when playing his monologue.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} However, instead of the voice of [[Donald Pleasence]] himself, sound-alike voice actor [[Tom Kane]] provides this voice-over.
[[John Carpenter]] was originally in consideration to be the director for this particular follow-up since [[Jamie Lee Curtis|Curtis]] wanted to reunite the cast and crew of the original to have active involvement in it. It was believed that Carpenter opted out because he wanted no active part in the sequel; however, this is not the case. Carpenter agreed to direct the film, but his starting fee as director was $10 million, so he demanded a three-picture deal with Dimension Films. Carpenter's bargain was denied by the Weinsteins, and therefore no deal took place. Carpenter rationalized this by believing the hefty fee was compensation for revenue he had never received from the original ''Halloween'', a matter that was still a contention between Carpenter and ''Halloween'' producer [[Moustapha Akkad]] even after twenty years. When Akkad balked at Carpenter's fee, Carpenter quit the project. [[Steve Miner]] was hired to replace him. Curtis later regretted doing the film, saying in a 2018 interview: "Now, to this day, I regret that I didn't say to everyone, if [[Debra Hill]]'s not the one producing this movie, I'm not doing it".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ew.com/movies/2018/10/20/halloween-jamie-lee-curtis-2/|title='Halloween' star Jamie Lee Curtis reveals her biggest regret about the horror franchise|website=EW.com|access-date=October 10, 2023|archive-date=October 18, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231018230140/https://ew.com/movies/2018/10/20/halloween-jamie-lee-curtis-2/|url-status=live}}</ref>
''[[Scream (1996 film)|Scream]]'' writer/producer Kevin Williamson was involved in various areas of production. Although not directly credited, he provided rewrites in character dialogue and helped make alterations and sketches of the script. He also came up with the paramedic storyline that explained how Michael survived the ending, which was partially filmed the day after principal photography ended and later utilized in the film's sequel. The writers of ''Halloween H20'' were left with a dilemma when Curtis wanted to end the series, but Moustapha Akkad had a clause that legally wouldn't allow the writers to kill Michael Myers off. According to the Blu-ray released by [[Scream Factory]], Curtis almost left the project just weeks before filming, until Kevin Williamson came up with the paramedic storyline and presented it to Akkad. Curtis finally agreed to be a part of the film under the condition that no footage hinting toward a sequel would be presented by the film, and that the audience would believe that Michael was dead until the inevitable sequel was announced. ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]''{{'}}s first shot of Michael in the paramedic uniform was filmed the day after ''H20''{{'}}s principal photography ended, according to ''H20''{{'}}s editor, [[Patrick Lussier]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-aug-04-ca-9812-story.html|title=Horror Comes Full Circle in 'H20'|last=Wallace|first=Amy|date=August 4, 1998|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-date=March 11, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170311160748/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/aug/04/entertainment/ca-9812|url-status=live}}</ref>
The film features an in memoriam tribute to Donald Pleasence in the closing credits, but misspells his last name as "Pleasance."
===Filming===
Filming began on February 18, 1998 and ended on April 20, 1998. The filming location of the Hillcrest Academy private school was filmed at the [[Canfield-Moreno Estate]] located at 1923 Micheltorena St. in [[Silver Lake, Los Angeles]]. Marion Chambers's house along with Jimmy Howell's house was filmed in [[Melrose Hill, Los Angeles]]. The town of Summer Glen was filmed in [[La Puente, California]]. The Hillcrest Academy entrance was filmed in [[Chatsworth, Los Angeles]]. The ending of the film was filmed in [[Canoga Park, Los Angeles]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thennowmovielocations.com/2012/05/halloween-h20-20-years-later.html?m=1|title=Halloween H20: 20 Years Later|publisher=Then & Now Movie Locations|accessdate=March 29, 2022|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920172049/http://www.thennowmovielocations.com/2012/05/halloween-h20-20-years-later.html?m=1|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://movie-locations.com/movies/h/Halloween-H20.php|title=Halloween H20: 20 Years Later|publisher=movie-locations.com|accessdate=March 29, 2022|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920172723/http://movie-locations.com/movies/h/Halloween-H20.php|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Layton Eversaul|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=e_blF6bG3-I|title=The Story of Halloween H20: 20 Years Later - A Retrospective|publisher=[[YouTube]]|date=December 31, 2021|accessdate=March 29, 2022|archive-date=September 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920171343/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_blF6bG3-I|url-status=live}}</ref>
===Music===
The original music score was composed by [[John Ottman]], but some music from ''Scream'' was added to the chase scenes later on during [[post-production]]. Ottman expressed some displeasure about this action in an interview featured on the ''Halloween: 25 Years of Terror'' DVD released in 2006. Ottman's score was supplemented with [[Marco Beltrami]]'s scores from ''Scream'', ''Scream 2'', and ''[[Mimic (film)|Mimic]]'' by a team of music editors as well as new cues written by Beltrami during the final days of sound mixing on the film.<ref name=bttw>{{cite AV media|title=Blood is Thicker Than Water – The Making of Halloween: H20|publisher=Scream Factory|year=2014|work=Halloween: The Complete Collection|type=[[Blu-ray]]|time=50:09}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=March 2019}} Dimension Films chief [[Bob Weinstein]] demanded musical changes after being dissatisfied with Ottman's score,<ref name="filmtracks">''Halloween: H20'' score at [http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/portrait_terror.html Filmtracks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080622061918/http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/portrait_terror.html |date=June 22, 2008 }}. Retrieved March 31, 2019.</ref> instating the song "[[What's This Life For]]" by [[rock music]] group [[Creed (band)|Creed]], which is featured in the film during a party sequence and also during the end credits.
