Jason Voorhees is finally making his way back to the big screen, and the next Friday the 13th movie is bringing back a filmmaker who helped establish some of the slasher icon’s most recognizable features. Announced on Friday the 13th itself, the new installment will be directed by Steve Miner, who previously helmed Friday the 13th Part II and Friday the 13th Part III. The film is targeting a 2027 theatrical release, marking the franchise’s first new movie since the 2009 reboot.
Miner’s return is particularly fitting given his history with the franchise. Friday the 13th Part II introduced Jason Voorhees as the series’ central killer, while Part III gave audiences the hockey mask that would become one of horror cinema’s most recognizable images. Having the filmmaker responsible for those two significant chapters return for the franchise’s next theatrical outing gives the announcement an interesting connection to its roots.
David Fliegel is writing the screenplay, with the Barsamian family independently financing and producing the project through Horror, Inc., the company behind the Jason Universe. CatchLight Studios will serve as the production partner, while Cineverse is handling North American distribution. This independent production approach also gives the new movie an opportunity to move forward outside the traditional major-studio structure that has been associated with previous entries.
Miner expressed his enthusiasm about returning to the franchise, particularly remembering the decision to put Jason in his now-iconic hockey mask for Friday the 13th Part III. The filmmaker explained that although he recognized the image would be frightening, he never anticipated how recognizable it would become throughout horror cinema. He is now looking forward to continuing the legacy.
The new Friday the 13th movie will be the franchise’s 13th theatrical installment, although specific story details, casting announcements, and an exact release date have yet to be revealed. For now, Jason’s return in 2027 gives longtime fans something substantial to look forward to, especially with a director who played such an important role in shaping the character’s cinematic identity back behind the camera.
After years without a new theatrical installment, the return of Friday the 13th is an important development for one of horror’s most enduring franchises. Whether the new film can recapture the atmosphere and practical-effects-driven brutality that helped establish Jason as a slasher legend remains to be seen, but bringing Steve Miner back is certainly an intriguing way to begin this next chapter.