John Carpenter’s original Halloween came out 45 years ago, and it’s still one of the scariest slasher movies of all time. Thirteen Halloween movies have been released that take the scary, supernatural saga of Michael Myers to surprising places. Other slasher icons like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees are incredibly memorable, but Michael “The Shape” Myers is such a terrifying figure because of his cold and detached approach to murder.
Michael Myers has had many targets over the years. While Michael is the most interested in Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode, his fateful nights out on Halloween have also put him up against some notable celebrities.
10 Paul Rudd (Tommy Doyle)
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers is a contentious entry in the franchise that effectively concludes the “Cult of Thorn” storyline that’s evolved across several movies. It brings back Tommy Doyle, who Laurie babysat in the original Halloween, played by Paul Rudd in one of his first major roles.
Rudd’s Doyle helps aid Dr. Loomis in his crusade to stop Michael and protect Kara Strode. It’s wild to see a young Paul Rudd inject corrosive liquid into Michael Myers and beat him down considering that he’s since gone on to become the MCU’s Ant-Man and typically works in comedy.
9 Tyra Banks (Nora Winston)
Halloween: Resurrection
Tyra Banks is best known for her role as the host of America’s Next Top Model, but she’s also had various acting roles in films like Life-Size, Coyote Ugly, and even a Halloween sequel. Halloween: Resurrection is a low point for the franchise and a disappointing successor to Halloween H20. Tyra Banks’ Nora Winston is one of the major players at Dangertainment, who set up a reality internet streaming show in the old Myers household.
Nora takes glee in the contestants’ fear over Michael’s attacks, only for her to become a casualty herself when she digs a little too deep into Michael’s hideout. Her body is later found in a grisly fashion.
8 Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jimmy Howell)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later is the slasher franchise’s first attempt at a legacy sequel before 2018’s Halloween. Halloween H20 is very much a response to Scream‘s quippy, self-aware nature. Kevin Williamson even helped put together Halloween H20‘s outline. There are a lot of fun cameos and casting in Halloween H20, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, Looper, 3rd Rock From the Sun) as one of Michael’s early victims, Jimmy Howell.
Jimmy is simply in the wrong place at the wrong time and becomes a casualty after Michael raids Marion Chambers’ files on Laurie. It’s a lot of fun to watch Jimmy turn to street hockey skills in a feeble attempt to defend himself against Michael.
7 Octavia Spencer (Nurse Daniels)
Halloween II (2009)
Rob Zombie’s Halloween sequel begins in a nebulous place that’s technically all a nightmare that’s going on in Laurie Strode’s troubled mind. Nevertheless, Halloween II features an extended introduction at Haddonfield General Hospital where Laurie attempts to regain her bearings and check in on fellow victim Annie Brackett.
Octavia Spencer plays the thankless role of Nurse Daniels, an orderly at the hospital who briefly helps Laurie before becoming one of Michael’s hospital massacre casualties. Octavia Spencer is an Academy Award winner who’s starred in movies like The Help, Hidden Figures, and Ma, yet she’s still willing to be taken out by Michael Myers.
6 Michelle Williams (Molly Cartwell)
Halloween H20: 210 Years Later
Michelle Williams first started to make waves on Dawson’s Creek, but the Academy Award-nominated actor has a varied career that includes everything from The Fabelmans to Venom. Michelle Williams is a familiar face who appears in Halloween H20 as Molly Cartwell, the girlfriend of John Tate. Molly is an average teenager who worries about financial aid and an unreliable family.
She likely wouldn’t even be on Michael’s radar if her boyfriend didn’t happen to be Laurie Strode’s son. Molly’s friend Sarah becomes one of Michael’s victims, but Molly manages to stay alive and even get in a few good hits against Michael, which is more than most can say.
5 Brad Dourif (Sheriff Lee Brackett)
Halloween (2007)
Rob Zombie’s two Halloween movies receive their share of criticism, but they include some inspired casting in legendary genre character actors. Brad Dourif has made his mark in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Deadwood, but horror fans best remember Dourif as the voice of Chucky and Charles Lee Ray.
Dourif plays Sheriff Lee Brackett, Annie Brackett’s father, in both of Zombie’s Halloween movies. Brackett takes Laurie into his home after the events of 2007’s Halloween and becomes her de facto guardian in Halloween II. Brackett leads the siege on Michael during the film’s climax, and he’s one of the few who survives the ordeal.
4 Busta Rhymes (Freddie Harris)
Halloween: Resurrection
Busta Rhymes has acted in films like Shaft and Finding Forrester, but he’s best known as the rap artist responsible for hit albums like The Coming and Genesis. Busta Rhymes’ Freddie Harris is one of Halloween: Resurrection‘s biggest problems, and he ostensibly takes over the movie and positions his Dangertainment producer as a superhero.
Freddie performs martial arts on Michael Myers, while he delivers plenty of one-liners and eventually electrocutes the iconic character into submission. Busta Rhymes’ Freddie is a rare character who consistently gets the upper hand against Michael, but that’s part of the reason that Halloween: Resurrection is so widely criticized.
3 Josh Hartnett (John Tate)
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later
Josh Hartnett’s career has endured across several decades with some of his most memorable movies being Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, The Black Dahlia, and the playful Invasion of the Body Snatchers update, The Faculty. Hartnett received a major role in Halloween H20 as John Tate, Laurie’s teenage son and technically Michael’s nephew.
John becomes one of Michael Myers’ primary targets in H20, which pushes him and Laurie to rise to the occasion and heal their frayed relationship. Both John and his girlfriend, Molly, survive Michael’s attack at Hillcrest Academy, and with any luck he goes on to live a fulfilling life.
2 Judy Greer (Karen Nelson)
Halloween (2018)
Judy Greer is a reliable performer who’s appeared in dozens of film and television roles in both starring and supporting capacities. Greer typically steers toward comedies like 27 Dresses, 13 Going on 30, and Arrested Development, as well as the voice of Cheryl in Archer.
Greer is a surprisingly good fit in David Gordon Green’s legacy sequel trilogy of Halloween movies as Karen Nelson, Laurie’s daughter and the mother of Allyson. 2018’s Halloween celebrates three generations of Strodes, but Halloween Kills dramatically ends with Karen’s messy death, which has ramifications that spill over into Halloween Ends.
1 Malcolm McDowell (Dr. Sam Loomis)
Halloween (2007)
Dr. Sam Loomis is a crucial Halloween character who many consider to be as important as Michael Myers or Laurie Strode. Donald Pleasance originally brought this character to life, and Rob Zombie turns to top talent when it comes to Loomis in his 2007 reboot. Malcolm McDowell is an English actor who’s best known for his starring roles in A Clockwork Orange and If…
McDowell immediately brings a gravitas to Loomis and makes the character feel like his own. Loomis heads down a dark path in Halloween II, and the film boldly concludes with his death by Michael’s hand.