Horror Franchises can be unwieldy things. While some sequels are used to build up the story of whatever killer or monster is lurking on the screen, others take the opportunity to alter the established history and create a new one. When a franchise has a lot of sequels, it’s quite common for the timelines to get… confusing. Some of the most famous horror franchises contain particularly egregious examples of these, writing and rewriting timelines, villainous history, family trees.
Lets start with one of the big guys: Halloween. Made up of eleven films, the story of Michael Myers is relatively straightforward on the surface – sinister killer stalks hapless babysitters. However, these eleven films are anything but straightforward. With sequels ignoring previous iterations, a 2007 remake and a sibling relationship that doesn’t always exist. And that’s not even taking into account the weird third film that is something else entirely.
There are four definitive Michael Myers timelines over the ten films he features in with differing body counts and events.
For the purposes of these timelines, some details have been extracted from the companion book to flesh out information in places.
Timeline One - Sibling Rivalry
1978 Compass International Pictures, 1981 Universal Pictures, 1998 Dimension Films, 2002 Dimension Films
Halloween (1978) Halloween II (1981) Halloween: H20 (1998) Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
10/11/1947: Birth of Judith Myers
19/10/1957: Birth of Michael Myers
22/02/1961: Birth of Cynthia Myers (aka Laurie Strode)
31/10/1963: Murder of Judith Myers
1965: Death of Mr and Mrs Myers
30/10/1978: Michael escapes Smith’s Grove Sanatorium
31/10/1978: Mechanic murder
31/10/1978: Haddonfield Massacre (3 dead, 1 injured)
31/10/1978: Hospital Massacre (12 dead, 1 injured)
1981: Birth of John Tate
29/10/1998: Langdon Murders (3 dead)
31/10/1998: Hillcrest Academy murders (4 dead, 2 injured)
31/10/2001: Grace Andersen Sanatorium Murders (3 including Laurie)
31/10/2001: Murder of Laurie Strode
31/10/2002: Dangertainment deaths (7 dead)
Total kills by Michael: 34
Notable Deaths
Sam Loomis (Hospital Massacre) - Last seen blowing up a room containing himself and Michael. Does not appear in any of the following films in this timeline, implying his death.
Laurie Strode (Grace Andersen Sanatorium) - One of only two timelines where Laurie dies (if timeline 3 theatrical cut is taken as canon), and the only one where Michael kills her
Myers Family Tree – Important Notes
Laurie Strode is Michael’s sister
Existence of John Tate, Laurie’s son
Timeline Two - The Cult of Thorn
1978 Compass International Pictures, 1981 Universal Pictures, 1988 Trancas International Films, 1989 Trancas International, 1995 Miramax
Halloween (1978) Halloween II (1981) Halloween IV (1988) Halloween V (1989) Halloween: Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
10/11/1947: Birth of Judith Myers
1957: Birth of Michael Myers
1961: Birth of Laurie Myers
31/10/1963: Murder of Judith Myers
1965: Death of Mr and Mrs Myers
30/10/1978: Michael escapes Smith’s Grove Sanatorium
31/10/1978: Mechanic murder
31/10/1978: Haddonfield Massacre (3 dead, 1 injured)
31/10/1978: Hospital Massacre (11 dead, 2 injured)
1981: Birth of Jamie Lloyd
11/1987: Death of Laurie and Mr Lloyd
30/10/1988: Michael escapes Ridgemont Federal Sanatorium (6 dead before arrival at Haddonfield)
31/10/1988: Haddonfield Massacre 2 (9 Myers murders, 1 accidental kill by vigilante mob)
31/10/1988: Jamie stabs her foster mother
1988: Jamie is placed in Haddonfield Children’s clinic
31/10/1989: Michael comes round from a coma, kills a mountain man
31/10/1989: Further kills (11 murders)
31/10/1989: Michael is arrested and the police are killed (8 deaths)
31/10/1989: Jamie and Michael are taken by the Man in Black
30/10/1995: Jamie gives birth to Steven Lloyd
30/10/1995: Jamie is killed (along with two others)
31/10/1995: Strode family murders (and Beth and Barry – 5 total)
31/10/1995: Aborted Thorn Ritual (8 confirmed kills, possible deaths of Michael and Loomis)
Total Kills by Michael: 59 – 67 (unclear if police were killed by Michael or the Man in Black in 1989 spree)
Notable Deaths
Laurie Strode - Second timeline where Laurie dies, however this time not at the hands of Michael and not witnessed on screen
Michael Myers - Unconfirmed due to being the last film in this timeline. He is last seen after being drugged and beaten by Tommy Doyle. However his mask is found abandoned following this.
