A24’s ‘Crystal Lake’ Prequel Series Set for October Release on Sky and NOW

We really don’t need another horror reboot. Let’s just establish that right off the bat. The slasher genre has been mined so dry that we’re practically digging up dust at this point.

But when A24 decides to tackle Friday the 13th, you don’t just roll your eyes—you sit up and pay attention.

The indie studio powerhouse is officially bringing Crystal Lake, an eight-part prequel series, to our screens this October.

For those in the UK and Ireland, Sky and their streaming service NOW have snagged the exclusive rights.

Now, let’s talk about the casting, because this is where things get genuinely fascinating. Linda Cardellini—yes, Lindsay Weir from Freaks and Geeks and Velma from Scooby-Doo—has been tapped to play Pamela Voorhees. It’s an incredibly inspired, albeit wildly unexpected, choice.

The series picks up roughly a year after a young, sickly Jason Voorhees tragically drowned in the lake. Pamela is a single mother consumed by a paralyzing grief, trying to rebuild her life. But when two mysterious strangers show up asking uncomfortable questions about her past, things start to unravel. The big question the townspeople are left asking is: who exactly is Pam Voorhees?

“For fans of the franchise, I can promise them that they’re going to be seeing a show that was made and crafted by fans,” said showrunner Brad Caleb Kane.

Kane, who is also steering the ship for HBO’s upcoming It: Welcome to Derry prequel, seems to have the right pedigree for this. He’s promising a ride that respects the established canon while delivering the high-art tension A24 is famous for.

Honestly, the legal battle over the Friday the 13th rights was such a legendary mess for years that it’s a minor miracle this show even exists. But now that the dust has settled, focusing on the psychological decay of Pamela Voorhees—rather than just a silent giant in a hockey mask hacking up teenagers—feels like the only logical way to breathe new life into the franchise.

Whether it delivers on the hype or ends up as another unnecessary origin story remains to be seen, but with Cardellini leading the charge, I’m absolutely booking my ticket back to the camp.