With Zombie again producing and directing, the sequel strays from Carpenter and Hill's plot. Instead, it focuses the story two years after the events of the first rather than immediately following, with a Loomis who is more concerned with promoting his new book than finding Michael and a Laurie who shares hallucinations with her killer brother. The movie also devotes more time to the character's inner self, focusing on the psychological connection between Laurie and Michael.
McDowell, Taylor-Compton, Harris, and Mane all returned to reprise their roles, and once again, audiences enjoyed the movie far more than the critics did.