The man who put Jason in a hockey mask will make the first new Friday the 13th film in 18 years
Jason Voorhees is going back to the cinema. Steve Miner, who directed Friday the 13th Part II and Part III and gave Jason his hockey mask, will direct a new Friday the 13th film for release in 2027, the first in cinemas since 2009. It was announced, of course, on Friday the 13th.
Three things to know
- Steve Miner returns to the series he helped build more than 40 years ago, directing a script by David Fliegel.
- The film is independently financed by the franchise's rights holder, Horror, Inc., with CatchLight Studios as production partner and Cineverse, the company behind Terrifier 3, distributing in North America.
- There is no release date, cast or plot yet: only "2027".
The last time Steve Miner made a Friday the 13th film, he gave horror one of its most recognisable faces. Now, 44 years later, he is going back to Crystal Lake.
Horror, Inc., which owns the rights to the franchise, announced on Friday, US time, that Miner will direct a new Friday the 13th feature for cinemas in 2027. It is the 13th theatrical entry in the series and the first new Jason film on the big screen since the 2009 reboot. The date of the announcement was no accident: 13 November 2026 is a Friday.
Why does Steve Miner matter to fans?
Because he is the reason Jason looks the way he does. Miner worked behind the scenes on Sean S. Cunningham’s 1980 original, then directed Part II in 1981, the film that made Jason Voorhees the killer rather than his mother. In Part III, in 1982, Jason put on the goalie mask for the first time.
“I had no idea that it would live on as one of the most iconic symbols in horror films,” Miner said. “I’m thrilled to come back and continue the legacy.”
He also directed Halloween H20: 20 Years Later in 1998. He has not directed a feature since 2008.
Who is making it?
The film is being financed and produced independently by the Barsamian family through Horror, Inc. CatchLight Studios, which worked on Heretic, is the production partner. David Fliegel wrote the script.
Cineverse will handle North American distribution. It is the company that took Terrifier 3 into cinemas in 2024, an independent, unrated slasher that became a box-office hit, which says a lot about the kind of film this is likely to be.
Robbie Barsamian, Horror, Inc.’s executive vice-president, said Jason’s identity is “inseparable from the creative choices Steve Miner brought to the screen”. He said the independent model gives the company creative control to honour the series, and promised a return to the practical, hand-made kill effects the films were known for.
Why has there been no film for so long?
For years, the franchise was tied up in a legal fight between the creators of the 1980 original over who owned what. An agreement between the rights holders since then has opened the door again: first a short film, then Crystal Lake, the prequel series for Peacock starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, Jason’s mother. All eight episodes were released on 15 October.
The new film is the next step in what Horror, Inc. calls the Jason Universe, and it puts the series back in cinemas rather than on streaming.
What does it mean for horror fans in Australia?
The announcement covers distribution in North America only. Australian release plans, like the title, cast and date, have not been announced. The calendar offers one tempting slot: the only Friday the 13th in 2027 falls on 13 August, though no one has said the film is aiming for it.
What happens next
Casting, a title and a release date are still to come. Horror, Inc. has said only that the film will reach cinemas in 2027.
Sources
- VNN
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