A24 Reported To Cease Development On ‘Friday The 13th’ Prequel

One of A24’s most anticipated projects, Crystal Lake, has reportedly been put on hold. 

Following an announcement in Halloween 2022, there has been little to no news regarding the development of the series, and it seems we may finally have an update. 

Friday The 12th

Originally ordered straight to series for the streaming platform Peacock, the A24-helmed show was intended as a prequel to the iconic horror franchise Friday the 13th. Joining A24 in the executive producer chairs were Marc Toberoff (Prey, the Hellraiser reboot), Robert Barsamian (Friday the 13th: The Game), and Victor Miller, who penned the original film. 

The series was reported as an ‘expanded prequel’ to the film saga. The film saga itself followed the story of Jason Voorhees, a drowning victim turned urban legendary serial killer who terrorises the inhabitants of Camp Crystal Lake. 

The character wasn’t even in the picture until the second film of the series, which would imply that the prequel franchise would likely follow the killings enacted by his mother, who was driven insane by his drowning. That is, without severe retconning. 

Friday No More?

A new report from industry insider Jeff Sneider states that the series is no longer in development at A24 and has been put on pause. It is unknown if this is a permanent decision or a more temporary one following the severe influx of large-scale projects with A-listers such as Paul Rudd, Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt, and more. 

An influence on this decision could be the result of sexual assault allegations pointed at showrunner Bryan Fuller (Hannibal, Star Trek: Discovery). The allegations surfaced nearly a year after Crystal Lake was announced and stemmed from his involvement in the docuseries Queer for Fear: The History of Queer Horror for AMC, but he has since been vehemently supported by others on the set of the production. 

Fuller commented on Crystal Lake back in October 2022, stating:

When it comes to horror, A24 raises the bar and pushes the envelope and I’m thrilled to be exploring the camp grounds of Crystal Lake under their banner. And Susan Rovner [Chairman of Entertainment Content for NBCUniversal Television and Streaming] is simply the best at what she does. It’s a pleasure and an honor to be working with her again.

Whatever the reason for the show’s closure of development, A24 remains one of the biggest names in horror, having worked closely with creatives on Hereditary, Midsommar, X, Talk To Me, and many more.

Crystal Lake is (or was) being developed by A24, show run by Bryan Fuller, and executive-produced by Marc Toberoff, Robert Barsamian, and Victor Miller. It was commissioned by Peacock for their streaming service. Next up for Fuller is his feature film debut, Dust Bunny, starring Mads Mikkelsen (Another Round), David Dastmalchian (Late Night With The Devil), and Sigourney Weaver (Alien).