For the first time, Elias Voorhees (father of Jason and wife to Pamela) will appear in a Friday the 13th movie. With filming starting in March, casting calls have confirmed several rumored plot elements. Once again rebooting the series (after 2009’s rock-solid remake), the upcoming Friday the 13th will serve, at least in part, as an origin story for Jason, a casting call for young Jason confirms. But it’s the addition of Elias that will most change the Friday the 13th series. And, based on the casting call details, it looks like Elias Voorhees will have a significant part to play in the birthing of horror’s most indestructible killer.
The Elias casting call is seeking a “powerful-looking” white dude, anywhere in age from his late 30s to 50s, according to Bloody Disgusting. Elias will be a park ranger who works somewhere near Camp Crystal Lake, who “sees the wickedness in Jason and the effects it has on Pamela.” It seems, in this new imagining, Jason Voorhees isn’t a victim turned killer, but a wicked little monster right from the jump.
While the new casting call doesn’t confirm the rumored time period, Bloody Disgusting cites “various bits of info” suggesting the new Friday the 13th will be set in the 70s or 80s.
Origin stories suck. It’s hard to imagine what we need to learn about Jason Voorhees’ origin that we haven’t already. Still, between screenwriter Aaron Guzikowski (Prisoners, Contraband) and director Breck Eisner (The Crazies, The Last Witch Hunter lol), there’s a better-than-average chance that this new Friday the 13th might just be worth a damn. Or, at least, not so bad as Jason Goes To Hell.
The newest Friday the 13th is aiming for a Friday, Oct. 13 release date.
