How did Jamie Lee Curtis become the mainstay in Halloween movies? When Jamie Lee Curtis signed on to play Laurie Strode in Halloween at the age of 19, she had no idea the amazing career she would embark on—let alone the franchise’s succeeding 11 movies. She feels that she would not have achieved popularity without long-running horror movies.
The veteran actress was reminiscing years while she was shooting the iconic Halloween movies and can’t help but become thankful for its success. “Every single thing that I have in my professional life came from that movie,” Jamie stated in one of her interviews. As expected, the young Jamie Lee Curtis playing Laurie Strode became the reason why she was dubbed the “Scream Queen” of the horror world.
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You may ask, how many Halloween movies is Jamie Lee Curtis in? Well, there are a total of seven films, and these are some of her most promising portrayals.
Halloween, 1978
This film was the actress’s starting point. Jamie is renowned for being among the first women to establish the “final girl” role in the oddly popular horror genre.
Jamie was scared that she might lose her job, but she was instead propelled into film history, much like her mother. Off a $300,000 budget, the movie made $47 million worldwide and cemented its place in popular cultural history.
Halloween II, 1981
Halloween fever quickly took hold, and it only took a few years before a sequel was released. As the decade ended, Jamie Lee and director John Carpenter returned for the gory follow-up. However, John Carpenter only directed a small portion of the film; Rick Rosenthal handled most of the directing duties.
Halloween H20, 1998
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Halloween H20: Twenty Years Later appeared more than fifteen years after The Shape and Jamie experienced a significant cooling-off phase. Jamie returned in the updated version as the dean of a private school with a pixie cut, sharing the screen with Josh Hartnett, Michelle Williams, and others.
Her appearance in H20 and that of her mother, Janet, who portrayed Norma Watson, was more significant. Jamie played Laurie Strode/Keri Tate in the film, which brought back the series and the original Michael Myers plot in a gory new way.
Halloween: Resurrection, 2002
A whole new generation discovered the delectable thrill of the Michael Myers/Laurie Strode quest by 2002. This horror film, directed by Rick Rosenthal and including some supermodel and popstar magic, demonstrated that the series wasn’t going anywhere soon.
On the other hand, Jamie persisted in controlling the franchise with her gritting might and invincibility. In this hearty follow-up, Michael returns to Haddonfield to wreak havoc on the reality show cast.
Halloween, 2018
It took another fifteen years before Jamie was prepared to take on the role of a lifetime again. In past Halloween movies, Laurie was played by Scout Taylor-Compton and Danielle Harris.
Still, the veteran actress would always return to prove that Jamie Lee Curtis is the pillar of Halloween movies. The film, titled Halloween, would revamp the well-known plot with fresh aspects and usher in a trilogy that would conclude with Halloween Ends.
Halloween Kills, 2021
Halloween Kills picked up where the 2018 movie left off by plowing through a pandemic, taking a page from Halloween II. This time, Jamie spends most of the film in a hospital bed while a vigilante group forms and vows to retake Haddonfield.
Halloween Ends, 2022
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With Halloween Ends, David Gordon Green, who also directed the previous three movies in the series for strict continuity, aims to bring the last forty murderous years to a terrifying conclusion and stop them once and for all.
Jamie Lee Curtis acknowledged that she was overcome with grief when she said goodbye to her famous character, “Laurie Strode.” Additionally, she appreciates the entire experience and the opportunities this character opened up for her.
Halloween movies with Jamie Lee Curtis are always phenomenal. Laurie Strode’s character had been through a lot and grown much more potent at every installment. Also, Jamie’s splendid performance in each film has given Halloween movies a reputation for being one of the best horror movies.
Through her humble beginnings as Laurie Strode, Jamie is now a well-awarded Hollywood actress, receiving trophies from other films she participated in. Halloween movies might not be the same without Jamie Lee Curtis, but the franchise will always be known as one of the best made.