Spirit Halloween: The Movie

Last updated

Spirit Halloween: The Movie
Spirit Halloween The Movie (2022) poster.jpg
Promotional release poster
Directed byDavid Poag
Written byBillie Bates
Produced by
  • Shannon Houchins
  • Noor Ahmed
  • Michael Hagerty
Starring
CinematographyAndy Kugler
Edited byJoel Griffen
Music byJordan Lehning
Production
companies
  • Strike Back Studios
  • Hideout Pictures
  • Particular Crowd
  • Film Mode Entertainment
Distributed byStrike Back Studios
Release date
  • September 30, 2022 (2022-09-30)
Running time
82 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$81,377

Spirit Halloween: The Movie is a 2022 American supernatural horror film directed by David Poag in his feature film directorial debut, [2] and written by Billie Bates. [3] Produced in partnership with the Spirit Halloween retailer, the film stars Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook, and follows three middle schoolers who find themselves locked in a haunted Spirit Halloween store on Halloween night. [2]

Contents

Spirit Halloween: The Movie was released theatrically on September 30, 2022, before being released on video-on-demand (VOD) platforms on October 11, 2022. [4] [5] The film received mixed reviews from critics.

Plot

In the 1940s, Alec Windsor threatens a woman so he can purchase her land. The woman reveals herself as a witch and casts a spell that kills Windsor.

In 2022 three teenage friends - Jake, Bo and Carson - are having quarrels over their growing older. Jake has lost his father to bone cancer and has not moved on, causing friction with his stepfather, his daughter and his recently remarried mother. Carson is eager to grow up and find more exciting things to do. Bo cautiously agrees with Carson. The three friends go to a Spirit Halloween pop up store and shortly afterwards Carson suggests they hide while the store closes Halloween night and spend the evening in the store overnight.

As the three friends play with products inside the store, an animatronic comes to life. Carson's sister Kate, who Jake has a crush on, has found to have stayed in the store as well. The friends discover Windsor is able to return to life as a ghost and possess objects and people.

Windsor possesses various animatronics in the store as the teens avoid his attacks or disable his bodies until he leaves the final robot and his spirit takes over Kate. In an argument Bo says that Jake needs to move on from losing his father but Carson should focus on helping his friend recover. Kate expels Windsor and he is defeated.

With the friends having made up, Jake apologizes to his family. The Spirit Halloween employee returns to find the store in shambles. Finally a witch, Grandma G, casts a spell that seems to revive Windsor's ghost before the credits roll.

Cast

Production

The film was shot at a "Spirit Halloween" in Rome, Georgia, formerly occupied by Toys "R" Us (pictured in 2006). Toysrus Us.jpg
The film was shot at a "Spirit Halloween" in Rome, Georgia, formerly occupied by Toys "R" Us (pictured in 2006).

Production on Spirit Halloween: The Movie began in late 2021 and wrapped in February 2022. [4] While casting auditions were held in fall 2021 and while Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook were in negotiations to play roles in the film. The film was not publicly announced until April 11, 2022, when Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook were confirmed to star in it. [2] The film is produced by Strike Back Studios, Hideout Pictures, Particular Crowd and Film Mode Entertainment in an official partnership with Spirit Halloween. [2] [8]

Noor Ahmed, president of Strike Back Studios, stated, "One of the reasons I immediately connected with the script is 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". [2]

The film was shot in Rome, Georgia and Nashville, Tennessee. [9] The film was also shot at an actual Spirit Halloween store in Rome, which was formerly occupied by Toys "R" Us. [10] [11]

Release

Distribution

The film was released theatrically on September 30, 2022, by Strike Back Studios with the film being released on video-on-demand on October 11, 2022. [4] [5]

Marketing

A trailer for the film premiered at the opening of Spirit Halloween's flagship store in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, on July 30, 2022. [4] The trailer was also shown at Midsummer Scream, a Halloween- and horror-themed convention in Long Beach, California, on July 31. [12] On August 1, 2022, the trailer was released albeit a different version followed by a second trailer on September 8, 2022.

