The screenwriter and the director of the originalFriday the 13thare currently playing tug-of-war with the rights to the series in a never-ending legal battle, but that isn’t keeping Jason Voorhees from upping his body count. With no hope of seeing the trademark hockey mask back on the big screen anytime soon, filmmakers have since taken to producingFriday the 13thfan films to continue the series. Because so many fans of the franchise are dying to see more bloodshed from Jason, the crowdfunding campaign for the fan filmFriday the 13th: Vengeancewas highly successful, and the movie has since made its way online.
InFriday the 13th: Vengeance, two former Jason Voorhees actors appear as new characters, marking interesting returns for both of them.Jason Livesactor C.J. Graham appears in a major role in the movie as Elias Voorhees, Jason’s father. Although the character has appeared in various comic books, this marks the first time he’s ever been portrayed in a live-actionFriday the 13thproject. Also in the movie is Steve Dash, known as the man behind the sack mask fromFriday the 13th Part 2. The role would ultimately become the last for Dash’s career, as the horror star passed away shortly after completing his scenes. It’s bittersweet seeing his face again, but Dash’s inclusion is certainly a bright spot forVengeance.
Vengeanceintroduces a new timeline set about three decades after the events ofJason Lives. It introducesElias Voorhees, Jason’s father, returning to Crystal Lake, with a series of murders beginning soon after. When franchise hero and Jason’s arch-nemesisTommy Jarvisgoes missing, his daughter Angelica embarks on a mission to find her father and put an end to Jason’s bloodshed once and for all. With new knowledge about the legendary killer, Angelica could very well prove to be a tougher foe for Jason than even her father was. Will she achieve vengeance for Tommy and be the person to truly kill Jason Voorhees?
At this point, we’re coming close to eleven years since the release of the lastFriday the 13thmovie in theaters. That wait is going to wind up being even longer for fans, as there’s still no clear picture as to when the lawsuit over the rights to the series will be over. It’s definitely up to the filmmakers at this time to keep the franchise going infanmade effortslikeVengeance, and as we can see, they’re doing a pretty good job. As a big fan of the franchise, I say let’s keep these fan films coming. Of course, it’s worth notingVengeanceis just one of manyFriday the 13thfan films on the horizon.
This might be a fan film, but it certainly does Jason justice. It’s also awesome to see a newFriday the 13thmovie, and it’s very clear when watching it that the team behind it is completely comprised of huge fans of the series. You can watchFriday the 13th: Vengeancein full below, courtesy of Brownspace Films on YouTube.
