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After more than a decade and more recently nasty legal entanglements, a new movie based on the franchised fan favorite “Friday the 13th” may soon appear on screen. But with this difference. Rather than being a Paramount release, it will be a franchise of its own with many familiar faces from the original films.
Jointly-written by Deborah Voorhees–yes, there is a name you may be familiar with if you followed this franchise at all, and Michigan’s own Joel Paul Reisig, this new installment will take a different direction as questions linger over who owns the name Jason Voorhees?
As it’s happened, Victor Miller, the screenwriter who wrote the original screenplay for “Friday the 13th” sued for the original film stating that he filed motions back as far as 2016 to reclaim the rights.
Because of the 1976 Copyright Act, artists have the right to sue for the rights to work they may have sold off after 35 years. This provision gives them a second chance to negotiate for a better deal after fully measuring the scope of the work’s success. It seems when Miller sold the rights to his screenplay, he only received an estimated $10,000 for his screenplay for a film which went on to gross over $130 million in 2018 money.
Instead of renegotiating with Miller, the studio argued that the story was director, Sean Cunningham’s idea, and Miller was simply hired to transcribe his vision of how the story was to play out. Who is right? It seems as though the courts are leaning in Miller’s direction.
What does this have to do with this new movie? in this one, Jason will not appear. What to do? When Voorhees started receiving messages meant to scare her, she realized that she had a new direction for what she hopes will be her movie franchise. Rather than Jason being the largely misunderstood bad-guy in this installment, a fan, who takes his love for the series too far, targets the real-life women from the franchise to kill them like they were killed in the Friday films or “improve” their deaths.
Voorhees originally wrote “13: Fanboy” with Adrienne King, one of the original scream queens in mind for the lead. Even after announcing that she was on board at a women’s panel at the Idaho Horror Film Festival, King had to back out. A stalking incident in which she had been victimized left her emotionally scarred and leery. King said this script was just too “real and frightening.”
The project does have a killer cast though. Judie Aronson (Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter), CJ Graham (Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI), Thom Matthews (Jason Lives: Friday the 13th Part VI), Tracie Savage (Friday the 13th Part III), and Ron Sloan (Friday the 13th: A New Beginning). and more are already under contract. They will each play themselves.
Deborah Voorhees, best known for her role as Tina in “Friday the 13th: A New Beginning,” will also appear. She wrote this installment with her co-producer, Joel Reisig., and will direct this movie. .
Joel Paul Reisig, is a Michigan -based producer and actor, is known for American Scream King, (2010), Altitude (2017), and A Parent’s Worst Nightmare (2018).
What do you do when a fan fails to realize that it’s just make believe? Some fans simply love you to death.
For more information about 13: Fanboy and to keep up on the latest developments be sure to follow their official Facebook page!
Voorhees Films and Be Your Own Hollywood Productions are seeking funding and have launched an Indiegogo campaign, here Depending on how much money is raised will determine how many franchise stars will show up in the film. Several more names are expected to be involved in some capacity, and Voorhees has even teased the introduction of a prominent final girl, so as long as the money raised for the budget will allow it. If you are a fan and would like to see this movie made, show your support and contribute what you can. Go here Indiegogo