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 54% based on 26 critics' reviews, with an average rating of 4.8/10. The site's consensus reads: "Neither a trick nor much of a treat, Spirit Halloween: The Movie is a decent but overall unmemorable choice for families seeking spooky season viewing options". [13] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 48 out of 100 based on eight critics' reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". [14]

Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting gave the film a score of two-and-a-half out of five, writing that it "serves as an effective showcase of the store's catalog", but "never fully utilizes its store setting to its advantage, though. The feature opts to spotlight only a handful of items in what amounts to an endless chase between the boys and a ghostly villain instead of using the setup to build an atmosphere or a haunted funhouse feel." [15] Navarro concluded that, "it's not the story or its characters that linger in mind once those end credits hit; it's the items that'll fill up your Spirit Halloween wish lists." [15] Jordan Hoffman of The A.V. Club gave the film a grade of "C–", likening the experience of watching it to the experience of visiting a Spirit Halloween store: "Most of the stuff in there is, let's face it, mass-produced crap. [...] It's all smiles going in, which turns quickly to boredom, before an unsatisfied exit." [16] Hoffman called the film "harmless and less than 80 minutes if you turn it off before the credits are done. It's just so embarrassingly thin. The few chuckles are all the more depressing when you realize that this could have been a winner with a clever screenwriter and a competent director." [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Lee Curtis</span> American actress and author (born 1958)

Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress, producer, and children's author. Known for her performances in the horror and slasher genres, she is regarded as a scream queen, in addition to roles in comedies. Curtis has received multiple accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and two Golden Globes, as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy and a Grammy.

<i>Halloween III: Season of the Witch</i> 1982 American horror film

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is a 1982 American science fiction horror film and the third installment in the Halloween film series. It is the first film to be written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace. John Carpenter and Debra Hill, the creators of Halloween and Halloween II, return as producers. Halloween III is the only entry in the series that does not feature the series antagonist, Michael Myers. After the film's disappointing reception and box office performance, Michael Myers was brought back six years later in Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Lloyd</span> American actor (born 1938)

Christopher Allen Lloyd is an American actor. He has appeared in many theater productions, films, and on television since the 1960s. He is known for portraying Dr. Emmett "Doc" Brown in the Back to the Future trilogy (1985–1990) and Jim Ignatowski in the comedy series Taxi (1978–1983), for which he won two Emmy Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachael Leigh Cook</span> American actress and model (born 1979)

Rachael Leigh Cook is an American actress and model. She has starred in the films The Baby-Sitters Club (1995), She's All That (1999), and Josie and the Pussycats (2001), and in the television series Into the West and Perception. She is also the voice behind various characters in Robot Chicken and Tifa Lockhart in the Final Fantasy series, starting with the English version of the film Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.

<i>Josie and the Pussycats</i> (film) 2001 film by Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont

Josie and the Pussycats is a 2001 satirical musical comedy film co-produced by Universal Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Directed and co-written by Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, the film is based on both the Archie Comics series and the Hanna-Barbera cartoon of the same name. Filmed entirely in Vancouver, Canada, the film features Rachael Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, and Rosario Dawson as the Pussycats, with Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Gabriel Mann, Paulo Costanzo, and Missi Pyle in supporting roles.

<i>Shes All That</i> 1999 film directed by Robert Iscove

She's All That is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film directed by Robert Iscove. It stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Rachael Leigh Cook, Matthew Lillard, and Paul Walker. After being dumped by his girlfriend, Zack Siler boasts he could make any girl at his high school popular. It is a modern adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion and George Cukor's 1964 film My Fair Lady.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knott's Scary Farm</span> Seasonal Halloween event

Knott's Scary Farm or Knott's Halloween Haunt is a seasonal Halloween event at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. It is an event in which the theme park is transformed into "160 acres of horror", via a series of roaming monsters, terrifying mazes and 'scare zones'. As of 2010, it was said to be the first, largest and longest-running Halloween event to be held at a theme park.

