You Probably Didn't Recognize The Original Halloween's Michael Myers Making A Cameo In Halloween Ends
It's a well known fact that the original "Halloween," refers to Michael Myers as "The Shape" in the movie's end credits. It's a fitting description for the character who never utters a single word throughout the entire film. Instead, he lurks in the shadows, kitchen knife in hand, waiting for the right moment to strike. He is less a man and more, quite simply, the embodiment — the shape — of evil itself.
Over the years, many actors (the number varies depending on how technical you want to get here) have donned Michael's iconic mechanic's jumpsuit and repurposed William Shatner mask, making the moniker of "The Shape" a fitting name. But even though Michael's portrayers truly have shape-shifted a lot over time, there is one man whose name is synonymous with the infamous slasher villain: Nick Castle.
Castle portrayed Michael in John Carpenter's original "Halloween," and he has been involved with David Gordon Green's recent trilogy to varying degrees. In both the 2018 "Halloween" and 2021 "Halloween Kills," Castle slipped back into the jumpsuit again for some scenes to provide viewers with a little dose of Michael nostalgia. But in the latest and final film of Green's trilogy, "Halloween Ends," Castle's cameo is a little bit more ... shall we say ... risqué.
Wearing a different kind of jumpsuit
In David Gordon Green's "Halloween" and "Halloween Kills" the majority of Michael Myers's scenes are portrayed by James Jude Courtney. However, Michael's original actor, Nick Castle, did stand in as the infamous shape for a few scenes in each film (though his scene in "Halloween Kills" was ultimately left out of the film's final theatrical cut).
With "Halloween Ends," Green wanted to make sure that Courtney portrayed Michael for the entire film. However, he did not want to leave Castle out entirely. In an interview with Cinema Blend, Green talks about this decision, saying,"I'm so passionate about the extraordinary work that Jim Courtney has done with our Shape that I wanted to make sure that our final presentation of his performance in this role was 100% him." He asked Castle how they still might be able to work him in, but Castle was initially uncertain. According to Green, Castle told him, "Well, I've never acted before. I'm not an actor," to which Green replied, "Oh we'll see about that."
And see about that we did, because Castle appears in one of the more playful (at first) scenes in "Halloween Ends," where Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) and Allyson Nelson (Andi Matichak) attend a Halloween party. When Corey accidentally bumps into another party goer, the older man who gruffly tells him to "watch it" before opening his trench coat and flashing Corey (with a homemade human body suit and lots and lots of condoms), is Castle. He asks Corey if he "sees anything he likes," and Green revealed, "It was [Castle's] idea for the line, which is a call back to the original."
"It was great to get him in front of the camera without a mask," says Green, and die hard fans of the franchise will enjoy seeing Castle in this playful role. Even though Castle does not don the Myers mask for this final entry into Green's trilogy, his presence and his shape are still honored, albeit in an entirely new and creative way.