The new Halloween movie is returning to its roots in more ways than one. In addition to bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode and having John Carpenter on board as an executive producer, the latest film in the Halloween franchise will also bring back the original actor who brought life to The Shape.

Bloody Disgusting reports that filmmaker and actor Nick Castle will reprise his role as Michael Myers in the new Halloween movie. Castle played the masked version of the cinematic killer (credited as "The Shape") in John Carpenter's original Halloween movie (while Tony Moran played the unmasked version of Michael and Will Sandin played a young Michael).

Just as in the original film, Castle won't be the sole portrayer of Myers in the new film, as Bloody Disgusting also reveals that stunt man and actor James Jude Courtney has been cast in the iconic role. Perhaps Castle will have more of a cameo role while Courtney takes on the stunt-centric physical scenes, although the extent of their involvement has yet to be revealed, other than the fact that they're both on board.

Bloody Disgusting also reports that the Halloween crew has added Christopher Allen Nelson to its ranks. Nelson recently won an Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling for his work on Suicide Squad, and his credits also include American Horror Story, The Walking Dead, and The Orville.

In other casting news, The Tracking Board recently revealed that actress Andi Matichak (Underground, Orange is the New Black) has been cast in one of the lead roles of the new Halloween movie, and it's presumed that she will play the granddaughter of Laurie Strode (played by Jamie Lee Curtis) and the daughter of Karen Strode (played by Judy Greer).

Slated for an October 19th, 2018 release, the new Halloween movie will feature Laurie Strode's "final confrontation with Michael Myers," but with three generations of Strodes set to appear, The Shape will have more than just Laurie to contend with.

While Laurie did have a daughter named Jamie (played by Danielle Harris and J.C. Brandy) and then a son named John (played by Josh Hartnett) in the Halloween sequels, Danny McBride, who is co-writing the screenplay for the new film with David Gordon Green, recently told Yahoo that the new story will only reference John Carpenter's original Halloween film, and it may even change how fans perceive that movie:

"We’re kind of ignoring all the films past the first one. It picks up after the first one, but it’s sort of an alternate reality. It’s as if the first Halloween ended in a slightly different way."

Filming on the new Halloween movie is expected to begin in South Carolina in early 2018. David Gordon Green will direct and John Carpenter is on board as an executive producer, with the Master of Horror also expected (but not confirmed) to compose the score for the new film.

We'll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers updated as more details are revealed. In the meantime, we have the official press release below, and in case you missed it, read Danielle Harris' thoughts on the future of the Halloween franchise from our recent interview.

"Universal Pictures will release Trancas International Films, Blumhouse Productions and Miramax’s HALLOWEEN on Friday, October 19, 2018.

Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode, who comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.

Master of horror John Carpenter will executive produce and serve as creative consultant on this film, joining forces with cinema’s current leading producer of horror, Jason Blum (Get Out, Split, The Purge, Paranormal Activity). Inspired by Carpenter’s classic, filmmakers David Gordon Green and Danny McBride crafted a story that carves a new path from the events in the landmark 1978 film, and Green also directs.

HALLOWEEN will be produced by Malek Akkad, whose Trancas International Films has produced the HALLOWEEN series since its inception. Green and McBride will executive produce under their Rough House Pictures banner.

HALLOWEEN will be distributed worldwide by Universal Pictures."

Nick Castle on the set of Halloween (1978):

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    About the Author - Derek Anderson

    Raised on a steady diet of R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps books and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Derek has been fascinated with fear since he first saw ForeverWare being used on an episode of Eerie, Indiana.

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