With the amount of new “Friday the 13th“-themed film, TV and gaming content coming out this year and a wave of new Jason Voorhees merch popping up, a casual horror fan would be forgiven for thinking a big anniversary is afoot. However, the Jason Universe actually celebrated its 45th birthday last year.
Now, IP owner Horror, Inc. is just continuing a strategy that was successfully set in motion a few years ago to bring Jason back into the zeitgeist with short film “Sweet Revenge” (which was shortlisted at Cannes), the upcoming Peacock TV series “Camp Crystal Lake” (which debuts in October with Linda Cardellini starring as Pamela Voorhees), the launch of an in-game crossover with Behaviour Interactive’s “Dead by Daylight” last month, and a slew of brand deals set at this year’s Licensing Expo.
“Starting with our 45th anniversary celebration in 2025, our approach to bringing new film, TV, gaming, immersive experiences and merchandise to life has been intentionally planned,” Horror, Inc. executive vice president Robbie Barsamian told Variety. “We’re giving long-time fans what they’ve been asking for while at the same time inviting new fans into the franchise in a variety of ways. We want to make sure Jason remains the icon that he is for the next 45 years.”
See below for more from Variety‘s interview with Horror, Inc.’s Barsamian, in which he teases that these 2026 projects are just “the tip of the iceberg” for the Jason Universe’s future.
How have you approached the way Jason has been incorporated into the gaming world? Is there a specific type of game you see as a good fit and a specific way you want the character to be used and portrayed?
When Jason steps into other gaming worlds, we want to adapt him to his new surroundings while keeping his core DNA intact, so he continues to feel like the relentless force he is wherever he goes. We want to make sure that in any game, his physical presence is imposing, he moves only like Jason would, and he leaves players’ hearts racing.
Sweet Revenge and Camp Crystal Lake are two very different projects set in the Jason Universe. How have the teams approached these two and what purposes do you think they each serve in the franchise?
They are two completely different approaches to storytelling, and that’s exactly the point. “Sweet Revenge” was a 13-minute thrill ride that gave audiences a taste of Jason in 2025. On the flip side, the “Crystal Lake” TV series will take fans back in time to tell the story of how Pamela Voorhees came to be the mother of all slashers.
When it comes to expanding the brand across new licensing and merch deals, is there a strict focus on nostalgia or are you open to different ways of updating the character and the story for a new generation?
We want to give fans fresh takes on what they love most about Jason and continue to expand his world in authentic ways that resonate with horror fans today. “Dead by Daylight” gave a nod to fan-favorite legacy versions of Jason when they designed three additional skins (Backwoods Terror, Depths of Despair, and Death Forsaken) but completely reimagined them through the lens of their nightmare horror game world. “Sweet Revenge” surprised fans with some of the bloodiest Jason kills we’ve ever seen and an unexpected final girl twist while dropping legacy references throughout.
Can you tease what else might be in the works for the franchise in the future? What haven’t you done that you would like to?
We’ve been busy behind the scenes laying the foundation that everyone is finally starting to see come to life, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have a thrilling lineup of new projects that we can’t wait to share more details on soon.