Summary
- Linda Cardellini will star in the Crystal Lake prequel series, but fans question if it's necessary for the horror franchise.
- Show may explore Pamela Voorhees' life before Camp Crystal Lake; fans wonder if this is compelling enough.
- Brad Caleb Kane leads production for Crystal Lake; Bryan Fuller left the project, but hinted at possible appearances by Jason Voorhees.
While hockey-mask-wearing Jason Voorhees is one of the most well-known slasher villains, his mother Pamela Voorhees made a big impression in the original Friday the 13th movie. Played by Betsy Palmer, the horror villain gets revenge on behalf of her son Jason, who was bullied. Ghostface even quizzes Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) about the Friday the 13th villain when he phones her in the Scream opening scene.
Fans have been waiting for news about the Friday the 13th prequel series Crystal Lake from A24 and Peacock. Linda Cardellini was cast as Pamela Voorhees, and it will be fascinating to see how she takes on this famous character. But how do fans really feel about the prequel series?
Linda Cardellini Will Play Pamela Voorhees, But Is The Friday The 13th Prequel Crystal Lake A Good Idea?
Although Linda Cardellini is a talented star known for her roles on dark series such as Dead To Me, Bloodlines, and Mad Men and it will be fun to see her play Pamela Voorhees, some might say that the Friday the 13th prequel Crystal Lake isn't the right move for the horror franchise. The biggest question is, what story will Crystal Lake tell that hasn't been told before? The iconic Friday the 13th slasher franchise has shared the backstory of Jason and Pamela Voorhees, and fans know all about Jason's bullying and tragic drowning in 1957.
According to Deadline, people think Cardellini's Crystal Lake character Pamela will be a mom grieving the loss of their son, who is special needs, who is also grappling with wanting to pursue a career in the music industry. She decided not to become a singer so she could raise her child, and now she has lost him. However, if Crystal Lake shares Pamela's life when Jason is a kid, is that enough material for an entire season, let alone several seasons of a TV show?
Pamela is one of the most well-known female horror villains because her motive is protecting her son. It sounds like she would still have the same motive in the new show, but the action happens when the counselors show up for work at Camp Crystal Lake in the first Friday the 13th movie and Pamela becomes a killer. Will Crystal Lake reveal that she was a murderer all along? Would that make sense? If the series explains that she became a killer because of what happened to Jason, horror fans could say they already knew that.
What Are Some Of Linda Cardellini's Roles?
- Lindsay Weir on Freaks and Geeks (1999-2000)
- Samatha Taggart on E.R. (2003-2009)
- Sylvia Rosen on Mad Men (2013-2015)
- Meg Rayburn on Bloodline (2015-2017)
- Judy Hale on Dead to Me (2019-2022)
- Margo Starling on No Good Deed (2024)
- voice of Elizabeth Bates on Creature Commando (2024)
When Pamela is introduced in Friday the 13th, she works in the kitchen at Camp Crystal Lake, and she could have that same job in Crystal Lake. A summer camp is always a memorable horror movie setting since there's a contrast between fun and innocent activities and a slasher villain going on a killing spree. But is it interesting to see Pamela in this exact same setting? It makes sense not to switch up the main location, but it also might feel like too much of the same. It would be more exciting to show Pamela at camp but also have flashbacks to her life before that. It's also possible that the prequel will show Pamela's life before Camp Crystal Lake and then explain how she gets hired there and plots her revenge. But, again, do fans need to know that?
Friday the 13th fans aren't sure about the prequel and have shared their thoughts on Reddit. One fan wrote:
"I don't understand why a prequel series is needed. Like the original movie is literally the prequel story at this point. Going before that would just be a summer camp comedy."
Another fan would be happy to see another entry in the franchise instead:
"Just give us a location and a big group of characters (make them likable) and let Jason cause mayhem."
What Did The Showrunner Say About The Friday The 13th Prequel Crystal Lake?
In December 2024, Brad Caleb Kane posted an update about Crystal Lake on Instagram and wrote, "scripts have been and are being written."
While Bryan Fuller was originally attached to the project, he left in May 2024, and Kane was brought on as showrunner. He is writing, directing, and executive producing. Fuller gave a few interviews while he was still working on the prequel. In 2022, he told Fangoria.com:
"Everything. We can use everything. We can go to Hell, we can go to space. That's not to say that we will do those things … although if we do go 10 seasons, I will be lobbying hard to go to space."
While fans know that Pamela Voorhees is the main focus of Crystal Lake, could the genuinely scary villain Jason Voorhees appear as well? Fuller said:
"I wouldn't count Jason out... I think over the course of the series you will see many familiar manifestations of Jason!"
It's unclear if Kane's Crystal Lake will feature Jason Voorhees as well. It's hard to imagine that he wouldn't show up at least a few times, given his importance to the slasher story.