Like many classic horror villains, Michael Myers will probably never truly die and seems destined to return to the big screen at some point in the relatively near future. However, after some unfortunate setbacks, it is now looking like that return will not be quite as soon as originally anticipated. Last summer, we heard that Marcus Dunstan (The Collector) would be directing a new installment called Halloween Returns with the events picking up after Rick Rosenthal’s 1981 sequel Halloween II. The movie was originally supposed to start production in July but alas that never happened and now we are hearing that the entire project has been scrapped. The bigger surprise, however, is the fact that Dimension Films will no longer be involved. Hit the jump for more details.

According to Bloody Disgusting, the next installment in the Halloween franchise is dead and The Weinstein Company’s genre arm Dimension Films no longer has the rights to the series. Miramax has decided to make a clean break from Dimension and they are now shopping the rights around to other distributors. Malek Akkad, son of the late Moustapha Akkad, will still be involved as a producer.

What this might mean for the future of The Shape is anyone’s guess, but The Weinsteins have been involved with the franchise since the 1995 film Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers. Bloody Disgusting hints at the intriguing possibility of Warner Brothers acquiring the rights and setting up a shared universe with the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise (among others). It actually doesn’t sound that unreasonable and I’m wondering if something like that could be part of the reason for breaking away from Dimension. Are you disappointed that Halloween Returns is no longer happening? What would you like to see in a new Halloween movie?