A couple of years ago, the Friday the 13th franchise rights holders at Horror, Inc. announced that they were launching the Jason Universe, which would encompass “new Friday the 13th activations that will span a wide range of platforms from entertainment, games, immersive experiences, merchandise and more to be announced @JasonUniverse13 on social media or by visiting the official Jason Universe website.” That has led to the release of a lot of fresh merchandise, the 15-minute short film called Sweet Revenge (which was a collaboration with Angry Orchard Hard Cider), and the addition of Jason Voorhees into the video games Black Ops 6, Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, and Dead by Daylight. Soon, we’ll be seeing the prequel TV series Crystal Lake – and Horror, Inc.’s executive vice president Robbie Barsamian promises this is all just “the tip of the iceberg.”
Speaking with Variety, Barsamian said the company has spent the last several years carefully laying the groundwork for Jason’s return to the spotlight, and that strategy is now beginning to pay off.
“Starting with our 45th anniversary celebration in 2025, our approach to bringing new film, TV, gaming, immersive experiences and merchandise to life has been intentionally planned. We’re giving long-time fans what they’ve been asking for while at the same time inviting new fans into the franchise in a variety of ways. We want to make sure Jason remains the icon that he is for the next 45 years.“
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Barsamian also explained that Horror, Inc. wants Jason to remain recognizable no matter what medium he appears in.
“When Jason steps into other gaming worlds, we want to adapt him to his new surroundings while keeping his core DNA intact, so he continues to feel like the relentless force he is wherever he goes. We want to make sure that in any game, his physical presence is imposing, he moves only like Jason would, and he leaves players’ hearts racing.“
The executive noted that Sweet Revenge and Crystal Lake represent two very different approaches to expanding the mythology.
“They are two completely different approaches to storytelling, and that’s exactly the point. Sweet Revenge was a 13-minute thrill ride that gave audiences a taste of Jason in 2025. On the flip side, the Crystal Lake TV series will take fans back in time to tell the story of how Pamela Voorhees came to be the mother of all slashers.“
As for the franchise’s growing slate of merchandise and licensing deals, Barsamian said the goal isn’t simply to trade on nostalgia.
“We want to give fans fresh takes on what they love most about Jason and continue to expand his world in authentic ways that resonate with horror fans today.“
He pointed to Dead by Daylight‘s alternate Jason skins, which reimagine Jason’s look for the game’s nightmare setting, as well as Sweet Revenge, which mixed franchise callbacks with what he described as some of Jason’s bloodiest kills and an unexpected final girl twist.
Most intriguingly, Barsamian confirmed that the Jason Universe is only beginning to reveal its plans.
“We’ve been busy behind the scenes laying the foundation that everyone is finally starting to see come to life, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. We have a thrilling lineup of new projects that we can’t wait to share more details on soon.“
While Barsamian understandably stopped short of revealing exactly what those projects are, his comments make it clear that Horror, Inc. sees the Jason Universe as a long-term initiative rather than an anniversary celebration. Between Crystal Lake, future gaming collaborations, additional merchandise, and whatever else is waiting beneath the surface (a new movie?), it sounds like Jason Voorhees isn’t leaving Camp Crystal Lake anytime soon.
What do you hope is next for the Jason Universe? Another feature film, more games, or something completely unexpected? Let us know in the comments below.
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