On this Friday the 13th, a 13th feature film centered on hockey-masked killer Jason Voorhees was announced Friday, with Los Angeles-founded CatchLight Studios set to serve as a production partner.
Horror Inc. said the untitled film will be released theatrically worldwide in 2027. Cineverse, which operates an entertainment group in Woodland Hills, has acquired North American distribution rights, according to the studio.
Director Steve Miner, who helmed “Friday the 13th Part 2” in 1981 and “Friday the 13th Part III” the following year, will return to the franchise, studio officials said. “Part III” introduced Jason’s iconic hockey mask.
“When I put the hockey mask on Jason for `Friday the 13th Part III,’ I knew it would create a truly scary image that would work for that movie,” Miner said in a statement. “I had no idea that it would live on as one of the most iconic symbols in horror films. I’m thrilled to come back and continue the legacy.”
The new film will be written by David Fliegel and financed and produced independently by the Barsamian family, which leads Horror Inc.
“Reuniting with Steve under a fully independent model allows us the creative control to honor what makes Jason the greatest slasher of all time and deliver the definitive theatrical event that today’s audiences expect,” Robbie Barsamian, executive vice president of Horror Inc., said in a statement.
CatchLight Studios was founded in Los Angeles by producers Jeanette Volturno, Marcei Brown, Jason Clark and Jessica Malanaphy. Its recent credits include “Heretic,” “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie” and “The Blackening.”
The original “Friday the 13th” opened in 1980 and spawned 11 subsequent films, along with television, video-game and themed-entertainment spinoffs. The franchise is also expanding with the A24 prequel series “Crystal Lake.”
“Bringing an icon like Jason back to the screen requires dedication to craft and a deep respect for the fandom,” CatchLight co-founder Jeanette Volturno said. “We’re excited to collaborate with Steve and Robbie to create a practically-shot film that is relentless, cinematic and terrifying.”