Universal announced today that Halloween Kills will stream on Peacock on the same day and date as it hits theaters. Halloween Kills will receive a hybrid release similar to The Boss Baby: Family Business, another Universal film that got to Peacock and theaters at the same time.
The sequel to 2018’s Halloween is one of this year’s most anticipated horror movies, so the hybrid release strategy comes as a surprise. However, the release on Peacock might help to boost the platform, especially since other streaming channels have also been releasing big-budget movies on streaming. Disney+ has released many of its 2021 titles to their streaming platform for an additional fee, while HBO Max has featured almost all of Warner’s biggest releases as they come to theaters. So, it makes sense for Universal to feed Peacock with a juicy release to solidify the streaming platform as a competitive option for viewers. The question remains if the strategy will affect Halloween Kills box office, since movies that release exclusively on theaters, such as Free Guy, have been able to hold a steady income even amidst the pandemic.
After his successful 2018’s soft-reboot of Halloween, David Gordon Green is back to helm two sequels. Halloween Kills is releasing this October, while Halloween Ends is scheduled for release on October 14, 2022. Both Halloween Kills and Halloween Ends are written by Green, Danny McBride, and Scott Teems. Halloween Kills will bring Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer), and Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) together to take down the monster who has haunts this family.
Halloween Kills had its world premiere yesterday, at the 78th Venice International Film Festival, during a ceremony that awarded Curtis a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. The movie comes to theaters and Peacock on October 15.