Sam Loomis - Unconfirmed due to being the last film in this timeline. He is last seen returning to the Sanatorium and screaming.
Myers Family Tree – Important Notes
Laurie is Michael’s sister
Existence of Jamie Lloyd, Laurie’s daughter
Existence of Steven Lloyd, Jamie’s son (possible Michael’s son as well)
Strode Family Tree – Important Notes
Existence of John Strode, brother of Morgan Strode (while this isn’t necessarily refuted in other timelines, this is the only timeline this branch is portrayed)
Existence of Kara and Tim Strode, niece and nephew of Morgan Strode
Existence of Danny Strode, son of Kara Strode
Timeline Three - The Zombieverse
2007 Dimension Films, 2009 Dimension Films
Halloween (2007) Halloween II (2009)
1953: Birth of Deborah Myers
1974: Birth of Judith Myers
1980: Birth of Michael Myers
1990: Birth of Angel ‘Boo’ Myers
1990: Death of Mr Myers
31/10/1990: Murders of Wesley Rhoades, Ronnie White, Steve Haley and Judith
1992: Murder of Nurse Wynn
1992: Suicide of Deborah Myers
1992: Adoption of Angel by Strode family
2007: Release of Loomis’ book The Devil’s Eyes
2007 (theatrical): Murder of guards Frost, Redgrave, Garrett, Payne and Ismael, as well as trucker Joe Grizzly
2007 (unrated): Murder of Kendall Jacks, guard Kluggs and Ismael, as well as trucker Joe Grizzly
31/10/2007: Michael retrieves his mask and knife
31/10/2007: Haddonfield Massacre (7 dead, 3 injured)
29/10/2008: Murders of Floyd, Jazlean and Sherman
30/10/2008: Murder of Howard Boggs, Lou Martini and Misty Dawn
31/10/2008: Release of Loomis’ book The Devil Walks Among Us
31/10/2008: Murders of ‘Wolfie’, Harley David, Deputy Neale, Annie Bracken, Mya Rockwell, helpful driver, Samuel Loomis
31/10/2008: Death of Michael Myers
2008: Institutionalisation of Laurie
Total Kills by Michael Theatrical: 31 Unrated: 29
Notable Deaths
Michael Myers - One of the only timelines where his death is confirmed at the end. His death varies between the theatrical and unrated version, with his death either being a combination of Sheriff Bracket and Laurie or being gunned down by the police.
Sam Loomis - Stabbed to death by Michael
Wesley, Ronnie, Steve and Nurse Wynn - The only timeline where Michael kills people other than his sister Judith. Also the only timeline where he is shown to kill anyone between Judith's death and his escape.
Debra Myers - The only timeline where her death is shown and the cause of death is confirmed as a suicide
Laurie Strode - Unrated cut only, Laurie is shot down by the police
Myers Family Tree – Important Notes
Laurie is Michael’s sister (unlike in other continuities where she is his sister, in this universe she is named Angel)
Timeline Four - The Final Timeline (?)
1978 Compass International Pictures, 2018 Blumhouse Productions
Halloween (1978)
Halloween (2018)
10/11/1947: Birth of Judith Myers
1957: Birth of Michael Myers
31/10/1963: Murder of Judith Myers
30/10/1978: Michael escapes Smith’s Grove Sanatorium
31/10/1978: Mechanic murder
31/10/1978: Haddonfield Massacre (3 dead, 1 injured)
1981: Birth of Karen Strode
1993: Karen is taken by social services
29/10/2018: Michael is visited by podcasters
30/10/2018: Michael escapes Smith’s Grove (9 dead before arrival at Haddonfield)
31/10/2018: Death of 10 Haddonfield Residents
31/10/2018: Stand off between Strode women and Michael
31/10/2018: Supposed death of Michael (sequels to be released)
Total Kills by Michael: 24
Myers Family Tree – Important Notes
Laurie is not Michael’s sister
Strode Family Tree – Important Notes
Laurie is biologically a member of the Strode family
Existence of Karen Strode, Laurie’s daughter
Existence of Allyson Nelson, Laurie’s granddaughter
