Key Takeaways
- Jason Voorhees has not appeared in a film for 16 years, despite the success of the 2009 remake.
- Former WWE Superstar Braun Strowman is rumored to be a potential candidate for the role of Jason, but there is no solid confirmation.
- A24’s Crystal Lake is in production, featuring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees and introducing a young Jason.
- Fans are eager for a new film that returns to the franchise’s roots, focusing on Jason at a summer camp.
It’s been 16 years since we last saw Jason Voorhees on the big screen, which is still pretty mindblowing to me. The 2009 remake was both well received and earned money, so it’s crazy that rights issues got in the way of giving us more entries. But, at this point, the lawsuit is settled and we should be getting more Jason content. And yet, we haven’t heard anything about a new entry of our favorite hockey mask wearing psycho. There’s a maze at Halloween Horror Nights with him in it (stay tuned for our take on the attraction), as well as a Hard Cider ad featuring him. Everything except a movie it seems.
I should also address the recent news that former WWE Superstar Braun Strowman AKA Adam Scherr could be our next Jason. Now, I need to make one thing clear: sure, it’s absolutely a possibility that he’s in the running. But the information that’s been released is simply the wrestler trying to get his name in the mix. There’s no concrete information saying that producers are seriously looking at him, and it is essentially Scherr starting to spread rumors about himself. I’m not saying that he wouldn’t make for a decent Jason, as I’m always a big fan of the larger version, but his involvement seems pretty non-existent at this point.
And sure, A24’s Crystal Lake is currently in production with Linda Cardellini starring as Pamela Voorhees. It certainly looks like they’re doing a lot right with that, with set photos showing them shooting in the OG Friday the 13th town in New Jersey as well as Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco. They’ve also cast Callum Vinson as a young Jason Voorhees, but the more interesting aspect is that they’ve cast Zachary Branch as Adult Jason. Given Pamela’s mental state, he could easily just be a figment of her imagination, but all signs seem to point to Adult Jason being introduced by season’s end.
I’m sure most eyes will be on Crystal Lake. My theory has been that they’ll shift the show into one about Jason in the second season, which would allow them to try out a television format for Mr. Voorhees. That could be unique and help pivot if there isn’t a ton of interest in the direction they took season 1. But dammit, I want a movie!
Give us a film set at a summer camp with Jason murdering various counselors, and most fans of the franchise will gleefully return. If there’s one series that is pretty low maintenance, it’s Friday the 13th. Even the lesser entries have their fanbase (Jason Takes Manhattan stan right here) so it’s not like the quality always needs to be high. Give us the basics.
But I’ve also talked to plenty of people that say “hey, we got a dozen movies that do that, why not try something different?” And my main response is that it’s been far too long since we’ve gotten a proper F13 movie, so we have to reintroduce the character and tropes to a new generation. Once that’s been re-established, THEN we can start wandering off the beaten path. But, until then, I’d say stick with what works and try and get some interest from those that didn’t grow up with the series. Because if Art the Clown and the Terrifier series have proven anything, it’s that audiences are ready to embrace a character who kills a variety of people in increasingly chaotic ways.
Are you excited for Crystal Lake? Do you think we’ll get a new Friday the 13th movie anytime soon? Who would you like to have cast as Jason himself? Let us know in the comments!
