John Carpenter’s ‘The Fog’ Set for Pre-Halloween Re-Release (EXCLUSIVE)

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – New York-based Rialto Pictures will release John Carpenter’s horror movie “The Fog” on Oct. 26 in its first-ever major restoration, Variety has learned exclusively.

“The Fog,” which has received a full 4K restoration from StudioCanal, will open for limited runs at the Metrograph in New York, Landmark’s Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles, and the Music Box Theatre in Chicago. Additional screenings will occur during Halloween week throughout the Alamo Drafthouse circuit and other specialty theaters.

“The Fog” was released in 1980 as Carpenter’s first title after “Halloween.” He directed, co-wrote the screenplay, and created the music for the film.

“Halloween” star Jamie Lee Curtis returned for “The Fog,” along with Adrienne Barbeau, Tom Atkins, Hal Holbrook, and Janet Leigh — Curtis’ real-life mother, who portrayed Curtis’ character’s mother in the movie.

“The Fog” tells the story of a strange, glowing fog that sweeps over a small coastal town in California, bringing with it the vengeful ghosts of mariners who were killed in a shipwreck 100 years before. The pic was remade in 2005.

“‘The Fog’ has been our most requested title for as long as we have handled the StudioCanal library here,” said Eric Di Bernardo, Rialto’s director of sales. “It is Carpenter’s most visually alluring film and we think it’s been worth the wait.”

“The Fog” was made for $1 million and grossed $21 million at the box office.

Rialto has also restored Carpenter’s “Escape From New York,” Carol Reed’s “The Third Man,” Jean Renoir’s “Grand Illusion,” Akira Kurosawa’s “Ran,” and Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead 2.” Since 2012, Rialto Pictures has been the U.S. theatrical and non-theatrical representative of the StudioCanal library of over 2,000 international titles.