With Shudder being the premier platform for a slew of horror titles, including current and forthcoming original franchises, some may wonder if they have the ability to reach through depths of development hell and pull from the inferno much-beloved Friday the 13th franchise.
Despite the news that the franchise’s screenwriter, Victor Miller, has recently won a copyright termination appeal in court to reclaim domestic rights, that doesn’t mean the long stalemate of Jason Voorhees that unfolded in the form of an ongoing lawsuit is over by any means. It may be some time before we see the Camp Crystal Lake killer on the screen again until the battle between the film’s original director and its screenwriter finishes in court.
Those rights complications may be contributing to the difficulty of reviving a property like Friday The 13th on the streaming platform.
When asked by an internet user during a recent Reddit “Ask Me Anything” about what one classic horror title he would choose as a Shudder exclusive to revive, much like what they did with the Creepshow series, Shudder’s General Manager Craig Engler said he “would love to revive FRIDAY THE 13th” but that it is unlikely for the platform to do so for “a variety of reasons.” However, he added that if such a project could come through “it would be amazing.” Check out Engler’s answer below:
Sadly, we haven’t seen a Friday the 13th film since the 2009 reboot. Would you like to see the series return, either on stream or on screens? Tell us in the comments below.