Friday the 13th Returns After 17 Years of Legal Battles

After more than a decade mired in legal battles, the Friday the 13th franchise is set to make a comeback with Crystal Lake, a prequel series launching on Peacock this fall. This will be the first time horror enthusiasts can dive back into the world of Jason Voorhees since the 2009 reboot, which, despite its poor reviews, managed to rake in profits. This new series could also serve as a fresh start for this iconic slasher saga.

Crystal Lake is set before the events of the original Friday the 13th film and features Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, Jason’s mother. Young actor Callum Vinson will portray Jason himself in a recurring role, and he’s also set to appear in Amazon’s adaptation of God of War as Atreus. The cast includes William Catlett as Levon Brooks, Devin Kessler as Briana Brooks, Cameron Scoggins as “Dorf” (likely a nod to Officer Dorf from Friday the 13th), and Gwendolyn Sundstrom as Grace. While specific plot details remain under wraps, the series is expected to explore Pamela’s life prior to her son’s tragic fate, shedding light on her transformation into the killer we know from the original film.

While other classic horror franchises like Halloween and Scream have continued to thrive, Friday the 13th has been stuck in a legal quagmire over rights ownership. Similar issues plagued the Nightmare on Elm Street series until the rights reverted to Wes Craven’s estate in 2019, but efforts to bring Freddy Krueger back have stalled. Consequently, Jason has been absent from the screen since that 2009 installment, which many horror fans would likely prefer to forget. Before that, the early 2000s saw Jason venture into space and face off against Freddy.

Development for some version of Crystal Lake has been ongoing since 2003, though the concept has evolved significantly over the years. The initial idea from Sean S. Cunningham, who produced and directed the original film, was set in the same cursed camp area and revolved around a town where residents were aware of the franchise’s events. The story was intended to focus on local teens, with Jason playing a minor role. A pilot episode was even filmed for The CW, but the network ultimately decided not to move forward, leading to the project’s demise.

In recent years, A24 acquired the rights and brought on Bryan Fuller, known for Hannibal, as the showrunner. However, he was later replaced by Bradley Caleb Kane, whose credits include It: Welcome to Derry and Fringe. Kane is currently at the helm of the series.

If all goes according to plan, fans will finally see a new iteration of Jason on screen later this year, even if it’s not the familiar knife-wielding, hockey-mask-wearing figure we know. Crystal Lake is set to premiere on Peacock on October 15.