Master of Horror John Carpenter Receives His Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
April 3, 2025, was the night filmmaker John Carpenter came home…or rather, the day the Master of Horror was recognized for his contributions to film history by finally receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Many a horror fan would argue the moment has been a long time coming for Carpenter. After all, we’re talking about the man who changed the very face of Halloween with the bone-white image of Michael Myers from his groundbreaking slasher, Halloween (1978). He gave us one of film’s most badass rebels in Escape from New York’s Snake Plissken (played by frequent collaborator Kurt Russell). And while it may have underperformed at the box office at the time, his remake of 1951’s The Thing from Another World, simply titled The Thing, is now considered a masterpiece of sci-fi terror that has influenced countless others. A director, writer, producer, composer, and even occasional actor (who could ever forget Body Bags?) with over 20 films to his name—many of them classics—it’s almost impossible to put into words just how much John has contributed to the horror genre and film alike.
So, yes, it’s about time Carpenter received his claim to the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The stars were out to attend the ceremony, including actors Kurt Russell (The Thing, Escape From New York) and Keith David (The Thing, They Live), as well as make-up wizard Greg Nicotero (The Ward, Ghosts of Mars), all of whom have worked numerous times with John and provided remarks during the preceding.
Greg Nicotero spoke first, holding cards that read “Obey” (referencing Carpenter’s sci-fi classic, They Live), mentioning that we’d be there all day if he were to list all the filmmakers who had been influenced by John, before wrapping up with a hope that “by the time this thing ends, we’re finally going to find out if Keith David or Kurt Russell was the Thing”.
Keith David followed Nicotero up by saying, “First, let me clear this up…it wasn’t me,” to the laughs and applause of the crowd, before going on to reminiscence on how John gave him his first ever film job on The Thing. He said, “When working with John Carpenter and the cast of The Thing, I knew I was in the presence of something beautiful…this honor is so well-deserved and well-earned”.
Kurt Russell then took to the podium, recounting his experience on The Thing and his disbelief that John wanted him to wear a sombrero for the role. He then admitted that John was right—going on to say, “There are very, very few directors who’s signature is so clearly and instantly stamped upon a film that within thirty seconds of viewing it, the informed watcher can boldly and confidently say out loud, oh that’s directed by so and so. John Carpenter is one of those rare, very few so and so’s…there’s nobody more deserving, my friend, than John Carpenter”.
A man of few words himself, the man of the hour then approached the stage and recounted moving to Los Angeles from Bowling Green, Kentucky: “I was looking for a career in Hollywood. Well, I found my career. And today, I have found Hollywood.”
And with that, John Carpenter’s star—the 2,806th to be added to the Walk of Fame—was unveiled just outside the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where fans and film lovers alike can see his name embedded amongst the stars forever.
Welcome to Hollywood, John. Welcome home.
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