German filmmaker Marcus Nispel, who revived the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise with a 2003 remake (and recently directed Pathfinder), is in final negotiations to direct the remake of Friday the 13th.
Transformers director Michael Bay is reviving the Friday the 13th franchise through his low-budget production company.
Bay’s Platinum Dunes banner will be producing the remake of the original 1980 horror classic, which turned the villainous Jason into a cultural icon, for New Line Cinema. Platinum Dunes is also the company that was responsible for the revivals of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Hitcher.
Damian Shannon and Mark Swift wrote the script. They wrote 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason, the killer’s last big-screen appearance. That film grossed more than $82 million domestically and a whopping $114 million internationally on a $30 million budget.
The movie will be getting some changes from the first go around. In the original Friday the 13th, Jason Voorhees made only a brief appearance in the final frames and never actually killed anyone. He never even put on the famous hockey mask until the third movie. Bay’s film, however, will focus on Jason who will wear the mask and will certainly do some killing. They will also keep the famous setting of Crystal Lake.
A winter start date is planned with a 2009 release likely. If they hope to release on a Friday the 13th they would have ample opportunity as there are three such dates in 2009 (February, March, and November).
