SPOILERS are ahead for 2021’s Halloween Kills.
Last year’s Halloween sequel once again proved something about the horror franchise we’ve been reminded of over the past four decades: Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode is still the ultimate final girl. David Gordon Green’s slasher film shockingly killed off Laurie’s daughter, Karen, played by Judy Greer, and we’re not over it. Of course, it’ll up the stakes for Laurie’s next standoff with Michael Myers, but as you can imagine, Greer wasn’t privy to the news of her character’s death.
Now that the audience have had half a year to process the ending for Halloween Kills, and with half a year to go before the trilogy closes with Halloween Ends, Judy Greer has spoken about receiving news of her character’s fate. In her words:
When it was time to get ready to start shooting Halloween Kills, I got a phone call from David Gordon Green and he was like, ‘We have to talk before I send you the script.’ And I was like, ‘I don’t want to talk. I don’t want to talk to you, dad. I know what you’re gonna tell me and why does it have to be me?’ And he was like, ‘It has to be someone.’ [Laughs] He’s like, ‘And it can’t be Jamie, and it can’t be your daughter because she’s gotta carry on the mantle!’ And I was like, ‘You …’ Can I say it? Can I say a bad word? ‘You fucker!’ I was like, ‘Come on, man!’ He’s like, ‘I know. I’m really sorry. I’m trying to figure it out, but there’s just no other way.’ And I was like, ‘Ugh!’ It had to be me. I know. He’s right!
Judy Greer got blunt about her first reaction to Karen being killed off while speaking to Collider, and it’s incredible. The actress was clearly not stoked to say goodbye to the Halloween franchise so soon, calling the writer/director a “fucker” when she received the phone call. However, Green did have a solid argument as to why, and ultimately, Greer filmed the tragic, but epic conclusion to her role ahead of the movie’s 2021 release.
If you need a refresher, Halloween Kills waited until the final act to slash Karen. Right before Karen’s daughter, Andi Matichak’s Allyson, looks to be done for, Karen comes in and saves her by stabbing Michael Myers in the back with a pitchfork before grabbing his mask and luring him into an angry mob trap. Unfortunately, Michael fights off the mob and gets quick revenge on Karen. It’s obviously especially brutal because now Myers has killed off Laurie’s own daughter.
Previously, Greer shared that she wanted fans to be “bummed” and “upset” about her death to match her own reaction to Halloween Kills. The actress also said that she wasn’t too surprised to learn of Karen’s fate in the sequel because she felt like it was the “right thing” for the story as a whole. She is, of course, the most sad about leaving the cast and crew of the horror trilogy.
The moment sets the stage for what is to come in Halloween Ends. The movie has already finished shooting as of last month. Greer sent her Halloween mother and daughter “Final Girl” shirts despite no longer being alive in the movies. Is it possible we might see Greer again in a flashback? We’ll wait and see when Halloween Ends hits theaters on October 14. Until then, you can stream Halloween Kills with a HBO Max subscription and stay updated with other upcoming 2022 movies here on CinemaBlend.