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Taking Shape
Taking Shape II: The Lost Halloween Sequels
Authors Dustin McNeill and Travis Mullins are back to bring you an inside look at TWENTY-FOUR lost Halloween sequels you never saw on the big screen! Learn about these fascinating unmade visions direct from their creators, many of whom have never spoken publicly on the subject before. At 600 pages, TAKING SHAPE II is brimming with untold franchise history. The journey begins with an insightful foreword by Halloween: 25 Years of Terror producer Anthony Masi. So, what are you waiting for? Grab the candy corn and settle in for THE LOST HALLOWEEN SEQUELS!
TAKING SHAPE II covers:
- An alternate Halloween III pitched decades after the first one!
- Three unused versions of Halloween 4 – one with Laurie Strode!
- Exclusive details on an early Halloween 5 – with evil Jamie Lloyd!
- The Halloween 6 nearly produced by Quentin Tarantino!
- An early version of Halloween 7 before it became H20!
- Three different sequels to Halloween: Resurrection!
- Insight into how a crossover with Hellraiser almost came to be!
- Two different stabs at a 3D sequel in the Rob Zombie era!
- A reboot with TWO Shapes! (And another with one hundred!)
- A reboot that introduced the Halloween Multi-verse!
TAKING SHAPE II covers:
- An alternate Halloween III pitched decades after the first one!
- Three unused versions of Halloween 4 – one with Laurie Strode!
- Exclusive details on an early Halloween 5 – with evil Jamie Lloyd!
- The Halloween 6 nearly produced by Quentin Tarantino!
- An early version of Halloween 7 before it became H20!
- Three different sequels to Halloween: Resurrection!
- Insight into how a crossover with Hellraiser almost came to be!
- Two different stabs at a 3D sequel in the Rob Zombie era!
- A reboot with TWO Shapes! (And another with one hundred!)
- A reboot that introduced the Halloween Multi-verse!
600 pages, Paperback
First published October 14, 2020
88 people are currently reading
422 people want to read
About the author
Dustin McNeill
10 books67 followersDustin McNeill is the author of eight books released through Harker Press. A lifelong genre fan, he began his writing career in the pages of HorrorHound Magazine before publishing his first book in 2014. Titled Phantasm Exhumed, this franchise companion was warmly received by fans and filmmakers alike, which encouraged the author to continue his writing efforts. In 2019, he teamed with co-author Travis Mullins for the best-selling and critically acclaimed Taking Shape book series, which the pair followed up in 2022 with Reign of Chucky: The True Hollywood Story of a Not So Good Guy. In 2023, Dustin penned yet another solo effort with House of Rejects: The Making of Rob Zombie's Firefly Trilogy. He has contributed supplemental material to multiple Phantasm and Chucky boxsets by Arrow Video and Scream Factory. In 2024, Dustin recorded an official audio commentary for Via Vision Entertainment's Blu-ray release of the original Halloween II.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
February 11, 2022
If you enjoy the HALLOWEEN movies (hell, even if you don’t), a MUST-READ.
October 31, 2020
You will love this book If you are within a very specific target audience. (I am.)
May 11, 2021
Another essential book for any obsessive Halloween fan. The sheer amount of information here (all compellingly told) is astounding.
If I have any complaint, it’s just a personal nitpick. These guys are so optimistic and glowing in their waxing of each and every one of these un-produced scripts, with one exception. The only one they’re critical of is Dennis Etchison’s Halloween 4, which is a personal fascination of mine. They call it out as being “uneven” and echo Moustapha Akkad’s own worries, calling certain ideas “too cerebral”, while throughout the book they praise the audacity of scripts that include elements such as: Michael Myers in a leather jacket and gloves, killing people in a sports car and with an electric guitar; interdimensional portals in closets and graves; electrified superman Michael Myers; and metatextual “String Theory” montages that reveal every Halloween movie coexists in a multi-verse.
Sure I’m all about the audacity as well, but if you’re gonna be “a fan like the rest of us” and love it all, seems weird to pick on one single entry (that just happens to still be my favorite) solely because it’s the most popular unmade sequel of the bunch.
