Friday the 13th Star Offers Update on Crystal Lake TV Series and Teases Release Date

The theatrical future of the Friday the 13th franchise might be on an indefinite hold, but the long-running slasher series isn’t dead yet, as Peacock is developing the prequel TV show Crystal Lake that will see the return of original star Adrienne King. The actor recently took to Instagram to share a photo of herself alongside Crystal Lake creator Bryan Fuller, which also included a hashtag that the series would be arriving in 2024. This release date might not be much of a surprise, given that we’re nearing April, but any fans who were hoping the project could debut later this year will likely be disappointed.

“Happy Friday Campers! Bryan Fuller, our bloody brilliant Head Counselor/ Producer of Crystal Lake, the upcoming series & I had another exciting meeting filling me on what’s in store for us at Camp Blood! Always a joy & can’t wait until I’m able share some details!” King captioned the photo.

Between the abandoned The Munsters prequel Mockingbird Lane and Hannibal, Crystal Lake marks the third effort from Fuller to expand an iconic horror franchise in unexpected ways. 

“Friday the 13th is one of the most iconic horror franchises in movie history and we were dying to revisit this story with our upcoming drama series Crystal Lake,” Susan Rovner, chairman of entertainment content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, shared in a statement when the project was announced. “We can’t wait to get to work with Bryan Fuller, a gifted, visionary creator who I’ve had the pleasure of being a longtime friend and collaborator, along with our incredible partners at A24, in this updated version for Peacock that will thrill long-standing fans of the franchise.”  

The last entry into the series came in 2009 with a reboot of the core concept, which was met with mixed reactions from audiences and critics. Various reports of new installments in the series emerged in subsequent years, yet legal issues prevented any of those projects from earning significant momentum.

The original 1980 film was directed by Sean S. Cunningham, who had hired Victor Miller to write the script. The pair have been immersed in litigation over who owns the rights to the franchise’s title and characters, with studios unable to move forward on any projects as that lawsuit was being debated. With Crystal Lake taking place years before the events of the original movie and not utilizing the Friday the 13th title, this seemingly allows the project to be developed regardless of the outcome between Cunningham and Miller.

Stay tuned for details on Crystal Lake, which is expected for 2024.

Are you looking forward to the project? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!