A24's Friday the 13th prequel series Crystal Lake might not be dead in the water after all, as Brad Caleb Kane (the upcoming It: Welcome to Derry) has officially stepped into the role of showrunner after Bryan Fuller's departure earlier this year.
Deadline, who reported the news earlier today, provided this statement from Kane on his recent hiring as showrunner, series creator, writer and executive producer:
From the moment I watched Jason Voorhees squeeze a guy’s eyeball out of its socket (in glorious 3D!) at the tender age of 8 years old, I knew my creative path was someday destined to converge with The Man Behind The Mask [..] Nothing defined my childhood more than growing up in the golden age of the slasher flick, and nothing’s defined the genre more than Friday The 13th. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to contribute a chapter to this iconic franchise, particularly with such fearless partners as Peacock and A24.
To refresh your memory, Crystal Lake was initially announced back in late 2022, and was described as an “expanded prequel” to Friday the 13th, one that would include both Jason Voorhees and his mother, Pamela.
Fuller's departure from Crystal Lake came as a shock earlier this year, especially after details of the project came to light, including that Charlize Theron was set to play Pamela Voorhees, and that directors like Vincenzo Natali (Cube) and Kimberly Peirce (Carrie) were earmarked to direct episodes, with Scream‘s Kevin Williamson set to write an episode-long chase scene set entirely on a frozen Crystal Lake.
In addition to Kane and A24, Deadline report that exec producers on the series include Victor Miller, who wrote the screenplay for the franchise’s original 1980 film, Miller’s copyright attorney Marc Toberoff, Robert M. Barsamian and Robert P. Barsamian.
Deadline also remind that, alongside It: Welcome to Derry, Kane served as a writer and executive producer on Max’s Tokyo Vice and Cinemax’s Warrior, as well as working on shows like Moonhaven, Lodge 49, Black Sails, Fringe, and Crash.
While the reason for Crystal Lake‘s staff reshuffling is still unconfirmed (a report from TheWrap cited “inexperienced production executives” and “questionable decisions”, among budget concerns), having Kane on board is certainly an exciting prospect for the future of Crystal Lake.
We'll bring you more Crystal Lake updates as they come.
