Friday the 13th : The Ultimate Guide to the Classic Horror Franchise

Friday the 13th" The Ultimate Guide to the Classic Horror Franchise

For horror aficionados and casual fans alike, the name "Friday the 13th" conjures images of a hockey-masked killer and the chilling cries of Camp Crystal Lake. This iconic franchise has carved a bloody path through popular culture, spawning numerous films, novels, comics, and games. This comprehensive guide will delve deep into the history of Jason Voorhees and his reign of terror, offering a one-stop resource for everything you need to know about this enduring slasher phenomenon. Here is Friday the 13th: The Ultimate Guide to the Classic Horror Franchise.

The Genesis of Terror: From Tragedy to Legend

The origins of the Friday the 13th saga lie in the success of John Carpenter's 1978 horror masterpiece, Halloween. Inspired by its financial triumph, producer and director Sean S. Cunningham sought to create a similarly impactful and profitable slasher film. The resulting creation, Friday the 13th (1980), wasn't initially about the hockey-masked behemoth we know today.

Friday the 13th (1980)

The first film centers on a group of teenage counselors reopening Camp Crystal Lake, a summer camp with a very dark past. Years prior, in 1957, a young boy named Jason Voorhees tragically drowned in the lake due to the negligence of the teenage counselors who were supposed to be watching him. The following year, Jason's grief-stricken mother, Pamela Voorhees, took revenge by murdering the counselors she held responsible. Friday the 13th follows a new group of counselors who are stalked and brutally murdered by an unseen assailant, who is eventually revealed to be Pamela seeking vengeance for her son's death.  Get Friday the 13th (4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray) on Amazon here!


Friday the 13th (1980)
May 9, 1980
95 minutes
Budget: $550,000
Box Office: $59.8 million (Domestic)
Directed by: Sean S. Cunningham
Written by: Victor Miller

• Synopsis: Teenage counselors arrive at Camp Crystal Lake to reopen it for the summer, unaware of the tragic history and the vengeful killer lurking in the woods.
  
  
• Cast: Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Jeannine Taylor, Kevin Bacon, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan
  
  

Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) - A Masked Icon is Born

While Pamela was the killer in the original, the sequel, Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981), introduced the adult Jason Voorhees as the primary antagonist. Having witnessed his mother's death at the hands of Alice Hardy, the sole survivor of the first film, Jason has grown into a hulking, disfigured recluse living in the woods near Crystal Lake. When a new group of counselors arrives at a nearby training facility, Jason embarks on his own bloody rampage. This film marks the true beginning of Jason's reign of terror and establishes his signature machete as his weapon of choice. While he doesn't don the iconic hockey mask in this installment, instead wearing a burlap sack with a single eyehole, Part 2 is crucial in solidifying the franchise's slasher formula.

• Box Office: $21.7 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Five years after the Camp Crystal Lake murders, a new group of counselors at a nearby training camp fall prey to the vengeful Jason Voorhees.
• Cast: Amy Steel, John Furey, Adrienne King (cameo)
• Crew: Directed by Steve Miner, Written by Ron Kurz

Friday the 13th Part III (1982) is a significant entry as it's the film where Jason finally acquires his iconic hockey mask. Picking up directly after the events of Part 2, Jason continues his killing spree, encountering a group of teenagers vacationing at a lakefront property. This film was also famously released in 3D, a popular gimmick at the time, which explains some of the more overtly visual and "in your face" kills.

• Box Office: $36.7 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Jason, still on the loose, terrorizes a group of teenagers celebrating a weekend at a lake house near Crystal Lake.
• Cast: Dana Kimmell, Paul Kratka, Richard Brooker (as Jason Voorhees)
• Crew: Directed by Steve Miner, Written by Martin Jay Sadoff
  
  

Expanding the Mythos: New Settings and Supernatural Elements

Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) was initially intended to be the conclusion of the series. It introduces Tommy Jarvis, a resourceful young boy with a knack for horror and special effects, who ultimately confronts and seemingly kills Jason. This film is often considered one of the best in the franchise by fans due to its intense atmosphere and memorable characters.

