Halloween H20: 20 Years Later is a 1998 American slasher horror film and seventh instalment in the Halloween film series. It was directed by Steve Miner and starred Jamie Lee Curtis, LL Cool J, Josh Hartnett, and Michelle Williams. The film was released on August 5, 1998, to mark the 20th anniversary of the original Halloween (1978).
The story was developed and created by Robert Zappia. The screenplay was written by Robert Zappia and Matt Greenberg. It is a direct sequel to John Carpenter's Halloween and Halloween II and retcons the events that transpired in the fourth, fifth, and sixth instalments, rendering them as non-canon in this film. Set twenty years after the events of the first two movies, H20 centres on a post-traumatic Laurie Strode living in fear of her murderous brother, Michael Myers, who attempted to kill her all those years ago. When Michael eventually appears, Laurie must face evil one last time, while the life of her teenage son hangs in the balance.
The film also features many nods and homages to the original film as well as Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho (1960) and Scream (1996), two of the most critically acclaimed slasher films in history with an influential connection to Carpenter's 1978 film; Psycho inspired the original Halloween and Scream was inspired by the original Halloween. In addition, Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis's real life mother, who portrayed Marion Crane in Psycho appears in the film as Norma Watson.
The film received mixed reviews from critics, praising the script, direction of Steve Miner and the performances of Jamie Lee Curtis and Josh Hartnett, but received criticism for certain plot points (such as ignoring some of the previous films) and its short running time.