If I have any complaint, it’s just a personal nitpick. These guys are so optimistic and glowing in their waxing of each and every one of these un-produced scripts, with one exception. The only one they’re critical of is Dennis Etchison’s Halloween 4, which is a personal fascination of mine. They call it out as being “uneven” and echo Moustapha Akkad’s own worries, calling certain ideas “too cerebral”, while throughout the book they praise the audacity of scripts that include elements such as: Michael Myers in a leather jacket and gloves, killing people in a sports car and with an electric guitar; interdimensional portals in closets and graves; electrified superman Michael Myers; and metatextual “String Theory” montages that reveal every Halloween movie coexists in a multi-verse.
Sure I’m all about the audacity as well, but if you’re gonna be “a fan like the rest of us” and love it all, seems weird to pick on one single entry (that just happens to still be my favorite) solely because it’s the most popular unmade sequel of the bunch.
February 9, 2022
Wow, lots of diff. ways these movies could have gone. Some of them I am glad did not get made lol, however there are many that I think would have been great movies. Hollyweird earns its name when it comes to how things are done haha.
February 10, 2021
Perhaps even more illuminating than the preceding volume overall, this chronicles 23 attempts (well, 21 - one was a full trilogy) to sequel-ize or reboot the Halloween franchise over the past four decades, between the release of the original and the final Blumhouse-abetted realization of the current iteration.
And honestly, some of these sound pretty fucking great. Even though I'm a huge fan of Rob Zombie's Halloween II Director's Cut, I'm kind of stunned that Todd Farmer & Patrick Lussier's first attempt at a follow-up (in 3-D, no less) never made it to screen. Yes, it spins pointedly off of the ending to the *theatrical* version of RZ's masterpiece, but it's a genuinely thrilling evolution of Zombie's exploration of these characters, and resets the Shape to a point where any subsequent follow-up would have an entirely clean slate to move forward. Honestly, I'm a fan of their My Bloody Valentine 3-D remake, and of Drive Angry, but this might have been even better than those. To say nothing of Tom Atkins having a planned cameo.
Otherwise, I think some of the "Shape in prison" or "Shape in psychiatric ward on lockdown" premises had a lot of potential. There's even one late in the game from a screenwriter named Scott Milam that would have served as an almost Mindhunter-esque re-branding of Myers.
The only pitches I found tiresome were the ones that played up the fantastical elements the most. From the mid-90s insistence on incorporating VR technology (from Bob Weinstein, allegedly) never worked, and the latter-day attempt at a trilogy built around reconfiguring "the Shape" in some kind of weird satanic multiverse (which I highly doubt even got considered at a high level) just struck me as embarrassing. Maybe it read better on the page than as it was pitched and summarized here, but I just found the whole thing so wrongheaded. Not just on a conceptual level - I'll admit some of that's interesting - but at what point as a creator do you cut your losses and realize "there's no way anyone's going to give this much of a shit about what I'm doing here." For me, with that idea, I would have tapped out on it a lot sooner as a result.
I've been reading this in chunks over the past few months, so it's possible I'm forgetting some of the earlier pitches, but I think there's something intriguing in the fact that some of the earliest and most wrongheaded concepts (on the page) would go on to find more natural purchase in later iterations, that would have realized their potential more fully.
And honestly, some of these sound pretty fucking great. Even though I'm a huge fan of Rob Zombie's Halloween II Director's Cut, I'm kind of stunned that Todd Farmer & Patrick Lussier's first attempt at a follow-up (in 3-D, no less) never made it to screen. Yes, it spins pointedly off of the ending to the *theatrical* version of RZ's masterpiece, but it's a genuinely thrilling evolution of Zombie's exploration of these characters, and resets the Shape to a point where any subsequent follow-up would have an entirely clean slate to move forward. Honestly, I'm a fan of their My Bloody Valentine 3-D remake, and of Drive Angry, but this might have been even better than those. To say nothing of Tom Atkins having a planned cameo.
