10 Movie Franchises That Ruined Iconic Characters Twice
5. Laurie Strode - Halloween
The First Time
Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is without question one of the best-loved horror movie protagonists of all time.
Her resourcefulness while fending off Michael Myers in the original Halloween made her an instant all-timer final girl, even if the majority of the sequels sought to actively defame her character.
Halloween II introduced the needless twist that Myers was her brother, while Halloween 4 gave Laurie an off-screen death after Curtis opted not to return to the role (her career having taken off and all).
But it actually wasn't until 2002's eighth movie, Halloween: Resurrection, that Laurie was ruined seemingly beyond redemption.
Curtis reprised the role for an extended cameo in the film's first act, where she faces off against Michael one last time and, in a moment of baffling stupidity, hesitates killing Michael, allowing him to fatally wound her.
It was a depressing end for the character, and one which left fans with a sour taste until the character was finally redeemed in last year's sequel to the 1978 original, with Curtis reprising the Laurie role for good measure.
The Second Time
After the failure of Halloween: Resurrection, the franchise was rebooted by Rob Zombie in 2007, focused on a young Laurie as played by Scout Taylor-Compton.
As written and acted, this version of Laurie rubbed many fans the wrong way - she come across as obnoxious and not terribly sympathetic, before Halloween 2 hinted at a future where Laurie herself could become the new antagonist.
On a basic level, if the audience doesn't care about the final girl's survival, then the character is an abject failure. Taylor-Compton's version couldn't be further from the likeability of Curtis' Laurie, and was roundly rejected by the core fanbase.