Mike P. Nelson (Wrong Turn, the upcoming Silent Night, Deadly Night reboot) is bringing Jason Voorhees back to life in an all-new way with Sweet Revenge, a bloody short-form vignette set as “the centerpiece of the franchise’s bold 45th anniversary campaign.”
Sweet Revenge, which began production earlier this month, is set to debut on on both the Jason Universe YouTube channel and through a site hosted by Angry Orchard Hard Cider, which is sponsoring the vignette as part of a larger collaboration with the franchise. Nelson will write, direct and produce through his Rockford Road Pictures banner.
Per Variety, here's what Nelson has to say about bringing the masked maniac back in a brand new format:
“I am so grateful that the team at Horror, Inc. saw something in ‘Sweet Revenge’ and wanted it as a part of the Jason Voorhees story! […] And to think 30 years ago I was trying to secretly watch these movies on VHS when no one was looking. To have the opportunity to write and direct one of these stories is surreal – not to mention having an amazing team led by Chad Villella and Brianna Lee Johnson help me bring it to life! Not only is the vignette a new take on the beloved IP, it is a comforting, gory hug, reminding us why we fell in love with these movies. Much gruesome fun awaits you!”
After many very quiet years, the Friday the 13th series is slowly rising back to life, with Sweet Revenge joining Horror, Inc.'s previously announced ventures to celebrate 45 years of the iconic slasher staring with a deadly new redesign by Greg Nicotero, as well as Jason's vengeance spree at the upcoming Universal Halloween Horror Nights, with new merch to boot. There's also A24's upcoming Crystal Lake, a prequel series to the original film starring Linda Cardellini.
Friday 13th LLC’s Marc Toberoff adds:
“Jason has always been a force in pop culture, and the 45th anniversary felt like the perfect moment to do something truly unexpected. Partnering with Horror, Inc. and Angry Orchard who share our passion has opened up a new way to engage fans. It’s exciting to see the franchise evolve with such creativity while staying true to what makes Jason iconic.”
And from Horror, Inc. chief marketing officer Sheri Conn:
“We were beyond excited when Mike Nelson came on board and Angry Orchard sponsored production to help us bring this to life in a wickedly unexpected way […] Even in a short vignette, Nelson will masterfully capture our shared vision–honoring the heritage of the franchise while delivering something fresh and thrilling for a new generation.”