Otherwise, I think some of the "Shape in prison" or "Shape in psychiatric ward on lockdown" premises had a lot of potential. There's even one late in the game from a screenwriter named Scott Milam that would have served as an almost Mindhunter-esque re-branding of Myers.
The only pitches I found tiresome were the ones that played up the fantastical elements the most. From the mid-90s insistence on incorporating VR technology (from Bob Weinstein, allegedly) never worked, and the latter-day attempt at a trilogy built around reconfiguring "the Shape" in some kind of weird satanic multiverse (which I highly doubt even got considered at a high level) just struck me as embarrassing. Maybe it read better on the page than as it was pitched and summarized here, but I just found the whole thing so wrongheaded. Not just on a conceptual level - I'll admit some of that's interesting - but at what point as a creator do you cut your losses and realize "there's no way anyone's going to give this much of a shit about what I'm doing here." For me, with that idea, I would have tapped out on it a lot sooner as a result.
I've been reading this in chunks over the past few months, so it's possible I'm forgetting some of the earlier pitches, but I think there's something intriguing in the fact that some of the earliest and most wrongheaded concepts (on the page) would go on to find more natural purchase in later iterations, that would have realized their potential more fully.
November 9, 2022
Thoroughly enjoyable on every front! Some of the ideas for Halloween sequels in this book are just WILD! In both good, and bad ways! I won’t spoil a single one of them for you though because I think any big fan of this series should read this one for themselves! You won’t regret it. I’ll also add as just being a fan of filmmaking and the ins and outs of the behind the scenes stories of the business, in general, this book is one of the best on the subject that I’ve ever read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2023
The best kind of film fandom skullduggery. Two of the pitches here sound superior to the filmed sequels and Halloween: Abusement Park is a great title that should be used on a future production.
November 26, 2022
I was stuck somewhere between a 3 and 4 on this, but a 3 felt a little too damning for what was a genuinely fascinating insight into one of the most wildly inconsistent slasher icons.
I’ve never been a big Michael Myers fanatic, there’s a few entries I enjoy but there’s plenty more that I don’t. But I am intrigued by just how off the rails this franchise went in trying to chase trends and the need to constantly build on lore no matter how much the audience protests. And in that regard, it’s essential reading for anyone interested in horror writing; a vital lesson in treading the line between mystery and lore.
Each point of the franchise is broken up into 3 segments; the premise, why it didn’t get made, and finally an interview with the writer involved. These always had some interesting information and ideas sprinkled throughout, but I did find some of the interviews dragged a little at times and felt like something that would have been better served as blu ray extras on a boxset. But that’s not to say they were wholly without merit as some of them did sincerely add something to the experience, it’s just they dragged on too long and felt a little repetitive by the end.
As someone with only passing interest in the franchise, this was still absolutely worth the deep dive, so for anyone who does love the saga of Michael Myers this is absolutely essential reading.
I’ve never been a big Michael Myers fanatic, there’s a few entries I enjoy but there’s plenty more that I don’t. But I am intrigued by just how off the rails this franchise went in trying to chase trends and the need to constantly build on lore no matter how much the audience protests. And in that regard, it’s essential reading for anyone interested in horror writing; a vital lesson in treading the line between mystery and lore.
Each point of the franchise is broken up into 3 segments; the premise, why it didn’t get made, and finally an interview with the writer involved. These always had some interesting information and ideas sprinkled throughout, but I did find some of the interviews dragged a little at times and felt like something that would have been better served as blu ray extras on a boxset. But that’s not to say they were wholly without merit as some of them did sincerely add something to the experience, it’s just they dragged on too long and felt a little repetitive by the end.
As someone with only passing interest in the franchise, this was still absolutely worth the deep dive, so for anyone who does love the saga of Michael Myers this is absolutely essential reading.
August 22, 2024
The film series Halloween is a fascinating story both on screen and behind the scenes. What is just as fascinating and enjoyable as the films we did get are the unmade sequels. This book deals with a lot of those unmade sequels.
Taking Shape II is the followup to the first, which dealt with the history of the franchise. This book primarily deals with the many unmade sequels the franchise has had from alternate films for later movies to completely unique entries like Michael Myers fighting Pinhead. Besides the general storylines of these could have been stories, they also interview the writers and fill in the blanks as to why it was unmade. While it doesn't cover every single pitch, it covers the ones that made it furthest into development.
