What Happened to Friday the 13th (film franchise)?

The 'Friday the 13th' franchise began its cinematic journey with the release of the original slasher film on May 9, 1980, directed by Sean S. Cunningham and written by Victor Miller. The low-budget film was a significant box office success, grossing nearly $40 million domestically and spawning a rapid succession of sequels throughout the 1980s. Over the decades, the franchise expanded to include twelve films, a television series, novels, comic books, and video games, establishing Jason Voorhees and his hockey mask as horror icons.

However, the franchise entered a prolonged period of inactivity after the 2009 reboot, primarily due to a complex legal dispute over its intellectual property rights. In 2016, original screenwriter Victor Miller invoked a provision of the 1976 U.S. Copyright Act, which allows authors to reclaim rights to their work after 35 years, and filed a termination notice to regain control of his script for the first film. Producer Sean S. Cunningham, through his company Horror Inc., countered, arguing that Miller's screenplay was a 'work for hire,' meaning the copyright belonged to the employer.

The legal battle was protracted, with a U.S. District Court Judge ruling in favor of Miller in 2018, affirming he was an independent contractor and not an employee. This decision was upheld by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in September 2021, granting Miller the domestic rights to the original 1980 screenplay and its characters, including Pamela Voorhees and the child Jason. Crucially, this ruling meant Miller controlled the elements from the first film, but not the adult Jason Voorhees character (who first appeared in Friday the 13th Part 2 and donned the iconic hockey mask in Part III) or the franchise's title, which remained with Cunningham's Horror Inc. and its partners for international rights and sequel content.

The split ownership created a legal limbo that stalled new film and game developments for years. For instance, Friday the 13th: The Game, released in 2017, had to halt new content in 2018 and was eventually pulled from sale in December 2024 due to these licensing issues. However, by 2024 and into 2025, significant progress was made. Horror Inc. announced the formation of 'Jason Universe,' indicating a collaborative effort to move the franchise forward.

As of March 2026, the franchise is experiencing a significant resurgence. A prequel streaming series titled "Crystal Lake," developed by A24 for Peacock, has wrapped filming as of October 2025 and is slated for a 2026 release. This series, created by Brad Caleb Kane and executive produced by Victor Miller, will explore the origins of Pamela and young Jason Voorhees, set primarily in the 1970s. Furthermore, at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2025, Horror Inc. Vice President Robbie Barsamian confirmed that a new sequel film and a new video game are both in active development under the 'Jason Universe' banner, marking the first official new film and game announcements in 16 years. These projects aim to honor the franchise's legacy while exploring new creative directions, signaling a new era for the beloved horror property.