In addition, a small tribute to [[Bernard Herrmann]]'s score from ''Psycho'' can be heard as Janet Leigh's character Norma Watson walks to her car (the same model car her character in ''Psycho'' drove) before leaving work for the day.
No official soundtrack was ever released for the film, but a compilation album by Ottman was released in the United States and Germany under the [[Varèse Sarabande]] label and includes the original score by Ottman and numerous other cuts.
==Alternate television version==
In February 2003, the [[FX (TV channel)|FX]] network premiered an alternate version of the film, adding and extending footage not seen in the original release. It has yet to be released anywhere else, but the deleted scenes can be found on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=5269544|title=Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (Comparison: Theatrical Version - TV Version) - Movie-Censorship.com|last=Wurm|first=Gerald|date=December 6, 2009|website=Movie-Censorship.com|access-date=March 31, 2019|archive-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908131301/https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=5269544|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Reception==
===Box office===
Until the release of ''[[Halloween (2018 film)|Halloween]]'' in 2018, ''Halloween H20'' was the highest-grossing film in the ''Halloween'' franchise. It made $16.2 million its opening weekend. With approximately 11,735,978 tickets sold during its initial theatrical run, it remains the third most-attended film in the franchise and sold more tickets than the previous three films combined.<ref name="boxofficemojo"/>
The film also had a gross of €3.2 million in Germany (equivalent to $3.5 million).<ref name="mediabiz">{{Cite web|url=http://www.mediabiz.de/film/firmen/programm/halloween-h20/49550|title=Blickpunkt:Film &#124; Film &#124; Halloween: H20|access-date=September 26, 2019|archive-date=September 7, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907161134/https://www.mediabiz.de/film/firmen/programm/halloween-h20/49550|url-status=live}}</ref> Internationally it grossed $20 million for a worldwide total of $75 million.<ref name=ww>{{cite magazine|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=January 25, 1999|page=36|title=The Top 125 Worldwide|last=Klady|first=Leonard}}</ref>
===Critical response===
{{Rotten Tomatoes prose|56|5.6|70|''Halloween: H20'' is the best of the many sequels, yet still pales in comparison to the original ''Halloween''.}}<ref name="critic reception">{{cite web|url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/halloween_h2o/|title=Halloween H20 (1998)|work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date=October 29, 2024|archive-date=July 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210723155130/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/halloween_h2o|url-status=live}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 52 out of 100, based on 20 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{Cite Metacritic |id=halloween-h20-20-years-later |type=movie |title= Halloween H20: 20 Years Later Reviews |access-date=September 8, 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://m.cinemascore.com |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20170916153548/https://m.cinemascore.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 16, 2017 |title=CinemaScore |work=cinemascore.com |access-date=August 22, 2020 }}</ref>
[[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' awarded the film two out of four stars,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/halloween-h20-1998|title=Halloween H20|last=Ebert|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|date=August 5, 1998|work=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|via=[[RogerEbert.com]]|access-date=October 30, 2017|archive-date=June 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160604052811/http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/halloween-h20-1998|url-status=live}} {{rating|2|5}}</ref> while Lawrence Van Gelder of ''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that "the throwaway jokes are few and far between, and after a pre-title sequence reintroduces Michael and shows just how far up suspense and thrills can be ratcheted, ''Halloween H20'' declines into the routine," adding: "Nobody is going to be surprised by who lives and who dies."