The book tries to reserve judgement on the made sequels trying to find some positive in all the movies, the interviews are a bit more opinionated, which isn't bad but does feel incomplete as most discuss the most recent trilogy of followup films, which were not all released at the time. It feels a big premature for some of the discussions had at the time. There are some nitpicks here or there for some of the opinions, but overall the book is a fantastic read and a must for any Halloween fan.
Taking Shape II is the followup to the first, which dealt with the history of the franchise. This book primarily deals with the many unmade sequels the franchise has had from alternate films for later movies to completely unique entries like Michael Myers fighting Pinhead. Besides the general storylines of these could have been stories, they also interview the writers and fill in the blanks as to why it was unmade. While it doesn't cover every single pitch, it covers the ones that made it furthest into development.
The book tries to reserve judgement on the made sequels trying to find some positive in all the movies, the interviews are a bit more opinionated, which isn't bad but does feel incomplete as most discuss the most recent trilogy of followup films, which were not all released at the time. It feels a big premature for some of the discussions had at the time. There are some nitpicks here or there for some of the opinions, but overall the book is a fantastic read and a must for any Halloween fan.
April 15, 2025
WOW. Can’t believe I’ve been devouring books about the Halloween saga for 2 whole months, let alone books as good as Taking Shape and Taking Shape II. Taking Shape II is a fascinating peak at unmade Halloween sequels. It’s a MUST read for any Halloween fan. I’d heard about many of these sequels on news sites throughout the years but it was treat getting to take a deep dive into what these might have entailed and why they weren’t made. Incredible map of where this series could have (and maybe definitely sometimes should not have) gone. Nearly a five star read for me, but the last few chapters are a little too repetitive… I get that they tried to make 305837 Halloween movies set at Smith’s Grove but do we need to dedicate to many pages to each of them? 😭 Lighting all my candles in honor of the unmade Halloween 3D that was set to follow Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, as it sounds like it would have been a badass continuation of his work, which I unapologetically loved.
November 1, 2021
Very detailed summary of 24 Halloween movies that never got made. There are errors here and there, such as the summary guide at the end omitting one of the potential Halloween 4's, and the table of contents and chapter page labeling Asylum 2005 as Asylum '04. I wonder whether the latter is just a Kindle error. But overall, very comprehensive, and some of the unused plot ideas are actually pretty good. It also illustrates what a s***show things were behind the scenes during the Dimension years, with the higher ups being indecisive. I really wish we could have gotten one of the proposed Halloween/Hellraiser crossovers.
July 20, 2023
I'm not really a big Halloween fan to be honest, and have probably seen less than half of all the films made thus far. However, I absolutely loved this book and genuinely enjoyed every moment I spent with it. The work is clearly a labour of love for the authors and this shines through on every page in the most charming way. Now I want to read more books about unmade sequels (in other franchises) but it turns out that, as far as I can tell, there aren't any. This work is an absolute gem though, and I would recommend to anyone with an interest in movies. For those interested in the horror genre it has to be essential reading. Amazing!
March 14, 2021
Another must read for Halloween fans
I picked this book up after really enjoying part 1. I enjoyed learning more about the wide variety of scripts that have been written over the years, as well as the interviews with the people that wrote them. A lot of them would have taken the franchise on a different (and in my opinion, at times, better) path than what was actually put on screen. If you want to take a deeper dive into the franchise's long and complicated history, pick up both volumes in this series.
I picked this book up after really enjoying part 1. I enjoyed learning more about the wide variety of scripts that have been written over the years, as well as the interviews with the people that wrote them. A lot of them would have taken the franchise on a different (and in my opinion, at times, better) path than what was actually put on screen. If you want to take a deeper dive into the franchise's long and complicated history, pick up both volumes in this series.