• Box Office: $32.9 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Jason returns to Crystal Lake for another killing spree, but this time he encounters a determined young boy named Tommy Jarvis.
• Cast: Kimberly Beck, Corey Feldman, Crispin Glover, Ted White (as Jason Voorhees)
• Crew: Directed by Joseph Zito, Written by Barney Cohen

However, Jason's box office appeal proved too strong to ignore, leading to Friday the 13th: A New Beginning(1985). This film attempts to shift the focus away from Jason, with a new killer seemingly taking his place. Tommy Jarvis, now a teenager grappling with the trauma of his past encounter with Jason, is residing in a mental health facility near Crystal Lake. When a series of brutal murders occur, suspicion falls on Tommy, but the true killer is eventually revealed to be Roy Burns, a paramedic whose son was murdered at the facility. This installment is often considered a divisive entry among fans due to Jason's absence as the primary antagonist.

• Box Office: $21.9 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Years after seemingly killing Jason, Tommy Jarvis resides in a mental institution where a new series of murders begins, leading to questions about who the real killer is.
• Cast: John Shepherd, Melanie Kinnaman, Shavar Ross
• Crew: Directed by Danny Steinmann, Written by Martin Kitrosser and David Paulsen

Jason finally returns in Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986), and this time, he's back with a supernatural twist. Tommy Jarvis, still haunted by Jason, exhumes his corpse to ensure he's truly dead. However, a freak lightning strike reanimates Jason, turning him into an seemingly immortal killing machine. This film injects a more self-aware and action-oriented tone into the series.

• Box Office: $19.5 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Tommy Jarvis accidentally resurrects Jason Voorhees, who returns as a seemingly unstoppable, undead killing force.
• Cast: Thom Mathews, Jennifer Cooke, David Kagen
• Crew: Directed and Written by Tom McLoughlin

Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) introduces a telekinetic teenager named Tina Shepard who accidentally unleashes Jason from his watery grave at Crystal Lake. This film features a memorable showdown between Tina's psychic abilities and Jason's brute strength.

• Box Office: $19.1 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: A young woman with telekinetic powers accidentally revives Jason Voorhees from the bottom of Crystal Lake.
• Cast: Lar Park-Lincoln, Kevin Blair, John Otrin
• Crew: Directed by John Carl Buechler, Written by Daryl Haney

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) sees Jason inexplicably transported to New York City via a cruise ship filled with graduating high school students. While the title suggests a full-fledged rampage through the Big Apple, a significant portion of the film takes place on the ship.

• Box Office: $14.3 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Jason stows away on a cruise ship bound for New York City and begins terrorizing the graduating class on board.
• Cast: Jensen Daggett, Scott Reeves, Kane Hodder (as Jason Voorhees)
• Crew: Directed and Written by Rob Hedden

Into the New Millennium: Sci-Fi and Beyond

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) attempts to provide a definitive end to Jason's story, albeit in a bizarre and controversial way. Jason is seemingly blown to bits by the FBI, but his evil spirit survives and can possess other living beings, continuing his killing spree. This film introduces the concept of the Voorhees bloodline and a mystical dagger that can permanently kill Jason.

• Box Office: $15.9 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Jason is seemingly killed, but his evil spirit lives on, possessing different bodies as he continues his murderous rampage.
• Cast: John D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Steven Williams
• Crew: Directed by Adam Marcus, Written by Jay Huguely and Dean Lorey

Jason X (2001) takes the franchise to a whole new level – literally. Set in the distant future, Jason is cryogenically frozen and accidentally revived aboard a spaceship. He then proceeds to terrorize the ship's crew and a group of students. This film is known for its over-the-top violence and its departure from the traditional Crystal Lake setting.

• Box Office: $13.1 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: In the future, Jason is revived on a spaceship and begins hunting the crew and students on board.
• Cast: Kane Hodder (as Jason Voorhees), Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder
• Crew: Directed by James Isaac, Written by Todd Farmer
  
  

The Ultimate Showdown and Reboot

Freddy vs. Jason (2003) was a long-awaited crossover event that pitted two of horror's biggest icons against each other. Freddy Krueger, the dream-stalking killer from the Nightmare on Elm Street series, manipulates Jason into returning to Elm Street to sow fear and allow Freddy to regain his power. The film culminates in an epic battle between the two monstrous figures.

