Friday's Dimension Films panel opened with a Comic Con exclusive preview of the new trailer for Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN, followed by an exclusive scene from the film, both of which wowed the capacity audience in Ballroom 20.

While all you fans reading here will see the trailer yourselves soon, suffice it to say that the theatrical trailer sets an even darker, scarier, more menacing tone than the teaser trailer. This faster, more intense version skips the setup and genesis of the project, and gets right to the bloody meat of Rob's HALLOWEEN action. No doubt when this trailer hits movie screens and the internet, doubters will stop worrying if Michael will be scary enough in the new film.

This second trailer offers great, tantalizing glimpses of previously unseen areas in the story, including many intercut clips of Adult Michael's incarceration at Smith's Grove and his eventual escape. Let's just say these particular clips don't end well for some Zombie-film alumni.

Young Michael also becomes even creepier in this new trailer, as his murderous tendencies and fetish for masks quick-cut progresses into his Adult years, culminating in the creation of The Shape and his lethal return to Haddonfield.  

Rob introduces Sheri Moon Zombie to the cheering crowd

To loud applause and cheering, Rob took the stage, introducing Sheri Moon Zombie, Scout Taylor Compton and Tyler Mane, who together made an entertaining and informative panel -- even if the audience questions didn't live up to the opportunity to truly entice information from them. The flipside of that coin is that Rob and the cast received copius amounts of praise and positive feedback from fans on the project, which are good omens for its August 31st release.

Tyler, Sheri, Rob and Scout enjoyed a few laughs with the Comic Con audience

Rob also treated attendees to another exclusive: a world premiere scene clip from the film! While Zombie didn't comment on the specific story context of the scene, it was clearly from the third act climax as Michael chases Laurie through a rotted, abandoned house (presumably the old Myers home).

The scene ran a good length (I didn't time it, but at least two minutes) and was a tense, engrossing cat-and-mouse game of suspense and terror as Michael literally breaks apart the walls and ceiling to find his prey. But wisely Rob Zombie did not turn Michael into a reckless wrecking ball doing damage for damage sake -- instead, the masked murderer is as relentless in his strategies for finding Laurie as she is desperate to hide from him.

It was a highly claustrophobic scene with cold, nightmarish cinematography -- not as stylized or saturated as was Dean Cundey's work in Carpenter's original scene, but nevertheless highly effective in visually painting the internal terror of this moment. It also demonstrated that Rob is restoring one of Myers' key character traits long ago lost in weak sequels: Michael as a devious hunter, a killing machine yes, but also cunning and resourceful. In the scene, Tyler Mane enacted silent moments of Michael assessing their momentary standoff, then resuming with a new plan Laurie steps up her efforts to escape him.

One clear sign this scene succeeded: the filled-to-capacity room was deathly silent, immediately engrossed in a scene which was jarring to jump into without context leading up it. Still the clip captured audience attention and emotion instantly, and received thunderous applause and cheering when the lights came back up. As intended, this exclusive sneak preview scene definitely left those in attendance wanting more . . . and more is what we'll get in August when Rob Zombie's HALLOWEEN invades theaters everywhere!

Tyler Mane answers fan questions about becoming the new shape of fear: Michael Myers

One last surprise at the end of the panel session: actor Daeg Faerch (Young Michael) was in attendance and Rob brought him up on stage to greet fans before all left.

Stay tuned for more HALLOWEEN news soon, including an exclusive interview with the Myers' maskmaker himself, Wayne Toth -- coming in just days here on The Shape of Fear!