December 15, 2021
An absolute essential for any Halloween fan or any cinephile really. Dustin McNeil carves out an insanely good narrative throughout the history of events and the various takes on the classic characters. It is rich in its history and almost a little bittersweet to step into the world of what could have been. I'm still dying for that Halloween 3D or Michael vs. Pinhead . Nonetheless, this anthology of resources in plentiful in its heart, humor and Micahel Myers fan fiction to satisfy any fan.
January 15, 2021
The Story of the Lost Halloweens!
I really enjoyed this! I remember back in the day when some these sequels were first announced, never knew there were that many of them though. To be honest I'm glad none of those films made it to the screen, to be fair there were some good ideas thrown in there, Right now I think the series is in good hands, Hopefully.Guess we'll all have to wait and see what "Shape" it takes next!
I really enjoyed this! I remember back in the day when some these sequels were first announced, never knew there were that many of them though. To be honest I'm glad none of those films made it to the screen, to be fair there were some good ideas thrown in there, Right now I think the series is in good hands, Hopefully.Guess we'll all have to wait and see what "Shape" it takes next!
October 23, 2020
Halloween - An Alternate History
An essential read for horror fans and Halloween franchise die-hards. This exhaustive book traces the development history of many unrealized sequels and reboots in the series while addressing the creative conflicts and studio politics that often lead to their demise.
An essential read for horror fans and Halloween franchise die-hards. This exhaustive book traces the development history of many unrealized sequels and reboots in the series while addressing the creative conflicts and studio politics that often lead to their demise.
February 16, 2021
Nearly 600 pages about unmade Halloween sequels (you know the one with the stabby, masked killer, terrifying babysitters), you say?
Yes. And. Please. This was great. A thorough retelling of horrific tales untold.
What could have been is often more fascinating than the end results.
A well written, researched and passionate tome about the trials and tribulations of resurrecting The Boogeyman.
Yes. And. Please. This was great. A thorough retelling of horrific tales untold.
What could have been is often more fascinating than the end results.
A well written, researched and passionate tome about the trials and tribulations of resurrecting The Boogeyman.
November 5, 2022
It's not the authors' fault this one's a bit tedious. But their exhaustive look at the literally dozens of unmade Halloween sequels in the end shows why these movies went unmade--aside from a few weird ideas (I particularly like the one where Michael Myers stalks rockstars in Chicago), there's only so much you can do with this series, and it grows repetitive quickly.
December 19, 2020
Fascinating insight into filmmaking
This book works on two levels. You get to read some interesting and some appalling ideas for Halloween sequels and how the process of developing scripts for production works from the screenwriter's point of view.
This book works on two levels. You get to read some interesting and some appalling ideas for Halloween sequels and how the process of developing scripts for production works from the screenwriter's point of view.
July 3, 2022
I actually read this one before the first book, wanting to know about what could have been. Some truely interesting concepts, some amazing.... some not so much. But knowing the many ideas that came about and are still coming about, maybe we haven't seen the end of Micheal for a long g time yet....
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November 10, 2020Another intriguing look into the world of Michael Myers. Thoroughly researched, TS2 gives us an in-depth look at the films that "almost were." Well written, and a must-read for HALLOWEEN fans.
December 5, 2020
Fascinating read
This book was a fast read and for Halloween fans you will not be able to put it down. Cannot recommend enough
This book was a fast read and for Halloween fans you will not be able to put it down. Cannot recommend enough
September 15, 2021
great book!!
Very great book and interesting read. Was fun reading about all the unpublished movie scripts from over the years! Definitely recommend to an Halloween fan!
Very great book and interesting read. Was fun reading about all the unpublished movie scripts from over the years! Definitely recommend to an Halloween fan!
January 2, 2022
Great read. Lot's of sequels that never where. Info from those involved. Great stuff.
June 23, 2022
I adored this book. It hit both of my niches, horror films and lost movies. If you like Halloween it's a must read.
August 16, 2022
Very interesting.... wonder what it would've been like to see some of these sequels actually made.
December 23, 2023
Jesus… 24 unmade Halloween movies. I’d watch ‘um all. 😁
October 23, 2024
I love stories about unmade movies, so this felt perfect for me.
December 20, 2024
Really interesting book. 👌
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews