Titled “Crystal Lake,” the plot details of the series are being kept under wraps. However, it will serve as a prequel to the original 1980 slasher film, which was directed by Sean S. Cunningham and focused on a group of teenagers stalked by a killer while working to reopen an abandoned summer camp. A24 serves as the studio behind the series, while Fuller executive produces with Marc Toberoff, Rob Barsamian, and original film screenwriter Victor Miller. “I discovered ‘Friday the 13th’ in the pages of Famous Monsters magazine when I was 10 years old and I have been thinking about this story ever since,” Fuller said in a statement. “When it comes to horror, A24 raises the bar and pushes the envelope and I’m thrilled to be exploring the campgrounds of Crystal Lake under their banner. And Susan Rovner is simply the best at what she does. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be working with her again.”
The original “Friday the 13th” received mixed reviews at the time, but was a box office success, grossing $59.8 million on a bare $550,000 budget. Its success launched one of the most famous and successful slasher franchises of all time, spanning nine sequels and a 2003 crossover with the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. Most of the sequels focused on the character of Jason Voorhees, the son of the original film’s murderer Pamela Voorhees. The last film in the franchise, a remake of the original, was released in 2009. Fuller most recently worked as a creator and executive producer for “Star Trek: Discovery” and “Short Treks,” in a return to the franchise after getting his start as a writer on “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.” He is best known for his work creating critically-acclaimed shows like “Dead Like Me,” “Wonderfalls,” and “Pushing Daisies.” Fuller’s experience with horror includes his work as the creator of the critically acclaimed NBC horror series “Hannibal,” which starred Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelsen. This year, he executive produced the original Shudder documentary “Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror.” “’Friday the 13th’ is one of the most iconic horror franchises in movie history and we were dying to revisit this story with our upcoming drama series ‘Crystal Lake,’” NBCUniversal Entertainment Content Chairman Susan Rovner said in a statement. “We can’t wait to get to work with Bryan Fuller, a gifted, visionary creator who I’ve had the pleasure of being a longtime friend and collaborator, along with our incredible partners at A24, in this updated version for Peacock that will thrill long-standing fans of the franchise.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