<i>Piranha 3D</i> 2010 film by Alexandre Aja

Piranha 3D is a 2010 American 3D horror comedy film that serves as a remake of the comedy horror film Piranha (1978) and an entry in the Piranha film series. Directed by Alexandre Aja and written by Pete Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg, the film stars Elisabeth Shue, Adam Scott, Jerry O'Connell, Ving Rhames, Jessica Szohr, Steven R. McQueen, Christopher Lloyd and Richard Dreyfuss. During spring break on Lake Victoria, a popular waterside resort, an underground tremor releases hundreds of prehistoric, carnivorous piranhas into the lake. Local cop Julie Forester must join forces with a band of unlikely strangers—though they are badly outnumbered—to destroy the ravenous creatures before everyone becomes fish food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casper the Friendly Ghost</span> Fictional cartoon ghost

Casper the Friendly Ghost is the protagonist of the Famous Studios theatrical animated cartoon series of the same name. He is a translucent ghost who is pleasant and personable, but often criticized by his three wicked uncles, the Ghostly Trio.

<i>Dorothy and the Witches of Oz</i> 2012 American film

Dorothy and the Witches of Oz is a 2012 film directed by Leigh Scott, based on the early 20th century novels The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Ozma of Oz, The Road to Oz and The Magic of Oz by L. Frank Baum. The film stars Paulie Redding, Billy Boyd, Eliza Swenson, Mia Sara, Lance Henriksen, and Christopher Lloyd. A longer version of the film was originally released as a TV miniseries in 2011 called The Witches of Oz, distributed by MarVista Entertainment. The miniseries was over an hour longer and had earlier versions of the special effects. The miniseries was originally released in 2011 in Europe, though its United Kingdom premiere was not until July 5, 2012 on the Sci-Fi Channel.

Blumhouse Productions is an American film and television production company founded in 2000 by Jason Blum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirit Halloween</span> American retailer

Spirit Halloween, LLC is an American seasonal retailer that supplies Halloween decorations, costumes, props and accessories. It is the USA's largest Halloween retailer. It is currently owned by Spencer Gifts. It was founded in 1983 and began in the Castro Valley “Village Shopping Center” in the San Francisco East Bay Area, California, and has headquarters in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey. In 1999, the store had 60 seasonal locations. Today, the pop-up retailer opens over a thousand locations across the United States and Canada each Halloween season.

<i>Halloween</i> (2018 film) 2018 American slasher film

Halloween is a 2018 American slasher film directed by David Gordon Green and co-written by Green, Jeff Fradley and Danny McBride. It is the eleventh installment in the Halloween film series and a direct sequel to the 1978 film of the same name, while disregarding all previous sequels. The film stars Jamie Lee Curtis who reprises her role as Laurie Strode. James Jude Courtney portrays Michael Myers, with Nick Castle returning to the role for a cameo. Halloween also stars Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Will Patton, Haluk Bilginer, and Virginia Gardner. Its plot follows a post-traumatic Laurie Strode who prepares to face Michael Myers in a final showdown on Halloween night, forty years after she survived his killing spree.

<i>Hereditary</i> (film) 2018 horror film directed by Ari Aster

Hereditary is a 2018 American psychological supernatural horror film written and directed by Ari Aster in his feature directorial debut. Starring Toni Collette, Alex Wolff, Milly Shapiro, Ann Dowd, and Gabriel Byrne, the film follows a grieving family tormented by a demonic entity after the death of their secretive grandmother.

<i>Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween</i> 2018 film by Ari Sandel

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween is a 2018 American comedy horror film directed by Ari Sandel and written by Rob Lieber from a story by Lieber and Darren Lemke. A stand-alone sequel to 2015's Goosebumps, it is based on the children's horror book series of the same name by R. L. Stine. The new cast consists of Wendi McLendon-Covey, Madison Iseman, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Caleel Harris, Chris Parnell, and Ken Jeong. The plot follows two young boys who accidentally release the monsters from the Goosebumps franchise in their town after opening an unpublished Goosebumps manuscript titled Haunted Halloween, causing a wave of destruction on Halloween night.

