Crystal Lake showrunner says Jason appears in Friday the 13th prequel, but not the hockey mask
Showrunner Brad Caleb Kane has described Crystal Lake, an eight-part Friday the 13th prequel about Pamela Voorhees, in interviews with Radio Times and Collider. Kane says Jason is in the series, though the hockey mask is not.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Crystal Lake is an eight-part prequel series to the 1980 film Friday the 13th. It follows Pamela Voorhees, the mother of Jason Voorhees, and her backstory in the 1970s. Radio TimesN “now he’s created an eight-part prequel series called Crystal Lake, about Pam (Linda Cardellini) and her backstory in the 1970s.” Read at Radio Times ↗ ColliderN “is a prequel to the original 1980 film and follows the dark, troubled past of Pamela Voorhees” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 2Linda Cardellini plays Pam, Callum Vinson plays the young Jason, and William Catlett plays the town's sheriff. Brad Caleb Kane, who previously worked on It: Welcome to Derry, created the series and is its showrunner. ColliderN “Crystal Lake stars Linda Cardellini as Pam Voorhees, William Catlett as the town's valiant police sheriff, and Callum Vinson as a young Jason” Read at Collider ↗ Radio TimesN “horror fan Brad Caleb Kane (It: Welcome to Derry)” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 1Radio Times describes Pam as a single mother and cook at Camp Crystal Lake, where her sickly son Jason is a camper. He drowns through the negligence of camp counsellors, and his body is never found. This sends Pam down a path of denial and revenge. Radio TimesN “One day, he drowns due to negligence from the camp counsellors, but his body is never found, sending the grief-stricken Pam down a path of denial and revenge.” Read at Radio Times ↗
Centre · 1Kane told Radio Times that a Friday the 13th project, even a Pam Voorhees prequel, can't avoid giving fans some aspect of the Jason they want and expect. Radio TimesN ““I don’t think you can do a Friday the 13th anything, even a Pam Voorhees prequel, without giving the fans some aspect of the Jason they want and expect...”” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 1At a Collider Screening Series Q&A moderated by Perri Nemiroff, Kane said Jason did not exist in the series at the outset, but that a Friday the 13th show can't work without him, so he used Jason "liberally". Kane said the hockey mask can't appear because it doesn't arrive until Friday the 13th Part III. He added that there is still an "iconic mask" in the show and left viewers to find out more by watching. ColliderN “There was no talk of using Jason in a previous incarnation–Jason didn't exist in the series.”“We obviously can't use the hockey mask because the hockey mask doesn't come into it until Friday the 13th Part III, but that's not to say there's no mask in the show and no iconic mask in the show.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Kane also said the season includes direct recreations of scenes from the films in a slightly different context, and promised a lot of blood. Collider reports that the series is produced by A24 and is made for Peacock. ColliderN “There are direct recreations of scenes from the movies done in the series, with done in a slightly different context”“the upcoming Peacock series produced by A24” Read at Collider ↗
Centre · 1Kane said the production was handed a Pam Voorhees prequel brief, that he pitched while finishing the first season of Welcome to Derry, and that he has loved the franchise since first seeing Part III in 3D. ColliderN “All I knew before I got involved was that they wanted a Pam Voorhees prequel.”“The first one I had ever seen was Friday the 13th Part III in 3D.” Read at Collider ↗ Centre · 1Filming took place in New Jersey, where the original film was shot. The production used Camp Ocawasin, because Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick, the original location, no longer allows filming. Kane said the lake is bigger and was chosen so there could be an inlet where Jason's body might have been swept out. Radio TimesN “Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick was the setting for Camp Crystal Lake in he original film, but doesn’t allow filming now, so the new location is Camp Ocawasin.” Read at Radio Times ↗ Centre · 2In the UK and Ireland, all episodes will stream on Sky Atlantic and NOW from 19 October. Collider says only that the series premieres in October. Radio TimesN “All episodes of Crystal Lake will be available exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Atlantic and NOW on 19 October.” Read at Radio Times ↗ ColliderN “ahead of its October premiere” Read at Collider ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets run entertainment promotion built on interviews with Kane. Radio Times leads with the twist that the original killer was Jason's mother, not Jason. Collider leads with the series going 'places the movies never could' and publishes a Q&A transcript.
- Emphasis
- Kane's fandom, Cardellini's performance, Jason's presence, the mask question and the UK and Ireland release date (Radio Times). Collider adds the spoiler-light teases of film-scene recreations and gore.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Neither outlet gives critical assessment, since the series has not yet been reviewed. Radio Times does not mention Peacock or A24, and Collider gives no UK release details.
- Charged language
- “iconic horror villain”“original killer”“Officially Going Places the Movies Never Could”
- For example
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“Nearly half a century on, Friday the 13th’s original killer takes centre stage in a prequel series – and it’s not Jason...” — Radio Times
“Crystal Lake creator Brad Caleb Kane and star William Catlett tease the highly anticipated Friday the 13th prequel ahead of its October premiere.” — Collider
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Crystal Lake is an eight-part prequel to the original Friday the 13th, centred on Pamela Voorhees.
- Linda Cardellini plays Pam and Callum Vinson plays young Jason.
- Brad Caleb Kane, previously of It: Welcome to Derry, is the creator and showrunner.
- Jason features in the series.
Brad Caleb Kane person
Kane presents himself as a lifelong fan who made a Pam Voorhees prequel that still gives fans Jason, film-scene recreations and an iconic mask, without the hockey mask.
““I don’t think you can do a Friday the 13th anything, even a Pam Voorhees prequel, without giving the fans some aspect of the Jason they want and expect...”” — Radio Times
“So, I used Jason, and I used him liberally throughout the series.” — Collider
UK and Ireland1 outlet
Radio Times frames the series as a magazine feature and gives the 19 October Sky Atlantic and NOW release date.
“All episodes of Crystal Lake will be available exclusively in the UK and Ireland on Sky Atlantic and NOW on 19 October.” — Radio Times
Radio Times
North America1 outlet
Collider frames the series as a Peacock and A24 production and covers a fan-event Q&A with Kane and Catlett.
“As part of the Collider Screening Series, Perri Nemiroff moderated a Q&A with Brad Caleb Kane and William Catlett” — Collider
Collider
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre3 articles
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Crystal Lake creator Brad Caleb Kane teases Jason appearance in Friday the 13th prequel
Sympathetic Magazine interview piece that opens with Scream trivia and presents Kane as a devoted fan teasing Jason's appearance.
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Peacock’s New ‘Friday the 13th’ Series Is Officially Going Places the Movies Never Could
Celebratory Event write-up and full Q&A transcript that praises the franchise and Cardellini and relays Kane's teases about Jason, the mask and gore.
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Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 5 Oct 17:00 First Radio TimesN Crystal Lake creator Brad Caleb Kane teases Jason appearance in Friday the 13th prequel
- 5 Oct 19:08 +2h 7m Radio TimesN Crystal Lake creator on reviving Friday the 13th and teasing Jason's return
- 6 Oct 09:00 +16h ColliderN Peacock’s New ‘Friday the 13th’ Series Is Officially Going Places the Movies Never Could
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.