‘Friday the 13th’ Prequel Series Gets a Jason-Sized Update

The Big Picture

• Brad Caleb Kane is the new showrunner for the upcoming prequel series Crystal Lake, bringing a fresh perspective to the iconic horror franchise.
• Fans of Friday the 13th can look forward to the return of the beloved series, with Kane and A24 teaming up to deliver a chilling new chapter.
• The highly anticipated horror series will delve into the dark origins of Camp Crystal Lake, promising a thrilling ride back to the golden age of slasher flicks.

It’s a mega-sized horror franchise and after spawning more than ten feature-length films over nearly 30 years, Friday the 13th was set to make a comeback. The iconic 80s horror franchise’s comeback would come in the shape of a television series, a prequel series, Crystal Lake, with the creative minds at A24 behind it. However, bumps were struck, and it seemed like that dream was dead in the water. In a big boost to fans who want to return to all the gore at Camp Crystal Lake, the upcoming prequel series by Peacock has tapped Brad Caleb Kane as the new showrunner and creator, suggesting that the wheels are still in motion towards development.

Kane is no novice to the horror genre or the development of prequels. The showrunnner previously worked on Welcome to Derry, a prequel series for It alongside Jason Fuchs. As of this moment, plot details for Crystal Lake remain firmly under wraps leaving room for speculation regarding what transpires in the upcoming project. While the premise for Crystal Lake remains shrouded in mystery, the original 1980 film followed the grief of a mother, Pamela (Betsy Palmer), in the aftermath of her son, Jason Voorhees (Ari Lehman), a young camper who drowns tragically at Camp Crystal Lake. Her quest for vengeance sees her target the camp’s counselors as their negligence had contributed to the tragic occurrence. In the subsequent sequels that followed, Pamela was replaced with Jason, as the character became a highly recognizable antagonist within the horror genre. The hockey mask-wearing killer soon became a mainstay.

A Change of Direction For ‘Crystal Lake’

Crystal Lake was ordered to series at Peacock in 2022, and for a while, Bryan Fuller was attached to the project as showrunner. Barely three months ago, though, the Star Trek: Discovery co-creator and Hannibalcreator, was out as showrunner, stating that “A24 has elected to go a different way with the material.” With Kane’s hiring, attention can now shift to bringing the eagerly anticipated horror series to life, and the new showrunner is excited by the prospect. “From the moment I watched Jason Voorhees squeeze a guy’s eyeball out of its socket (in glorious 3D!) at the tender age of 8 years old, I knew my creative path was someday destined to converge with The Man Behind The Mask,” said Kane regarding his Crystal Lake hiring. “Nothing defined my childhood more than growing up in the golden age of the slasher flick, and nothing’s defined the genre more than Friday The 13th. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to contribute a chapter to this iconic franchise, particularly with such fearless partners as Peacock and A24.”

Beyond serving as series creator and showrunner, Kane will also serve as executive producer alongside Victor Miller, who penned the screenplay for the original film in the franchise, along with Marc Toberoff, Robert M. Barsamian, and Robert P. Barsamian. The original “final girl” in the first film, Adrienne King, was previously confirmed to be a part of the upcoming series, though her role has not been revealed.

1980’s Friday the 13th is available to watch on Max in the U.S.

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