<i>Muppets Haunted Mansion</i> 2021 puppet comedy Halloween special

Muppets Haunted Mansion is a 2021 American comedy Halloween special based on the Disney properties The Muppets and The Haunted Mansion. It was released on October 8, 2021, via Disney+. It is the Muppets' first Halloween special. The plot stars Gonzo and Pepe as they face the challenge of staying in a haunted mansion for one night. It received generally positive reviews from critics.

<i>Mickeys Tale of Two Witches</i> 2021 TV special for Mickey Mouse

Mickey's Tale of Two Witches is a Halloween television special that premiered on October 7, 2021 on Disney Junior. It is produced by Disney Television Animation. It is the first spin-off special of Mickey Mouse Mixed-Up Adventures before Mickey and Minnie Wish Upon a Christmas.

<i>Goosebumps</i> (2023 TV series) 2023 American horror comedy series

Goosebumps is an American horror comedy television series developed by Rob Letterman and Nicholas Stoller for Disney+ and Hulu. It is based on the book series of the same name by R. L. Stine. The series abandons the adaptation format of the 1995 original TV series to focus on a serialized style of storytelling instead, while still featuring many of the existing Goosebumps monsters and items.

References

  1. ↑ "Spooky Night: The Spirit of Halloween Aka Spirit Halloween (PG)". Irish Film Classification Office . August 1, 2023. Archived from the original on August 1, 2023. Retrieved August 1, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Yossman, K.J. (April 11, 2022). "Spirit Halloween Store Film in the Works Starring Christopher Lloyd, Rachael Leigh Cook (Exclusive)". Variety . Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  3. ↑ Melanson, Angel (April 11, 2022). "Spirit Halloween But Make It A Movie". Fangoria . Archived from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Panaligan, EJ (August 1, 2022). "'Spirit Halloween: The Movie' Brings Costume Store to Life in Spooky Trailer". Variety . Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  5. 1 2 Eddy, Cheryl (August 1, 2022). "Spirit Halloween: The Movie Is Real, and Has the Teaser to Prove It". Gizmodo . Archived from the original on August 1, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Bucksbaum, Sydney (April 11, 2022). "Christopher Lloyd and Rachael Leigh Cook team up for movie about a haunted Spirit Halloween store". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on April 11, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  7. 1 2 Yossman, K.J. (May 20, 2022). "'Spirit Halloween': First Photos, Plot Details From Movie Inspired by Costume Store (Exclusive)". Variety . Archived from the original on August 4, 2022. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
  8. ↑ Plant, Logan (April 11, 2022). "Christopher Lloyd to Star in Movie Based On Spirit Halloween Store". IGN . Archived from the original on April 12, 2022. Retrieved April 12, 2022.
  9. ↑ Kuperinsky, Amy (July 30, 2022). "First look at Spirit Halloween movie comes to N.J. flagship store. Christopher Lloyd haunts strip mall". NJ.com . Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Around Town: New trailer, new Rome scenes from 'Spirit Halloween: The Movie.' Also scary: Plenty of politics. Plus: A Christmas fix". Northwest Georgia News. September 9, 2022. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  11. ↑ Barsanti, Sam (August 1, 2022). "Here's a trailer for the Spirit Halloween movie". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on September 12, 2022. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
  12. ↑ Squires, John (July 5, 2022). "'Spirit Halloween: The Movie' Trailer Is Coming Soon; Will Debut at Midsummer Scream". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on July 26, 2022. Retrieved July 26, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Spirit Halloween: The Movie". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango Media. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved November 6, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Spirit Halloween: The Movie". Metacritic . Red Ventures. Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  15. 1 2 Navarro, Meagan (September 26, 2022). "'Spirit Halloween: The Movie' Review – Family Friendly Halloween Movie Favors Novelty Over Holiday Frights". Bloody Disgusting . Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  16. 1 2 Hoffman, Jordan (October 11, 2022). "Spirit Halloween: The Movie doesn't offer much in the way of tricks or treats". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on October 16, 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.