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/080598halloween-film-review.html|title='Halloween H20': Monster and Victim: Older Not Wiser|last=Van Gelder|first=Lawrence|date=August 5, 1998|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=October 31, 2017}}</ref> Bob Graham of the ''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'' praised the film's referentiality, as well as Curtis's performance, writing: "Slasher films often seem merely a joke, and with good reason, but in this case that's too bad. Curtis, with her plain, unglamorous appearance, rises to the occasion and delivers as compelling a performance as any this summer."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Sweet-Revenge-Jamie-Lee-Curtis-returns-to-face-2998235.php|title=Sweet Revenge: Jamie Lee Curtis returns to face down her killer brother in 'Halloween: H20'|last=Graham|first=Bob|date=August 5, 1998|work=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-date=December 10, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210084234/http://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/Sweet-Revenge-Jamie-Lee-Curtis-returns-to-face-2998235.php|url-status=live}}</ref> Writing for the ''[[Austin Chronicle]]'', Marc Savlov said of the film: "Miner strives to imbue the film with the requisite autumnal haze of the original but then gives up midway through and instead resorts to the standard stalk 'n' slash formulas. It's heartening to see a beloved character revived like this (at one point during the screening I attended, audience members actually stood up and cheered), but ''H20''—for all its good, gory intentions—is barely a shadow of the original."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/1998-08-07/138417/|title=Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later|last=Savlov|first=Marc|date=August 7, 1998|work=[[The Austin Chronicle]]|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-date=October 25, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025231751/http://www.austinchronicle.com/calendar/film/1998-08-07/138417/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Accolades ===
At the [[25th Saturn Awards]], the movie received nominations for Best Horror Film and Best Actress (Jamie Lee Curtis).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000004/1999/1?ref_=ttawd_ev_2|title=Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA (1999)|publisher=[[IMDb]]. [[Amazon (company)|Amazon.com, Inc.]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230328172705/https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000004/1999/1?ref_=ttawd_ev_2|archive-date=March 28, 2023|access-date=March 28, 2023}}</ref> Curtis also won [[Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Actress|Fangoria Chainsaw Award]] for her portrayal of Laurie Strode.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.spieltimes.com/news/how-many-oscars-did-jamie-lee-curtis-win-exploring-her-career-as-she-wins-best-supporting-actress-for-everything-everywhere-all-at-once/|title=How many Oscars did Jamie Lee Curtis win? Exploring her career as she wins Best Supporting Actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once|work=Spiel Times|first=Subhradeep|last=Mukherjee|date=March 13, 2023|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230328172354/https://www.spieltimes.com/news/how-many-oscars-did-jamie-lee-curtis-win-exploring-her-career-as-she-wins-best-supporting-actress-for-everything-everywhere-all-at-once/|archive-date=March 28, 2023|access-date=March 28, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=DVD Talk Forum – View Single Post – Pre-Horror Challenge 12: Building of the Optional Lists (Themes, Subset, & Checklist)|url=http://forum.dvdtalk.com/12880338-post259.html|website=forum.dvdtalk.com|accessdate=24 February 2017|language=en|archive-date=2 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202042804/http://forum.dvdtalk.com/12880338-post259.html|url-status=live}}</ref> At the 1999 [[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]], ''Halloween H20'' received four nominations in the acting categories: Favorite Actress — Horror (Curtis), Favorite Actor — Horror (Alan Arkin), Favorite Male Newcomer (Josh Hartnett), and Favorite Supporting Actor — Horror (LL Cool J).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000104/1999/1?ref_=ttawd_ev_3|title=Blockbuster Entertainment Awards (1999)|publisher=[[IMDb]]. [[Amazon (company)|Amazon.com, Inc.]]|archive-url=https://archive.today/20230328173302/https://www.imdb.com/event/ev0000104/1999/1?ref_=ttawd_ev_3|archive-date=March 28, 2023|access-date=March 28, 2023}}</ref>
==Home media==
''Halloween H20'' was released on [[VHS]] and [[LaserDisc]] by [[Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment|Buena Vista Home Video]]. In the United Kingdom, the film was released on [[VHS]] on December 15, 1998.
