Friday the 13th Might Get an Hourlong Series
The often-rumored Friday the 13th TV series has reared its head once again. The last time we talked about the possibility was back in September of last year when series producer Sean Cunningham mentioned that they were still interested in pursuing a TV show based around Crystal Lake. While that was indeed news back then, we shouldn’t forget that the idea behind a Friday the 13th series for the smalls screen has been tossed around for quite some time.
Now we’ve learned, thanks to Deadline, that the series is one step closer to becoming a reality. Cunningham has told Deadline that they’ve tapped writers Bill Basso (Terminator) and Jordu Schell (Avatar) to script a series that places Jason Voorhees in “multiple time periods.” I’m not sure how accurate “multiple time periods” is though; later it’s described as a ”contemporary [series], focusing on the eclectic characters of Crystal Lake who are forced to confront the return of the killer as new secrets about his wacky family are revealed.”
Along with the pair of writers, showrunners have also lined up Roy Knyrim to head up the special make-up effects for the series. Knyrim has an extensive body of work, including the films Wishmaster 2 and Psycho Cop.
And while it seems things are finally coming together for the series, it’s missing one key component: a network. The series doesn’t have a place to call home just yet, but I would imagine that Cunningham and his fellow producers are putting together a pitch to sell the show. It’ll be interesting to see where this lands since the horror landscape has grown rapidly in the TV market. I imagine a number of major networks would be interested in at least considering this project.
The news surrounding this series development also brings up questions regarding the film series. As you may know, Paramount is looking to resuscitate the film series next year. How will a TV series impact those plans? Can the franchise support a TV series and film franchise simultaneously? Do fans want both? Let us know.