• Box Office: $82.6 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: Freddy Krueger manipulates Jason Voorhees into returning to Elm Street, leading to a brutal showdown between the two horror icons.
• Cast: Robert Englund (as Freddy Krueger), Ken Kirzinger (as Jason Voorhees), Monica Keena
• Crew: Directed by Ronny Yu, Written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift

The franchise was rebooted with Friday the 13th (2009). This film serves as both an origin story and a re-imagining of the first few films, featuring a much more agile and brutal Jason Vorhees. It follows a group of young adults who stumble upon Jason's territory in the woods surrounding Crystal Lake.

• Box Office: $65.0 million (Domestic)
• Synopsis: A group of young adults vacationing near Crystal Lake encounter the legendary killer Jason Voorhees.
• Cast: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Derek Mears (as Jason Voorhees)
• Crew: Directed by Marcus Nispel, Written by Damian Shannon and Mark Swift and Mark Wheaton
  
  Get Friday the 13th (2009) (4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray) on Amazon here!
  
  

Beyond the Silver Screen: Novels, Comics, and Games

The Friday the 13th universe extends beyond the thirteen films, offering fans more ways to immerse themselves in the lore and terror.

Novels: Several novelizations of the films were released, often providing more in-depth character development and backstories. Original novels expanding the Friday the 13th mythos were also published, exploring new characters and scenarios within the established universe. These books offered a different perspective on Jason and the world around Crystal Lake.

Comic Books: Various comic book series and one-shots have been published by different companies over the years, including Marvel Comics, Topps Comics, and WildStorm. These comics often feature new storylines, pitting Jason against new victims and sometimes even other horror icons. They allowed writers and artists to explore more extreme and imaginative scenarios that might not have been feasible on film.

Video Games: The Friday the 13th franchise has had a presence in the video game world since the late 1980s. Early games were often loosely based on the films, offering side-scrolling or top-down perspectives. In 2017, a dedicated multiplayer survival horror game, Friday the 13th: The Game, was released, allowing players to either step into the hockey mask of Jason or play as a camp counselor trying to survive his onslaught. This game offered a unique and immersive experience for fans, capturing the tension and terror of the films.



TV Series:  

Friday the 13th: The Series is a television show that ran for 72 episodes across 3 seasons in first run syndication. Airing from October 3, 1987 through May 26, 1990, the series followed two cousins who find out after selling all the items from an inherited antiques store that the items are all cursed. The format of the series follows them as they look to get back each of the objects.  

Despite the name, Friday the 13th: The Series has no narrative connection to the films or any of the characters in the films. It was originally titled The 13th Hour but was changed to cash in on the success of the movies. Get Friday the 13th: The Series (The Complete Series DVD Collection) on Amazon here!


Crystal Lake is an upcoming prequel series set before the Friday the 13th movies and will air exclusively on Peacock. From prestigious studio A24 (Everything Everywhere All At Once, Hereditary, Moonlight), the show runner Brad Caleb Kane (It: Welcome to Derry) will write, direct and produce the show, while Linda Cardellini will star as Pamela Vorhees.

The Enduring Legacy of Friday the 13th

The Friday the 13th franchise has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the horror genre. Jason Voorhees has become a globally recognized icon of slasher films, his hockey mask and machete instantly recognizable. The franchise's success lies in its simple yet effective formula: a relentless, silent killer stalking and dispatching unsuspecting victims in gruesome ways. While the quality of the films has varied over the years, the enduring appeal of Jason and the eerie atmosphere of Crystal Lake continue to captivate audiences. The franchise's exploration of themes like revenge, the consequences of negligence, and the seemingly unstoppable nature of evil have resonated with viewers for decades. As new generations discover the terror of Camp Crystal Lake, the legend of Friday the 13th is sure to endure for years to come.