Credit: Inside the MagicThe Halloween franchise is best known for Michael Myers, but it’s equally synonymous with other characters, such as final girl Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) and psychiatrist Dr. Samuel Loomis (Donald Pleasence). But there’s another character that is perhaps the biggest of them all — bigger than the bogeyman himself. In the case of this franchise, it’s the setting.
Haddonfield, Illinois, is as much a character as its own residents. That familiar, long suburban drive that stretches under a tunnel of trees, whose crisp, golden-brown leaves carpet the sidewalks during the fall. A place where, by evening, porches are dimly lit by the ominous flicker of their pumpkins’ candles and from the soft glow of inside lightning.
Only one of the 12 Halloween movies to feature Michael Myers doesn’t take place in Haddonfield — Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) is set in the equally fictional town of Summer Glen in California. While the movie is a fan-favorite, the location change remains a bone of contention with many fans, because Haddonfield is simply as iconic as Michael himself.
However, an upcoming Halloween reboot has seemingly changed the name of the town, which first appeared in John Carpenter’s original 1978 classic. First revealed earlier this year with a short teaser, followed by an extended gameplay showcase, “Halloween”, an asymmetrical experience from the developers behind “Friday the 13th: The Game” and “Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed”, will let players assume the role of Haddonfield civilians or as Michael Myers himself.
An offline campaign will also allow fans to see more of “the night he came home” as the story details Michael’s escape from Smith’s Grove Sanitarium. Watch the official trailer below:
However, a brand-new teaser, this time a “flythrough” of the familiar franchise setting in digital sandbox form, has left some fans feeling confused because it appears to have changed the name of the town from Haddonfield to Haddonfield Heights:
“Haddonfield Heights is a neighborhood that houses a dark history,” the official website‘s description of the area reads. “Some residents try to forget the horrors that occurred on Halloween night in 1963. Others gather at the Haddonfield water tower to share the twisted tale of Lampkin Lane.”
“Pretty sure it’s just called Haddonfield,” one fan writes on social media. “It’s probably a subdivision name,” someone replies, while another adds that it “might be a copyright thing.” But the confusion is echoed by many other fans, with one saying, “Wtf is Haddonfield Heights? Not once did they ever reference this in the movies. This game is already cooked.”
Why the name has been changed is unknown, but it likely has something to do with this particular map being one of many many in the game. Maybe “Haddonfield” will be the name given to a larger area, with “Heights” being a specific part of that wider neighborhood.
Either way, we’ll find out when the game is released on major consoles on September 8, 2026.
Michael Myers will be portrayed in the game by original Halloween (1978) actor Nick Castle, alongside stuntman and motion-capture performer TJ Storm.
What do you think of this change? Sound off in the comments!