# John Carpenter and the Halloween franchise > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/john-carpenter-and-the-halloween-franchise > Updated: 2026-08-14T15:43:59.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Director John Carpenter has reflected on his historical and ongoing relationship with the ‘Halloween’ film franchise. Regarding the production of ‘Halloween II’, Carpenter noted that he reluctantly returned as a screenwriter, producer, and composer to ensure Universal Pictures did not produce the sequel without his oversight. He described his involvement as being driven by a desire to maintain quality, though he admitted to facing creative blocks and remarked, ‘I realized there was no story. It was pretty bad!’ In more recent reflections, Carpenter confirmed that he continues to receive royalty payments from the franchise due to contracts covering the original characters and story he co-created with Debra Hill. He noted that while he has stepped away from directing to focus on music and personal well-being, he still benefits financially from the sequels and reboots released by Universal Pictures, stating, ‘I sit on the couch, and a check arrives in my hand.’ ## Timeline ### 2026-08-14: John Carpenter discusses reluctant involvement in Halloween II John Carpenter revealed he reluctantly joined the production of ‘Halloween II’ to protect the franchise, despite facing creative struggles and a lack of a cohesive story. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/john-carpenter-discusses-reluctant-involvement-in-halloween-ii ### 2026-07-27: John Carpenter confirms he still receives royalties from the Halloween franchise John Carpenter says he still receives royalty checks for each new Halloween film, thanks to contracts with Universal Pictures, while noting his past decision to leave directing the series. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/john-carpenter-confirms-he-still-receives-royalties-from-the-halloween-franchise --- Cite as: John Carpenter and the Halloween franchise. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/john-carpenter-and-the-halloween-franchise