Jason Voorhees has been given a makeover... but this new look is not likely to rile up Friday the 13th fans too much!
To mark the 45th anniversary of the classic slasher franchise, Adweek.com has unveiled a first look at the new take on Jason, who will soon return to our screens to resume his mission to make horny camp councillors' lives a living hell.
“We strive to maintain Jason’s original essence, while continuing to move toward the future with a defined look and feel that takes Jason into his next chapter,” confirms Rob Barsamian, president of Horror, Inc. “We’re also working with both familiar and fresh franchise voices to strike that balance.”
FX legend Greg Nicotero (The Walking Dead) had a hand in the redesign, which really doesn't stray very far from the character's original look at all. Jason seems to have slimmed down a little, but the classic hockey mask and machete combo remain intact.
The launching pad for the "Jason Universe" will be Peacock’s upcoming prequel series, Crystal Lake, but Inc.’s chief marketing officer Sheri Conn reveals that we will be seeing the unstoppable killer in various other media going forward.
“We’re listening to fans and actively developing a slate under the Jason Universe banner that spans new movies, gaming, immersive experiences, collectibles and more,” Conn says. “Our film franchise is one of the most enduring horror properties in cinematic history, and we’re actively reimagining what the next chapter—and the slasher genre overall—can become.”
Fans 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 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, original showrunner Brad Fuller confirmed that they can basically utilize anything available to them "under the Friday the 13th umbrella."
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.
We assume Jason will eventually show up should the series continue beyond a single season.
The series is set to star Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees.