Hannibal Writer Joins Friday The 13th

Looks like there’s finally some development on the long-delayed next installment in the ‘Friday the 13th’ series, as ‘Hannibal’ writer Nick Antosca has reportedly signed on to provide the screenplay.

Now, just so there’s no misunderstanding here - Antosca is a writer on ‘Hannibal’ the current TV series, as opposed to the 2001 ‘Silence of the Lambs’ sequel; and he’ll be writing the next ‘Friday the 13th’ movie, not the in-development ‘Friday the 13th’ TV show. Phew, it’s hard keeping track of these things.

The Hollywood Reporter announced that production house Platinum Dunes, also responsible for the 2009 ‘Friday the 13th’ reboot, had given the job to Antosca, who will reportedly be rewriting an existing draft from Richard Naing and Ian Goldberg.

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However, though THR state the film will be shot in the found footage style, this has long since been debunked by the producer Brad Fuller (though it is understood they were contemplating this direction at one point, until an extremely negative reaction from fans prompted a change of heart).

David Bruckner (’V/H/S,’ ‘The Signal’) will be directing, and apparently this film will explore the not-inconsiderable question of just why it is the silent, lumbering, hockey mask-wearing maniac Jason Voorhees always returns from the grave.

We’d say the answer’s fairly simple: it wouldn’t be much of a horror movie franchise if he didn’t. Still, while this writer for one is far from convinced that an explanation of Jason’s powers is what ‘Friday the 13th’ really needs, it’s understandable that a series which has now reached its 13th film might be a little anxious to find new ground to cover.

The series began with Sean Cunningham’s independently produced slasher ‘Friday the 13th’ in 1980. It was bought by Paramount, who proceeded to release sequels almost every year that decade, culminating in 1989′s ‘Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.’

In the early 1990s the rights were purchased by New Line Cinema, home of the ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’ series, with a view to making the slasher fan’s dream movie ‘Freddy Vs Jason.’ This, however, would not arrive until 2003, with 1993′s ‘Jason Goes To Hell: the Final Friday’ and 2001′s ‘Jason X’ coming in the interim.

Finally, New Line’s parent company Warner Bros co-produced the 2009 reboot with Paramount, and after a subsequent deal between the studios the rights to the series are once again owned by Paramount alone.

The next, as-yet untitled ‘Friday the 13th’ movie - initially scheduled for 13 November 2015 - is now penciled in for 13 May 2016.

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Picture Credit: Paramount