As horror fans mourn the exit of Bryan Fuller from a “Friday the 13th” TV series in the works at Peacock from producers A24, new details about Fuller’s take on the material are starting to emerge. According to filmmaker Vincenzo Natali, who said on X he read the first two scripts, the show reinvented the iconic franchise much the same way Fuller put his spin on Hannibal Lecter for his acclaimed three-season “Hannibal” series on NBC.
“Bryan Fuller’s Crystal Lake was well on its way to becoming another Hannibal-level reinvention that was simultaneously beautiful, sad, poetic, funny and horrifying. I mourn its passing,” the “Splice” director said.
“Scream” writer Kevin Williamson, who was working on “Crystal Lake” with Fuller, also took to X to share details about Fuller’s vision. He teased an hour-long chase episode and a story that centered the grief of Jason Voorhees’ mother.
“Bummin’ hard, so sorry I won’t be a part of what would have been an epic Bryan Fuller show,” Williamson said on X. “Your pilot was so beautifully realized. A gorgeous portrait of a mother unraveling in her grief. Not to mention bloody horrific! I was so looking forward to our hour long chase episode!”
1980’s “Friday the 13th,” of course, follows the mother of Jason Voorhees as she kills various counselors at Camp Crystal Lake, on a tirade after her son drowned while horny counselors weren’t bothering to pay attention. It was in the sequels that Jason took over as the chief villain of the series.
News of Fuller’s exit from the show emerged on Friday, as creative differences with A24 were blamed for the parting of ways. A24 will continue to develop the show, but this is a serious setback after the studio landed the “Friday the 13th” rights following years of legal complications and split rights that kept the franchise dormant.
This also isn’t the first time Fuller has exited a high-profile series. He was the original showrunner on Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Discovery” and worked to develop the first new “Trek” TV series in years, but left over creative differences before production began.
Fuller steered the blood-soaked “Hannibal” over the course of three seasons, covering aspects from the books “Hannibal” and “Red Dragon” while conjuring a gorgeous and dream-like tale of obsession.
In addressing his “Crystal Lake” exit, Fuller pointed to his experience on “Hannibal.”
“Adapting classic horror is something I have some experience with,” he said on social media. “These shows require a vision that elevates and transforms, as well as delivers what audiences have come to expect, which is an ambitious and risky endeavor. It requires people to take the leap with me. When it works, as with ‘Hannibal,’ the results can be powerful for the storytellers and the audience. I couldn’t be more proud of the work my coshowrunner Jim Danger Gray and I were able to accomplish with our brilliant writing staff despite the challenges we faced.”
