Director Mike P. Nelson, known for his horror work, released his remake of Silent Night, Deadly Night this week. While promoting the film, he confirmed that he has also pitched an idea for a new movie in the Friday the 13th franchise. Nelson said that the project’s future now depends on the producers, but hinted that his approach could bring a new direction for Jason Voorhees.
In an interview with Slash Film, Nelson discussed his involvement with the so-called Jason Universe. The brand was created after a long legal dispute over the rights to Friday the 13th finally ended. Horror Inc., which now controls the property, has been developing new stories under this label. Company executive Robbie Barsamian confirmed earlier that a new film was in the works. Nelson explained that he has already spoken with the team about his ideas, saying:
“They are working on it, that I can promise you, because I’ve heard of it and because I have that direct communication with them, it’s there. So that’s really happening. And yes, they have reached out [to me about it]. As have other people. I can’t say too much, but I will say that I have given my two cents, I have given them my take, and right now it’s in their court, and we’ll go from there.”
Nelson did not go into detail about his proposal but spoke candidly about how franchises sometimes lose their creative spark by sticking too closely to the originals. He said:
“I think a lot of IPs loses its luster because it’s way too ‘holier than thou’ and ‘we need to be careful.’ Dude, get over it, man. Get out there and try something. That’s the reason why the original content worked so well is because somebody went out and did something, you know what I mean? And they did something that was different. So why not do something different?”
Horror Inc. is already expanding the property with Crystal Lake, a Peacock series that serves as a prequel to Friday the 13th. The show finished filming recently, but no release date has been announced. It will explore the events that led to the creation of the franchise’s mythology rather than centering on Jason himself.
The @JasonUniverse13 unveils their trailer for the official return of #JasonVoorhees. Check out Sweet Revenge now! pic.twitter.com/QxElscl1Hc
— Friday The 13th: The Franchise 🪓 (@F13thFranchise) July 26, 2025
Jason Voorhees made a brief return in 2025 through a short film titled Sweet Revenge. It was a partnership between beverage company Angry Orchard and Horror Inc., directed by Nelson. The short featured Jason in a modern setting and gave fans a glimpse of how the series might evolve. However, the video has since been removed from YouTube. The fan site @F13thFranchise reported on X that the removal may be tied to the end of Angry Orchard’s promotional contract.
Sweet Revenge was notable for being the first screen appearance of Jason in more than ten years. Though it used a new design for the character, the short successfully reminded audiences of the franchise’s appeal. Nelson’s direction suggested that if his full-length pitch goes forward, the result could bring a bolder and more current tone to the long-running series.
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English (US) · 