Some horror fans have labelled Halloween’s masked killer Michael Myers “homophobic” after he killed a gay couple in the new film Halloween Kills. (YouTube/Universal Pictures)
A gruesome murder of a gay couple in Halloween Kills has resulted in some horror fans calling the villain Michael Myers “homophobic”.
The long running Halloween franchise has largely focused on the effects of Myers and his rampages on the Stroke Family – and Halloween Kills is no exception to that tradition. The film is a direct sequel to 2018’s Halloween which ended with the masked killer being trapped in protagonist Laurie Strode’s burning house.
However, fans find out in the new movie that the serial killer escaped the burning house with help from firefighters – who he eventually killed – and proceeded to go on a murderous rampage.
At one point in Halloween Kills, Myers returns to his childhood home and finds an unsuspecting gay couple living there. The men – who are named Big John and Little John – realised someone is in their home and searched for the intruder. But instead of making it out alive, they’re murdered by Myers.
The scene stirred up discussion on Twitter with some people labelling Michael Myers “homophobic” for killing the couple.
Michael Myers is homophobic #HalloweenKills pic.twitter.com/dVeO4Hvqh5
— ECDD 512 (@isaelvalen) October 17, 2021
all i got from the new halloween movie is that michael myers is homophobic
— ~~* (@nbheaux) October 15, 2021
can’t believe michael myers is not only a murderer, but also homophobic 😔
— hannah (in my joker arc) (@sadpanhannah) October 16, 2021
Watched Halloween Kills last night and y’all horror gays lied to me I didn’t know Michael Myers was homophobic 😭😭😭
— 💜🌙Thotticus-Maximus💜🤘 (@Wulfprince) October 20, 2021
Fans also drew comparisons between the treatment of LGBT+ people in Halloween Kills and the new Chucky TV series. The show features a scene in which the evil doll shows his acceptance for his genderfluid and queer child.
Chucky being an ally and Michael Myers being homophobic is so funny to me 😭
— ♡ sailor pluto ♡ (@MattelXavier) October 17, 2021
the accepting chucky vs the homophobic michael myers https://t.co/ITZleT3Emw
— roxas 🔪 (@tartagalicious) October 17, 2021
michael myers being canonically homophobic and chucky being canonically anti-homophobic is not something i expected this year
— halloween kills spoilers (@gayslashers) October 15, 2021
the juxtaposition of michael myers killing a gay couple and chucky talking about his genderfluid child in the same week is just insane
— zoe 🎃👻 (@eldritchqueenie) October 20, 2021
Michael Myers homophobic and chucky lgbt ally got me going crazy
— ATHEN 🦇 (@atomicathen) October 20, 2021
The USA and SyFy show follows Jake, a teen who knowingly buys Chucky at a yard sale. He eventually confronts the killer doll after he reads the teen’s diary and discovers his crush on a classmate named Devon.
However, Chucky reveals that he has his queer child. Jake asks if the doll is “cool with it” to which Chucky responds: “I’m not a monster, Jake.”
Despite some of the possibly tongue-in-cheek grumbles online, Halloween Kills has been a big hit in the run-up to Halloween and slashed its way to the top of the weekend box office with a $50.4m debut.
Halloween Kills is out now in cinemas and is also available to watch on streaming service Peacock.