A horror legend’s night
John Carpenter opened the carpet at the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala, where he was set to receive the Luminary Award. The Academy Museum says the honor recognizes an artist whose singular contributions have expanded filmmaking’s creative possibilities. Carpenter joined fellow 2026 honorees Colman Domingo and Charlize Theron.
Robert Rodriguez told Variety that Carpenter was “the filmmaker who inspired me to be a filmmaker,” adding, “I’ve stolen from him my whole career.” Rodriguez was one of the gala’s co-chairs alongside Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw.
The annual fundraiser supports the museum’s exhibitions, education programs, public screenings and visitor access. The museum also tied Carpenter’s honor to plans for three nights of screenings of his work, including “Halloween,” in connection with its “The Horror Show” exhibition.