Halloween is a horror icon in many regards. Its first installment gives audiences one of the simplest yet most effective plots in horror. Its musical score remains a staple of its genre, and its given us some of the most creative kills through its thirteen films. Perhaps the most memorable aspect of the franchise is its signature mask, creating an additional level of horror and mystery to Michael Myers. Nevertheless, the Myers mask has seen its fair share of changes throughout Halloween’s legacy. Here’s how the Michael Myers mask has evolved throughout the years.

Halloween and Halloween II

     Universal Pictures

This mask was inspired by William Shatner’s Captain Kirk mask from Star Trek. The mask itself is minimally altered between both Halloween and Halloween II, mostly due to storage reasons, such as actor Nick Castle keeping it in his back pocket between shooting scenes. Another reason is its exact storage location between productions; producer Debra Hill was a smoker and kept the mask in a shoebox under her bed up until Halloween II’s conceptualization; the end result is the yellowish-brownish hue reflected on it in the sequel. The mask was also stretched out during production due to actor Nick Castle’s replacement, Dick Warlock, having a rounder facial structure compared to Castle’s. To this day, Warlock still owns the mask as a keepsake from his time shooting the Halloween sequel.

Halloween 4: The Revenge of Michael Myers

     Dimension Films

No one in production anticipated there would be another Halloween film featuring Michael Myers after Halloween II. The original plan was to shoot a Halloween anthology starting with Halloween III, but after that film’s mostly negative reception, producers reverted to the franchise’s coveted serial killer. By that point, the mask had been in Dick Warlock’s ownership for roughly five years and was not preserved delicately. Instead, Halloween 4’s production team redesigned the Myers mask using a Don Post model and Ben Tramer’s Captain Kirk mask inspiration…leading to some glaring changes. The eye sockets were widened, the hair was dyed lighter, and its finishing touch was a heavy white paint job– the result is something that looks intended for trick or treating over causing mayhem in the unsuspecting Haddonfield.

Halloween 5 and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers

     Galaxy Releasing

Halloween 5 led to further design mishaps, starting with George P. Wilber being replaced with Don Shanks, leading to another mask redesign between when Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 were released. Some mask changes include a nose prosthetic and more-defined lips, as director Dominique Othenin-Girard wanted an angrier, more menacing version to compensate for the previous sequel’s cartoony counterpart. To close the original Halloween timeline, the design of the mask elevated tenfold in Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers; the mask holds a pristine look, with wider eyes, its hair slicked back, and resembling the expressionless design of the original; neater and considerably more horrifying than its predecessors…if only the same could be said for its movie.

Halloween H20 and Resurrection

     Miramax Films

Halloween: H20 doesn’t just use a new Michael Myers mask; it uses four of them, including a CGI version. In the opening of H20, Myers is wearing the mask for Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers, which in and of itself is confusing considering this film ignores the franchise’s continuity after Halloween II. The second mask, designed by KNB, is used for a majority of the film, but is also replaced when producers felt dissatisfied with its look. The final mask was designed by Stan Winston Studios, except filming was almost wrapped by that point. A majority of the film had to be re-shot except for a few scenes. Considering the negative feedback this last mask received from fans and critics alike, it was definitely more trouble than it was worth.

As for the CGI mask, it was inserted during post-production to replace the KNB mask still seen during Charlie’s death scene (one of the few scenes that couldn’t be re-shot), hence why audiences are subjected to lackluster ’90s CGI and a cutaway shot over a potentially gruesome kill in a Halloween movie already lacking in that department. To close the original Strode-Myers timeline, Halloween Resurrection’s mask was designed by Cinema Secrets, and it is a more consistent design; for one, it’s the only mask design used in the film. But not even this mask’s improved image could save Halloween Resurrection from its chaotic storyline.

Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween 2

     The Weinstein CompanyDimension Films[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Designed by Wayne Toth, the mask was molded to fit actor Tyler Mane’s face. The mask itself is unique in its disheveled, decomposing aesthetic, and arguably one of the film’s finest elements. Rob Zombie’s Halloween 2 uses the same design as its predecessor with a few alterations, including expanding the mask to properly fit Mane’s face along with giving it an enhanced decaying semblance.

David Gordon Green’s Reboot Trilogy

David Gordon Green rebooted the entire franchise after the events of the original Halloween, and the director reverts to the basics in every way. Designed by Christopher Nelson, Halloween 2018’s mask is a hybrid between Halloween and Halloween II’s design with the added elements of decay, latex deterioration, and an overall believable look for a forty-year-old mask. Its sequel, Halloween Kills, gives audiences one of the most horrifying masks in a Halloween movie; torn, burnt, and encompassing an overall grueling look reflecting Michael’s state after the events of Halloween 2018. A mask so gloriously horrific had to be recycled one last time for Halloween Ends, and as a result closes the franchise on the highest production note possible.