Crystal Lake, the Friday the 13th prequel series coming to Peacock, has finally cast its Jason Voorhees, but there’s a big twist some fans might not have been expecting. According to Deadline, young actor Callum Vinson will portray Jason in what’s described as a “recurring guest star role.” What’s notable about Vinson’s casting is it confirms Crystal Lake will show Jason as a child, a time before he became the horrifying killer fans know from the various Friday the 13th movies. Pamela Voorhees, Jason’s mother (played by Linda Cardellini on Crystal Lake), is set to be the primary focus of the series.
Signing on to play Jason marks Vinson’s latest endeavor in the horror genre. He previously portrayed Henry Collins in seven episodes of the TV show Chucky, and he’s also appeared in projects such as Dead Ringers and Oak.
In late June, Crystal Lake officially began production, shooting under the codename “Mama’s Boy.” The project endured a bumpy ride throughout development, overhauling the creative team at one point (Brad Caleb Kane replaced Bryan Fuller as showrunner). The show marks the first new project for the Friday the 13th franchise since the 2009 reboot. The franchise has been subject to a length legal battle involving the rights to the IP.
Cardellini’s involvement with Crystal Lake was confirmed back in March. The Emmy nominee leads a cast that also includes the likes of William Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, and Gwendolyn Sundstrom.
Telling a story featuring a child Jason is how Crystal Lake is able to skirt around the legal issues concerning the franchise. The showrunners don’t have to worry about ironing out rights matters since the series won’t have the adult, hockey-mask-wearing slasher villain who’s become a pop culture icon. This is a creative way to keep the IP in the spotlight while those legal matters continue to be sorted out. It doesn’t seem as if Vinson will appear in every episode of Crystal Lake since he’s a recurring guest star, but Jason will undoubtedly play an important role on the show. As fans know, Pamela Voorhees is the killer in the original Friday the 13th movie, seeking revenge after Jason seemingly drowned at Camp Crystal Lake.
Jason’s dynamic with Pamela will be an integral component of Crystal Lake, showing how the loss of a child can have a severe impact on someone. Crystal Lake is a slasher series, so it will maintain the franchise’s trademark genre thrills, but the fact that A24 is behind it suggests there will be a greater depth to the storytelling. The studio is famous for its standout works in the horror realm, frequently releasing inventive projects that put more of an artistic spin on established concepts. Hopefully Crystal Lake lives up to that reputation.
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