The fact that Jason Voorhees didn’t drown at summer camp is just one surprise in his backstory. With a new Friday the 13th movie coming, we’re going to learn more about the serial killer’s past. In an interview with The Reel World, producer Brad Fuller revealed that the project “kind of started over” before moving forward to give a better understanding of the character.
Fuller clarified that it is “origin-ish,” but also that “it’s an origin that no one has seen before.” He promised that this origin will be “different” from what we’ve seen in previous movies. Naturally, some elements will be familiar, though; for example, Pamela — Jason’s mom and fellow serial killer — will be involved.
The producer is enthusiastic about the project, which is gaining headway where other attempts failed to capture his interest. “There was a lot of found-footage scripts that they wanted us to make, and I was not going to do that because I don’t think that can exist in Jason Voorhees’ world,” Fuller told The Reel World.
However, when Aaron Guzikowki (Prisoners) submitted a draft of the screenplay, he managed to win over Fuller and his partners. “Aaron’s story has great characters,” the producer said. “You kind of have to understand Jason Voorhees, so we go back … and work our way forward.”
It does sound like an interesting direction for the latest installment in an already prolific film franchise, as long as it can distinguish itself from previous movies, especially the 2009 Friday the 13th reboot. Because so much has already been done with the character, finding a fresh spin is key.
The project, which is still in the early stages, is being produced by Fuller with Michael Bay and Andrew Form, his Platinum Dunes production partners. No timeline for release has been announced yet.
