With the last we heard about the Halloween franchise being that Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton were penning an entry dubbed Halloween Returns, now comes word that the franchise is actually moving forward imminently over at Blumhouse Productions.

At a special gathering in LA, Blumhouse revealed that they’re partnering with Trancas International and Miramax to co-finance a new outing for fan-favourite Michael Myers. What’s even more interesting for longtime fans of The Shape is that the legendary John Carpenter is returning to the franchise that he started with Debra Hill way back in 1978.

Carpenter will be serving as an executive producer on the film, and Jason Blum has made it clear that he’d be keen for him to also work his magic on the score of this new Halloween. Additionally, Tracas’ Malek Akkad, producer of many a Halloween outing and son of franchise royalty Moustapha Akkad, will be producing the picture alongside Blum.

On this news, Carpenter said, “38 years after the original Halloween, I’m going to help to try to make the 10th sequel the scariest of them all.”

Malek Akkad added, “Trancas International is thrilled to be teaming up with Miramax on Halloween, one of the most enduring horror franchises in film. We are also very excited to be working with Jason Blum and the whole team at Blumhouse. Together, along with the return of legendary filmmaker John Carpenter, we are eager to make a film that will be a milestone in the franchise’s legacy and that will excite the fans, young and old.”

Interestingly, the official word on this next Halloween has branded the movie a reboot, so we’ll have to see whether that means a straight-up redo of Carpenter’s Halloween, a whole new take on The Night He Came Home, or if it just means a fresh start and fresh take with no particular history to have to be a slave to. It also suggests that Rob Zombie’s Halloween and Halloween II are going to be ignored where this new movie is concerned.

Currently, the plan is to find a director and get shooting ahead of a release next year. Whether the title still remains as Halloween Returns is up in the air right now, as is whether Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton are still on board in any capacity.

Either way, hearing that John Carpenter is returning to the Halloween franchise – even if it’s just in an executive producing capacity – had us let out a loud “Oh shit!” here at Moonbase Alpha, so now let’s sit back and see what terrors Blumhouse and Co. can drum up for Michael to be a part of.