The film was first released on [[DVD]] by [[Dimension Films]] on October 19, 1999 as part of the "Dimension Collector's Series". It was released in the UK on October 22, 2001 and re-released on April 25, 2011. It was also released in the UK in 2004 as part of the complete collection consisting of the first eight films, a set that is now out of print. It was re-released in the US by [[Echo Bridge Home Entertainment]] on April 26, 2011, although, it does not contain its original aspect ratio of 2.35:1, but rather a 1.66:1 widescreen transfer.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Halloween-H2O-Jamie-Lee-Curtis/dp/B004P7CNUY/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1319729049&sr=1-2|title=Halloween: H20|website=[[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]|date=April 26, 2011|access-date=October 27, 2011|archive-date=March 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322211224/http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-H2O-Jamie-Lee-Curtis/dp/B004P7CNUY/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1319729049&sr=1-2|url-status=live}}</ref> Echo Bridge later re-released the film in a triple feature set with ''[[Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers]]'' and ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]''.<ref>{{Citation|title=The Halloween Collection: Halloween Resurrection / Halloween: H2O / Halloween VI: The Curse of Michael Myers|date=September 6, 2011|url=https://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Collection-Resurrection-Curse-Michael/dp/B005CFC0N8/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1328828439&sr=1-4|work=[[Amazon (company)|Amazon]]|language=en|access-date=March 31, 2019|archive-date=March 22, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160322210024/http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Collection-Resurrection-Curse-Michael/dp/B005CFC0N8/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1328828439&sr=1-4|url-status=live}}</ref>
''Halloween H20'' was released in Canada on [[Blu-ray]] by Alliance along with ''Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'' and ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]'' on January 12, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halloween-Triple-Feature-Blu-ray/8515|title=Halloween Triple Feature Blu-ray|website=Blu-ray.com|access-date=October 27, 2011|archive-date=September 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220908154957/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halloween-Triple-Feature-Blu-ray/8515/|url-status=live}}</ref> On May 3, 2011 it was released by Echo Bridge Home Entertainment in the US but with an [[open matte]] [[16:9]] transfer, rather than the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1. Its sound was downmixed to stereo, rather than the [[5.1 surround sound|5.1]] theatrical mix. The Blu-ray received negative reviews, with Blu-ray.com calling it "a mess on every level".<ref name=":1">{{cite web| url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halloween-H20-Twenty-Years-Later-Blu-ray/21770| title=Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later Blu-ray| publisher=blu-ray.com| access-date=October 27, 2011| archive-date=May 21, 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220521095405/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halloween-H20-Twenty-Years-Later-Blu-ray/21770/| url-status=live}}</ref> It was also released along with ''[[Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers]]'' in one Blu-ray collection.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halloween-The-Curse-of-Michael-Myers-and-Halloween-H20-Blu-ray/22224|title=Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers / Halloween: H20 Blu-ray|website=Blu-ray.com|access-date=October 27, 2011|archive-date=September 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220910044417/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Halloween-The-Curse-of-Michael-Myers-and-Halloween-H20-Blu-ray/22224/|url-status=live}}</ref>
It was released again on Blu-ray on September 23, 2014 in its original theatrical 2.35:1 aspect ratio and with 5.1 [[DTS-HD Master Audio]] in the ''Halloween: The Complete Collection'' box set from [[Anchor Bay Entertainment]], with a disc produced by [[Scream Factory]], featuring a new commentary with Jamie Lee Curtis and Steve Miner and extra features including behind the scenes footage and archival interviews not seen on any other release.<ref name=":1" />
On October 4, 2022, ''Halloween H20'' was released by [[Scream Factory]] on [[Ultra HD Blu-ray|4K UHD]] as part of a 4K/Blu-ray box set along with ''[[Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers]]'' and ''[[Halloween: Resurrection]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hunter |first1=Rob |title=Scream Factory Brings the Last Three 'Halloween' Films to 4K UHD |url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/halloween-4k-collection-review/ |website=Film School Rejects |date=October 5, 2022 |access-date=8 October 2022 |archive-date=October 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008183710/https://filmschoolrejects.com/halloween-4k-collection-review/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
==See also==
* [[List of films set around Halloween]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|0120694}}
* {{allMovie title|163083}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|halloween_h2o}}
* {{Metacritic film}}
* {{mojo title|halloween7}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20210804234115/https://prod-www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/443215/halloween-h2o ''Halloween H20: 20 Years Later''] at the [[Turner Classic Movies|TCM Movie Database]]
{{Halloween series}}
{{Steve Miner}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Halloween H20}}
[[Category:1998 films]]
[[Category:1998 horror films]]
[[Category:1990s horror thriller films]]
[[Category:1990s slasher films]]
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[[Category:American horror thriller films]]
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[[Category:Halloween (franchise) films|7]]
[[Category:Films about educators]]
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