Back in 2022, we got word that a new Friday the 13th TV series was in the works for Peacock. Now, we finally have our first bit of casting news, and it's gone over very well with fans of the classic slasher franchise.
According to Jeff Sneider, Linda Cardellini (Avengers: Endgame, Freaks and Geeks, Scooby-Doo) is in final talks to play Jason Voorhees' mother, Pamela.
Sneider believes that production is scheduled to commence this summer.
"Cardellini will soon begin filming HBO’s dark comedy series DTF St. Louis with Jason Bateman and David Harbour, and I imagine that she’ll segue to Crystal Lake after that — and most likely this summer."
Brad Caleb Kane (Welcome to Derry) came on board as showrunner when Bryan Fuller parted ways with the project last year.
Horror hounds who have been waiting for something to be done with the Friday franchise for many years now, but the news that Crystal Lake would be a prequel series dampened excitement somewhat - as did a caveat that the show couldn't even feature an adult Jason Vorhees or his signature hockey mask.
Fortunately, we would later learn that this part of the initial report was inaccurate.
Speaking to Fangoria in a 2023 interview, Fuller confirmed that they can basically utilize anything available to them "under the Friday the 13th umbrella."
“A24 and Marc Toberoff, who is Victor Miller’s lawyer, have beautifully and excruciatingly assembled all of the Friday the 13th rights. As a streaming series, we have the rights to do everything underneath the Friday the 13th umbrella.” Fuller confirmed.
“The movie rights are a completely different thing. They are tied up at New Line and are super, super messy and probably won’t be untangled anytime soon, but as far as us chickens in the television industry, uh, roost, we have access to anything and everything that Friday the 13th has done up until this point.”
Interestingly, Fuller also describes the show as a "pre-remake-uel series," though he declined to elaborate.
We're still not sure what to expect from Crystal Lake (a bunch of camp counsellors ignoring a young Jason until he drowns and his mother plots her revenge?), but at least we know that they can build towards the unstoppable masked maniac getting axe-y with a bunch of teens after paying a visit to his favourite sporting goods store.
Fuller will also serve as showrunner and executive producer. Victor Miller, who wrote the first movie, will executive produce along with Marc Toberoff, Rob Barsamian, and A24.
What do you guys make of this update? Be sure to keep an eye on FearHQ.com for all the latest horror-related news.