Earlier this year, A24 and Peacock’s planned Friday the 13th television series, “Crystal Lake,” hit a major snag when showrunner Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal”) was fired, leaving the future of the project uncertain. So, what really went wrong? The Wrap has just released an exclusive report that sheds light on the behind-the-scenes turmoil.
For a quick refresher, Peacock had given “Crystal Lake” a straight-to-series order in 2022. The series was described as an “expanded prequel” to the original Friday the 13th franchise, featuring both Jason Voorhees and his mother, Pamela. According to The Wrap’s new report, Charlize Theron was being considered for the role of Mrs. Voorhees!
Additional details from The Wrap reveal that an episode written by Kevin Williamson (Scream) was set to take place “entirely on a frozen Crystal Lake,” with Williamson recently describing the episode as “an hour-long chase.” Friday the 13th fans have long desired a winter-themed installment, and A24 was set to deliver just that.
Furthermore, Vincenzo Natali (Cube, Splice) and Kimberly Peirce (Boys Don’t Cry, Carrie) were lined up to direct episodes, with the budget reaching around $10 million per episode. With eight episodes planned for the first season, it would have cost A24 roughly $85 million to bring the series to life, with additional seasons being planned.
The Wrap’s new report includes exciting details about the series, such as an episode written by Kevin Williamson (Scream) that was to take place “entirely on a frozen Crystal Lake,” described by Williamson as “an hour-long chase.” Fans have long desired a winter-themed installment, and A24 was poised to deliver.
Natali recently tweeted, “I have read the first two episodes. Bryan Fuller’s Crystal Lake was well on its way to becoming another Hannibal-level reinvention that was simultaneously beautiful, sad, poetic, funny, and horrifying. I mourn its passing.”
So, what happened? According to The Wrap, Bryan Fuller was fired just three months before production was set to begin. The report attributes this to inexperienced production executives making questionable decisions, issues with the show’s writing staff, and conflicts between showrunners and executives.
You can read more about these issues in The Wrap’s in-depth report, which explores the various challenges that led to A24 pulling the plug on Fuller’s vision. The silver lining? A24 reportedly hasn’t abandoned the series altogether.
A24 and Peacock are currently searching for a new showrunner, with Nick Antosca (“Channel Zero,” “Brand New Cherry Flavor”) rumored to be a contender. The Wrap notes, “According to one source close to the project, A24 is still committed to making the show, although it’s unclear if the studio will use the original Fuller scripts and outlines or start from scratch with new creative leadership.” If Antosca takes over, he is expected to “jettison” the work already done.
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