Jason Voorhees Returns in 2027 as Steve Miner Directs 13th ‘FRIDAY THE 13TH’ Film
Jason Voorhees Returns in 2027 as ‘FRIDAY THE 13TH’ Director Steve Miner Takes the Helm of Franchise’s 13th Film
Jason Voorhees is returning to theaters for the first time in nearly two decades, with veteran filmmaker Steve Miner set to direct the 13th installment of the FRIDAY THE 13TH franchise. The upcoming slasher will mark the series' first theatrical feature since the 2009 reboot, bringing one of horror cinema's most recognizable killers back to the big screen in 2027.
Miner, who directed FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 (1981) and FRIDAY THE 13TH PART III (1982), will return to the franchise from a screenplay by David Fliegel. The project will be independently financed and produced by the Barsamian family through Horror, Inc., the company overseeing the FRIDAY THE 13TH intellectual property and its expanding Jason Universe.
The announcement reunites the franchise with a filmmaker responsible for two of Jason Voorhees' most defining cinematic developments.
Miner's FRIDAY THE 13TH PART 2 established Jason as the series' primary killer, while PART III introduced the hockey mask that would become inseparable from the character's identity and the franchise's visual legacy.
"When I put the hockey mask on Jason for FRIDAY THE 13TH PART III, I knew it would create a truly scary image that would work for that movie," Miner said in a statement announcing his return. "I had no idea that it would live on as one of the most iconic symbols in horror films. I'm thrilled to come back and continue the legacy."
The new installment will be produced under an independent financing model, a decision that Horror, Inc. says will provide greater creative control over the franchise's theatrical direction.
Robbie Barsamian, Executive Vice President of Horror, Inc., emphasized Miner's importance to the series and the decision to bring him back for its next chapter.
"For generations of fans, Jason's identity is inseparable from the creative choices Steve Miner brought to the screen," Barsamian said.
He added that the independent production structure will allow the filmmakers to honor the character's established identity while developing a theatrical release intended for contemporary audiences.
CatchLight Studios has joined the project as a production partner, while Cineverse has acquired North American distribution rights, including theatrical distribution.
CatchLight's previous horror productions include A24's HERETIC and the Sandra Oh-led supernatural horror film UMMA.
Cineverse has become increasingly associated with independent genre releases, particularly through its involvement with the TERRIFIER franchise and its theatrical distribution strategy.
Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cineverse, described Jason as one of cinema's most recognizable characters and emphasized the company's experience bringing independent horror productions to theatrical audiences.
"Jason is one of the most recognizable figures in cinema history," McGurk said. "We have a proven track record of empowering uncompromising genre filmmaking and connecting it directly with passionate audiences."
"Bringing an icon like Jason back to the screen requires dedication to craft and a deep respect for the fandom," Volturno said.
The filmmakers intend to emphasize practical effects and physical horror, elements closely associated with the franchise's early installments and its longstanding reputation for elaborate slasher sequences.
Specific story details, casting information and the identity of the performer who will portray Jason have not yet been announced.
The 2027 film will arrive during a renewed period of activity for the FRIDAY THE 13TH franchise, following years in which legal disputes and uncertainty surrounding the property's rights complicated efforts to develop additional theatrical installments.
The series began with Sean S. Cunningham's original FRIDAY THE 13TH in 1980, an independently produced slasher made for approximately $550,000.
Set around Camp Crystal Lake, the film followed a group of young counselors preparing to reopen a summer camp while an unidentified killer stalked the surrounding grounds.
Its commercial success established the foundation for a long-running franchise that expanded through sequels, crossover productions and a 2009 reboot.
Although Jason was not the central killer in the original film, subsequent installments transformed him into the franchise's defining antagonist.
His hockey mask, machete and association with Camp Crystal Lake became enduring elements of American horror iconography, helping the character maintain a substantial following across several generations.
The franchise's previous theatrical release, Marcus Nispel's FRIDAY THE 13TH reboot, arrived in February 2009, reintroducing Jason and the Crystal Lake setting to a new audience.
Despite continued interest in the property, plans for another feature repeatedly stalled in the years that followed.
The upcoming 13th installment will therefore represent the franchise's first new theatrical feature in approximately 18 years.
The announcement also follows the expansion of the Jason Universe, an initiative launched by Horror, Inc. in 2024 to develop new projects involving the character across film, television and other entertainment formats.
Among those projects is CRYSTAL LAKE, the Peacock and A24 prequel television series featuring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees and Callum Vinson as a young Jason.
The eight-episode series premiered October 15, 2026, and generated approximately 1.3 billion minutes viewed during its first 11 days, according to Nielsen figures cited in the announcement.
The series became one of Peacock's strongest scripted-original debuts, demonstrating continued audience interest in the franchise ahead of Jason's theatrical return.
The Jason Universe has also expanded through SWEET REVENGE, a short film directed by Mike P. Nelson and developed in connection with the franchise's 45th anniversary.
Together, these productions represent a broader effort to reestablish FRIDAY THE 13TH across multiple formats while maintaining the character's presence within contemporary horror entertainment.
The decision to bring Miner back for the next theatrical installment provides a direct connection to the franchise's formative years.
His previous contributions helped establish the visual and narrative conventions that would define Jason across subsequent films, including the character's transformation into a persistent, physically imposing antagonist.
For longtime fans, the return of practical effects and an experienced franchise director signals an intention to reconnect the new production with the filmmaking traditions associated with the original sequels.
At the same time, the involvement of Cineverse and CatchLight Studios places the project within the current independent horror distribution landscape, where theatrical releases have demonstrated the commercial potential of established genre properties.
The new FRIDAY THE 13TH film is currently scheduled for release in 2027, although an exact theatrical premiere date has not been announced.
Additional details concerning the story, cast and production schedule are expected as development moves forward.
With Steve Miner returning to the director's chair, the franchise's 13th installment will bring Jason Voorhees back to theaters nearly two decades after his last feature-film appearance
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