Steve Miner is set to direct a new Friday the 13th film for 2027, putting the franchise back on the theatrical calendar after nearly two decades without a new feature. He is the director who put the hockey mask on Jason in Friday the 13th Part III, and his return gives this project a direct line to the series’ most durable image.
The new film will be financed and produced by the Barsamian family through Horror, Inc., with CatchLight Studios as the production partner and Cineverse holding North America distribution rights, including theatrical rights. That setup matters because the franchise is returning under an independent model rather than a major studio-backed release, even as the goal is to send Jason back to cinemas.
Miner and Jason’s screen identity
Robbie Barsamian tied the hire to Miner’s place in the franchise’s history, saying, “For generations of fans, Jason’s identity is inseparable from the creative choices Steve Miner brought to the screen.” Miner’s own history with the property goes beyond the new assignment: he first put the machete in Jason’s hands in Friday the 13th Part II and introduced the hockey mask in Friday the 13th Part III.
Miner also framed the image he created in practical terms, saying, “When I put the hockey mask on Jason for Friday the 13th Part III, I knew it would create a truly scary image that would work for that movie. I had no idea that it would live on as one of the most iconic symbols in horror films. I’m thrilled to come back and continue the legacy.” For a franchise built on repetition, that kind of continuity is the point: the movie is not trying to reinvent Jason’s identity so much as reconnect it to the version that made the mask stick.
Horror, Inc. and Cineverse
Chris McGurk said, “Jason is one of the most recognizable figures in cinema history.” He added, “We have a proven track record of empowering uncompromising genre filmmaking and connecting it directly with passionate audiences, and are honored to be a part of bringing Jason back to theaters where he belongs.”
Jeanette Volturno said, “Bringing an icon like Jason back to the screen requires dedication to craft and a deep respect for the fandom.” She also said, “We’re excited to collaborate with Steve and Robbie to create a practically-shot film that is relentless, cinematic and terrifying.” The creative team is signaling a hands-on production approach, which fits the franchise’s origins more than a glossy corporate reboot would.
1980 to 2027
The franchise launched in 1980 with a namesake slasher made independently for roughly $550,000, and the new film lands as the 45th anniversary era hangs over the property. Warner Bros. released a Friday the 13th reboot in 2009, then the series went nearly two decades without another theatrical feature.
This film follows the Peacock/A24 series Crystal Lake and the Mike P. Nelson short Sweet Revenge, but the new movie is the clearest sign that the property is being pushed back toward theaters instead of staying in side projects. The immediate question is whether the 2027 film keeps Miner’s visual shorthand and turns that return into a true theatrical event, or whether the franchise only reaches back to its past without fully cashing in on it.
