A new film starring iconicBack to the Futureactor Christopher Lloyd is in the works, centering around a notable Halloween store. The new project containing Lloyd, titledSpirit Halloween, will be set in the recognizable Spirit Halloween Store and places the veteran actor alongsideShe’s All Thatstar Rachael Leigh Cook.
The upcoming film hasn’t revealed much, but the narrative’s synopsis provides some insight into the direction the plot will venture down. Based on the film’s logline, a Spirit Halloween Store appears in an abandoned strip mall, attracting a group of middle school friends to engage in a childish dare. Believing thechild-like antics of Halloweenis not mature enough, the group decides to spend the night in the store but quickly begins to realize the haunted nature of the setting. In the store lurks an angry evil spirit that can possess hideous animatronic characters and possibly the middle school friends. The group must survive the night while embarking on a spooky-filled adventure.
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Spirit Halloweenis a well-known costume and prop store that typically pops up in vacant buildings duringthe Halloween season. Per Variety, the popular store has partnered with Strike Back Studios, Hideout Pictures, and Particular Crowd to bring the new feature film to life. David Poag, who has dabbled in many areas in the film industry, will be making his directorial feature debut with the upcoming project. The screenplay forSpirit Halloweencomes from the mind of Billie Bates, who is known for her writing on family-centric films. The filming is complete forSpirit Halloween, which is currently in post-production. The upcoming film looks to hit theaters sometime in October 2022.
The family/kids adventure synopsis provides some breadcrumbs, but nothing else has surfaced around the assembled cast of characters' roles. Lloyd appears to be the one to fill the angry evil spirit void haunting the Halloween store, but Cook could also play the role. Lloyd is no stranger to parts that require him to deeply embody a haunting persona, so early assumptions point squarely in his direction. However, until more information surfaces, speculations will continue to form around how the unknown pieces of the narrative fit together. The upcoming film will also star Donavan Colan, Dylan Frankel, Jaiden Smith, Marissa Reyes, and Marla Gibbs.
The climate of the movie-going experience is shifting, but family-centric films continue to be energetic performers at box offices. The $71 million generated bySonic the Hedgehog 2showcases the increasing desire families have to return to the theater.Spirit Halloweenlooks to tap into this demographic, drawing its inspiration from emblematic family/kid films from the cinematic past. Noor Ahmed, one of the film’s producers, noted the project’s inspiration, saying, “One of the reasons I immediately connected with the script is that it is very much inspired by some of my favorite kid adventure films growing up from ‘The Goonies,’ ‘Gremlins,’ ‘Monster Squad’ and so many great films made by Amblin Entertainment.”
The eventual release ofSpirit Halloweenis still a long distance down the road, but the casting news is enough to spark excitement in audiences. Lloyd’s presence in family-centric films remains memorable, which is something those behind the scenes hope will manifest in this new haunting adventure. With filming complete, audiences can expect to see a trailer surface in the coming months, hopefully providing more insight into the narrative’s unknown layers.
