‘Stranger Things 4’ Continues Tradition of Referencing Michael Myers
The new season of Netflix’s Stranger Things continues the show’s tradition of dropping loving referencing to Michael Myers, among numerous other genre favorites, and even featuring the Halloween killer’s iconic mask (again).
[STRANGER THINGS SPOILERS AHEAD] The first time the show gave The Shape a shoutout was in the second episode of the first season, entitled “The Weirdo on Maple Street”, when Dustin is talking about Eleven’s unique powers, saying that she is virtually unstoppable “like Michael Myers”.
The Myers love was taken to the next level in Season 2 Episode 2, set on Halloween and entitled “Trick or Treat, Freak”, when the four main guys are trick or treating, dressed as the Ghostbusters, and are scared when their new friend Max lunges at them wearing a Michael Myers costume. The mask used in this is a Halloween II Myers mask produced by Trick or Treat Studios, and in reality, there was no officially licensed Michael Myers mask available in the years during which the show takes place (1983-1986, so far).
Funko even released a Hot Topic exclusive Pop figure of Max in her Michael Myers costume.
There was not a direct reference to Michael Myers in Season 3, but Stranger Things has now officially made up for that with Season 4, Volume 2 of which premiered on Netflix on July 1.
As we previously reported on our YouTube channel, in Season 4 Episode 2, entitled “Vecna’s Curse”, Eddie Munson’s father tells Nancy that Victor Creef was blank and emotionless like Michael Myers.
But they weren’t done there, because in Episode 7, part of Season 4 Volume 2, Max’s Myers mask from that Halloween Night episode in Season 2 makes another appearance, this time worn by this year’s new standout character Eddie Munson, in a hilarious in-universe callback (pictured above). This time, however, the production used a Halloween 1978 mask by Trick or Treat Studios, which they customized a bit to make it look more like the H2 mask from Season 2, as explained by sculptor Justin Mabry in a recent Instagram post, which you can see below.
And there’s even one more Myers reference, as that awesome moment when Max jump-scares the guys in her Michael costume flashes on screen quickly during a flashback montage in the Season 4 Volume 2 finale episode “The Piggyback”.
Of course Halloween is far from the only genre franchise that has both inspired and been referenced in Stranger Things, but it feels like the writers really like Michael.
Here’s the official synopsis for the new Season: It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.
The hit series stars Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Brett Gelman (Murray), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), and a blast from Season 1 brings Matthew Modine back as Dr. Brenner.
Additional cast members this season include Jamie Campbell Bower (Peter Ballard), Joseph Quinn (Eddie Munson), Eduardo Franco (Argyle), Sherman Augustus (Lt. Colonel Sullivan), Mason Dye (Jason Carver), Nikola Djuricko (Yuri), Tom Wlaschiha (Dmitri), Myles Truitt (Patrick), Regina Ting Chen (Ms. Kelly), Grace Van Dien (Chrissy), Logan Riley Bruner (Fred Benson), Logan Allen (Jake), Elodie Grace Orkin (Angela), John Reynolds (Officer Callahan), Rob Morgan (Chief Powell), Amybeth McNulty (Vickie), and Robert Englund (Victor Creel).
All episodes of Stranger Things 4 are now streaming on Netflix.
See more Michael Myers references here!
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