‘Friday the 13th’ Prequel Series ‘Crystal Lake’ Ordered at Peacock

Friday the 13th, Betsy Palmer, 1980
Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection

Peacock has announced that it has ordered a prequel series based on the Friday the 13th franchise, from A24 and Bryan Fuller.

The prequel show will be written and executive produced by the American Gods and Star Trek: Discovery creator and will be a drama produced by A24, known for this year’s X and Pearl. This isn’t the first time the original 1980 film has been spun off into a series: there was one that debuted in 1987 and ended in 1990.

There hasn’t been a new installment of the IP for several years due to a complex rights dispute following its move from Paramount to New Line. However, Miller emerged victorious in the dispute, giving him control over the script and original characters, but not the Friday the 13th name, the concept of Jason, or his hockey mask, which was originally revealed in the third movie. As such, the show is predicted to be like Bates Motel, which served as a prequel for the Psycho films.

“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 camp grounds of Crystal Lake under their banner. And [NBCUniversal’s] Susan Rovner is simply the best at what she does. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be working with her again.”

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,” said Rovner, chairman of entertainment content at NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “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.”