Peacock will premiere “Crystal Lake,” its A24-produced “Friday the 13th” prequel starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, on October 15, the streamer confirmed Monday. Variety first reported the date as part of a wider fall scripted slate that also locked in a November 12 launch for the limited series “The Good Daughter.”
The eight-episode order follows Voorhees in the years before the 1980 original film, charting her path from a mother who gave up a singing career to raise her son Jason to the killer audiences met at Camp Crystal Lake. William Catlett co-stars as Levon Brooks, with exact character details still under wraps according to Variety. Brad Caleb Kane, the “It: Welcome to Derry” and “Tokyo Vice” writer, serves as creator, showrunner, writer and executive producer.
The series is the first scripted “Friday the 13th” project in 17 years, dating back to the 2009 Marcus Nispel reboot for Warner Bros. and Paramount. Deadline reported in October that Sky picked up the show for the UK and Ireland, where it will air on Sky and stream on Now.
Cardellini, a three-time Emmy nominee for “Mad Men” and “Dead to Me,” closed her deal in March 2025, with Deadline first reporting the casting. The role of Pamela was originated by Betsy Palmer in the 1980 film and has since been played by Paula Shaw, Marilyn Poucher and Nana Visitor in various sequels and reboots.
Callum Vinson, from “Chucky,” plays young Jason Voorhees in a recurring role. Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins and Gwendolyn Sundstrom round out the regular cast as Briana Brooks, Dorf and Grace, respectively. The directing roster splits the season three ways: Michael Lennox handled the first three episodes, the duo of Celine Held and Logan George took the middle three, and Quyen Tran directed the final two.
“From the moment I watched Jason Voorhees squeeze a guy’s eyeball out of its socket (in glorious 3D!) at the tender age of 8 years old, I knew my creative path was someday destined to converge with The Man Behind The Mask,” Kane said in a statement when he came aboard in August 2024, via Deadline.
Production took the company back to the source. Principal photography began June 20, 2025, in New Jersey under the shooting title “Mama’s Boy,” with interiors shot in Jersey City and at Rutt’s Hut in Clifton. Exterior camp scenes filmed at Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Blairstown, the same property that doubled as Camp Crystal Lake in Sean S. Cunningham’s 1980 original. Filming wrapped in October 2025, and Kane confirmed in an Instagram post in April that the eight episodes were finishing final audio mixing.
Peacock ordered “Crystal Lake” straight to series in October 2022 with “Hannibal” creator Bryan Fuller initially attached as showrunner. The 2023 Writers Guild strike halted development, and A24 parted ways with Fuller in May 2024 before bringing on Kane that August. The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline both reported the showrunner change at the time.
“The Good Daughter,” the second of Monday’s dated titles, adapts the Karin Slaughter novel and stars Rose Byrne, Meghann Fahy, Brendan Gleeson and Harper Steele. Peacock also slotted “The Office” spinoff “The Paper” for a September Season 2 return and the Amy Poehler comedy “Dig” for a November debut, per Variety.
The October 15 launch puts “Crystal Lake” on Peacock 16 days before Halloween, and one day after the next calendar Friday the 13th in November.
