Kyle Richards is reprising her original “Halloween” role once again in “Halloween Ends,” the final installment in David Gordon Green’s new trilogy of films in the iconic horror series, Variety has learned exclusively.
Richards recently closed her deal for “Halloween Ends,” which heads into production next month and is set to be released in Oct. 2022.
Richards will join star Jamie Lee Curtis, who she first met as a child actor when she was cast at the age of eight in the original “Halloween” as Lindsey Wallace, the character who Curtis’ Laurie Strode babysat in the 1978 film from director John Carpenter.
Richards — known for being a fan-favorite, original cast member on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” — had a small, but memorable, part in this year’s “Halloween Kills,” which was the second series installment from director David Gordon Green, following his first revamped “Halloween” flick in 2018.
Sources say that after Richards garnered positive reception from fans in “Halloween Kills,” the filmmakers re-wrote the script to include her character in “Halloween Ends,” crafting an expanded storyline for her return.
“When my character didn’t die, I was like, ‘Uhh, hello!’” Richards quips, during a recent conversation with Variety. She adds plot details are being kept under wraps, but she hopes to share scenes with Curtis.
“The last movie, I saw Jamie on the set, but we didn’t have stuff together. So I’m really hoping that there is more stuff together,” Richards says. “I can’t talk about any storylines, but all I can say is that we start filming in January, and I’m so excited to return with Jamie Lee Curtis and David Gordon Green.”
Jason Blum, founder of Blumhouse Productions, which produces the “Halloween” franchise, tells Variety, “We are thrilled that Kyle will be reprising her role in ‘Halloween Ends.’”
“The return of iconic characters in ‘Halloween Kills’ was really important to David Gordon Green,” Blum continues, “And he took great pains to bring back the original actors when he could.”
The 2018 “Halloween” was a major box office hit, bringing in more than $250 million worldwide on a $10 million budget. Though “Halloween Kills” didn’t match those receipts, the sequel became a pandemic-era success. It grossed $131 million globally and stands as one of the year’s highest grossing horror movies behind “A Quiet Place Part II.” That distinction is even more impressive considering the film debuted day-and-date on Peacock. The streaming service does not release viewership metrics, but according to third party aggregators, “Halloween Kills” scored impressive numbers on the platform with over 1.2 million subscribers watching the flick during its opening weekend.
As for Richards, “Halloween Ends” is the latest project for the actor, producer and reality star. Her new film, Peacock’s first-ever holiday movie, “The Housewives of the North Pole,” launches this Friday. She is currently starring in “The Real Housewives” all-stars series, “Ultimate Girls Trip,” also on the NBCUniversal streaming service. Richards, who is the last remaining original cast member on “Beverly Hills,” recently wrapped up the eleventh season of the hit Bravo show last month.
Richards is repped by UTA and The Initiative Group.
SOURCE: Variety.com
