Friday the 13th Getting 40th-Anniversary Blu-ray SteelBook

Times have been tough for Friday the 13th fans in recent years as we patiently wait for a new installment in the franchise to be developed, but one bright spot for the series is that a new SteelBook Blu-ray will be hitting shelves in May to honor the 40th anniversary of the original film's release. In addition to this new release featuring enticing artwork on its cover, the Blu-ray will be the uncut version of the film, with the release also including a number of special features. The new Friday the 13th SteelBook Blu-ray is set to hit shelves on May 5th.

Amazon describes the new release, "RIP into the chilling UNCUT EDITION of Friday the 13th. With the addition of unrated footage, and insightful special features, plunge deeper into the film that spawned eleven sequels and the genre's unstoppable bad guy, Jason Voorhees. A new owner and several young counselors gather to reopen Camp Crystal Lake, where a young boy drowned and several vicious murders occurred years earlier. They've ignored locals' warnings that the place has a death curse… and one by one they find out how unlucky Friday the 13th can be as they are stalked by a violent killer."

This new release serves as an exciting opportunity to remember the series' origins, but when looking towards its future, things aren't nearly as exciting. The last film in the franchise is 2009's reboot, with the series seeing a number of starts and stops on different projects, as an ongoing legal battle has stagnated the series indefinitely.

To cash in on the growing slasher craze, filmmaker Sean S. Cunningham set out to direct a film inspired by the title "Friday the 13th," ultimately hiring Victor Miller to write a script to fit the name. The franchise became a major success, with Miller attempting to seek more ownership over the series in recent years due to his contributions.

What makes the legal battle confusing is that, while the series is known for the hockey mask-wearing Jason Voorhees, that image wasn't introduced until the third film. If an agreement can't be made between the two parties, it's possible a new Friday the 13th would have to abandon the iconic murderer, or that a film focusing on Voorhees wouldn't be able to use the famous franchise title.

As we wait for the legal dust to clear, at least this new Blu-ray will help remind us of the series' origins.

Will you be adding the disc to your collection? Let us know in the comments below or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!

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