We know Jason Voorhees likes to take his sweet time when he’s stalking his victims on the big screen in the Friday The 13th franchise. But it seems he’s taking too long to make it back to cinemas for some of the people responsible for his creation, so a new TV series based on the character is now in the early stages.
Sean S. Cunningham, the man who wrote the story and directed the original Friday The 13th (which admittedly was more focused on – spoiler alert – Mrs. Voorhees as the killer, who takes revenge for her son’s accidental death at Camp Crystal Lake), will be the executive producer for the new show. Actual writing duties will fall to Bill Basso and Jordu Schell, who have been set to create a series that explores Jason in different time periods, though anchored around a modern-day story. From the sounds of it, the show aims to investigate the entire Voorhees family and not just its unstoppable scion.
“Jason Voorhees is synonymous with the genre and we plan to build on this legacy with a provocative and compelling take that expands upon the storylines that have already thrilled millions worldwide,” Cunningham tells Deadline. He’s working with Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films and producer Robert Barsamian, who has been involved with the movies from the start.
“Expect the show to take viewers in some exciting new directions that we’re confident will not only excite existing fans of Friday The 13th but also attract new audiences to the situations and characters that inhabit the small town of Crystal Lake,” says Barsamian.
It’s not the first time the concept has menaced TV. Friday The 13th: The Series ran from 1987 to 1990, though Jason himself did not appear in that spin-off. Now, he’s ready for his telly close-up…