Key Takeaways:
– Victor Miller, the original Friday the 13th screenwriter, is developing a new series called Crystal Lake.
– Showrunners Bryan Fuller and Jim Danger Gray were removed from the project due to budget disputes and internal discord.
– There are claims of non-payment to scriptwriters, administrative inexperience, and questionable bookkeeping.
– A24 reportedly aims to slash the original budget of $9.6 million per episode in half.
– Despite troubles, Crystal Lake is still expected to go ahead, albeit with a new showrunner and potential script changes.
The much-anticipated series Crystal Lake sprung from the fertile mind of Victor Miller, who wrote the original Friday the 13th. Everyone was excited when news about its production broke on Halloween 2022. The team included power players like Miller's lawyer Marc Toberoff, franchise rights holder Rob Barsamian, production company A24, the streaming service Peacock, and showrunner Bryan Fuller, famous for his work on shows like Hannibal and Pushing Daisies. Everything seemed promising with a buzzing ensemble prepared to make waves on July 22nd, 2024.
But then, imagine a car speeding towards its destination only to hit a row of unexpected speed bumps. That's what happened to this project. Amid plans of having Hollywood heavyweight Charlize Theron portray Pamela Voorhees and acclaimed directors like Vincenzo Natali and Kimberly Peirce set to helm episodes, things started falling apart. Fuller and Gray were abruptly let go, and A24 stated they were steering the project in a different direction.
Crystal Lake's Birth and Trails
Crystal Lake was developed under A24's banner to break into more commercial markets. They planned for the series to reinterpret and deconstruct the first four Friday the 13th films in a unique way. Just like a pretty package, they had everything: the iconic mask, the sequels, and a projected path that seemed appealing.
However, problems began to surface shortly after the writers' strike ended. Despite assurances from A24 to pay the writers for further script development, this promise fell by the wayside. This left the project in a difficult predicament where due to guild guidelines, the initial script drafts couldn't be revised by their original writers as they weren't officially hired as staff.
Budget Woes and Executive Drama
The budget proposed for each episode was $9.6 million. However, insiders have reported that A24 intended to cut this figure by half, setting off a ripple effect of tensions. Despite disagreements over whether the project was indeed over or under budget, evidence pointed to it being over by a margin of $4 to $6 million for the entire season. Discontent brewed, with many blaming the inexperienced executive Inman Young's management style for the behind-the-scenes chaos.
Despite the String of Challenges, Crystal Lake Fights On!
Despite the onslaught of challenges, all hope isn't lost for this enigmatic series. A24 is assuredly committed to plowing on, as the project holds great importance to them and Peacock. Key entities such as lawyer Marc Toberoff and NBCUniversal concur that Crystal Lake is still a go. The search for a new showrunner is on, with Nick Antosca, a co-producer on Hannibal and executive producer on Chucky, named as a potential candidate. However, whether he will stick with Fuller's original work or reconstruct Crystal Lake from scratch remains uncertain.
In summary, Crystal Lake is a fighter. The project is indeed experiencing a turbulent phase, but the hope still prevails that it will see the light of day. Let's hope for a favorable turn of events leading to an amazing new Friday the 13th series we all can enjoy!
