WTF is the Jason Universe?!
After a long hiatus, momentum is building for a Friday the 13th resurgence. Screenwriter Victor Miller won his lawsuit over the rights to the original movie’s script in 2024, but that still left Jason in limbo.
The modern hockey-masked version of the character did not appear until part 3, leaving his fate uncertain even after the legal issues were resolved. Theoretically, Miller could have sued anyone who tried to make a Jason Voorhees movie without his permission, since he owns the rights to the child version, as well as his origin story and his mother Pamela.
Thankfully, both sides have finally come to their senses. With visions of millions of dollars undoubtedly dancing in their heads, they have put aside their differences to create new projects. Horror Inc. has launched a website hailing a new era in the franchise’s history. Along with the upcoming Crystal Lake series, Jason himself is receiving a bit of a makeover.
Unfortunately, this new collaboration is off to a rocky start. The mask and “Jason Universe” concept received a great deal of fan feedback online – most of it negative. Horror-related social media accounts and YouTube influencers were quick to lambast Jason’s new look, which features a redesigned mask, and the “universe” concept.
Are people overreacting to this? For now, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. I don’t think they’re planning to turn Friday the 13th into a sprawling expansive universe like Marvel. We’re not going to see Jason’s from parallel universes fighting each other or anything like that (although that *might* be fun).
Horror Inc. seems to be talking about “universe” in the sense that Jason will appear in a variety of media – movies (a big announcement in itself, since he has hasn’t had one since 2009), videogames, merchandise, and “immersive experiences” (whatever that means).
Rumors are flying that Jason will be returning to Halloween Horror Nights this year, but nothing official on that yet.
Jason’s Controversial New Look
Horror Inc. posted this picture on Twitter. It triggered a firestorm of criticism. In fairness, this isn’t a huge departure from Jason’s previous looks. Plus, it’s not like his appearance hasn’t changed before. He looks slightly different from movie to movie.
That said, I see a couple issues here. The thirteen holes on the hockey mask are cool, but look kind of weird. The eyes are too big, and Jason’s outfit seems more like ratty hiking gear than the stuff he usually wears. He’s still recognizably Jason, of course, but his appearance feels off. I think this is just a generic mockup and not the finalized version.
This may be nitpicky criticism, but Horror Inc. is going to have to get used to it. Friday the 13th has a rabid fanbase and everything they do will be debated and analyzed endlessly online.
More News To Come?
I’m confident we’ll get more news on June 13th. Not only is that a Friday, it’s also Jason’s birthday! Could there be news on an upcoming movie? I’ve always wanted to see an installment set during the winter. Think about it – a frozen Crystal Lake, Jason stomping through the snow, people getting stabbed with icicles, the possibilities are endless!
A winter Friday the 13th has been speculated about for many years, but it’s never come to fruition. I have no idea what Horror Inc. has planned, but that’s one possibility!
