A new Jason Voorhees has joined the Friday the 13th universe, as Callum Vinson (Chucky, Long Bright River) boards Peacock‘s prequel series Crystal Lake from A24. Brad Caleb Kane serves as creator, writer, showrunner and executive producer of the series.
The hockey mask-wearing serial killer from the big screen is the son of Pamela Voorhees, to be played by Linda Cardellini in the new show. Cardellini’s Pamela is believed to be a mother who gave up a singing career to raise a special needs child and takes a dark turn when she loses her son.
Crystal Lake is a town, a lake, and a summer camp in the franchise, the setting of the series. Voorhees drowned in the lake as a child, which led to his mother’s killing spree at the camp to avenge his “death.” Jason witnessed his mother’s decapitation by a camp counselor, which sets him off on a murder spree of his own that haunts the area across 12 films. Vinson is billed as a recurring guest star, as this new project focuses on Pamela.
Jason, created by Victor Miller, has been played by multiple actors, including Ari Lehman, who brought the character to life in the original film. Additional actors include Warrington Gillette, Steve Dash, Richard Brooker, Ted White, Tom Morga, C.J. Graham, Kane Hodder, Ken Kirzinger and Derek Mears.
L-R: Nick Cordileone, Joy Suprano, Danielle Kotch and Phoenix Parnevik
Robb Sap/Paul Smith/Stan Demidoff/Zachary Smith
In addition to Vinson, Nick Cordileone (Warrior), Joy Suprano (Fleishman is in Trouble, Best Foot Forward), Danielle Kotch (Director’s Cut), and Phoenix Parnevik (Bel-Air, Don’t Tell Mom The Babysitter Is Dead) have joined the cast.
Cordileone will play Ralph, Joy Suprano as Rita, Kotch as Claudette, and Parnevik as Barry.
The character Barry Jackson (Willie Adams) appeared in the original Friday the 13th film as a camp counselor and, famously, Pamela’s (played by Betsy Palmer in the OG film) first victim. His girlfriend, Claudette Hayes (Debra S. Hayes), also a camp counselor, was Pamela’s second victim.
Ralph, known as Crazy Ralph, appeared in the first two films. He is a longtime Crystal Lake resident who drunkenly rambles about the curse of Camp Crystal Lake. Potentially, if this is the same Ralph Cordileone plays, it could be revealed what he saw or knew that caused this lifelong trauma. It’s worth noting that the above characters could differ from those portrayed in the prequel, and even if they are the same, their stories could evolve into something different.
Crystal Lake also stars William Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, and Gwendolyn Sundstrom.
The prequel is executive produced by A24, Kane, Marc Toberoff, Victor Miller, Robert M. Barsamian, Robert P. Barsamian and Stuart Manashil.
Vinson is represented by Rebel Creative Group & Innovative Artists; Cordileone is represented by DGRW; Suprano is represented by Amplified; Kotch is represented Paradigm and Stagecoach Entertainment; Parnevik is represented by Madhouse Talent Management and BRS / Gage.