Thursday 25 April 2013

Friday The 13th Sequel: Why it Should Be Made -



Come on fanboys, fess up! This reboot was one of the better ones to be churned out in the last 10/15 years. Friday The 13th was a reboot that I actually watch every year or so and each time I do, I enjoy it a little more. I watched it about 6 months ago and thought "they should really do the sequel". 

I looked around the internet for any news or updates on part II and whilst there are a few things, there isn't anything 100%. Also whilst looking for updates, I noticed there are a lot of fans who still wish for a sequel which is more than I can say for Nightmare on Elm Streets reboot. 

The last real news items that gave anything, first was a year and half ago (roughly early 2012 maybe late 2011) where Platinum Dunes producer Brad Fuller said that a script for Part II has been completed and they just await the green light from New Line. That sounds good right? Well the fact that was over a year ago and the light isn't green still, makes me wonder if New Line want the sequel. The other news item was very recent, Corey Fieldman was talking to Ain't It Cool and discussed his hopes to create a sequel to his Friday movie - FT13th Part IV - The Final Chapter, styling it like Halloween: H20 he would like a much older Tommy Javis take Jason on again, this news was January 2013 so the fact there is talk again is hopeful. Unfortunately I doubt Fuller's script had Tommy involved which means that script now dies or Tommy wont return. Either way that means the sequel is still on hold. 

Anyway I am still hoping for this sequel, and i'll explain why this sequel can work and why it should be made...

NOTE: ***Mild spoilers for Evil Dead Reboot***

The Reboot gained a new crowd as well as bringing the old back -

Friday the 13th was released in 2009, which means it was over 6 years since the last Jason installment (Freddy Vs Jason). That means you will have the younger crowd (under 18) who watched FVJ now at an age where they may see Jason in cinema, there's one section of the crowd. You then get the Hardcore fans who grew up watching the Franchise and want to see what their beloved character will be like almost 30 years later. Then you get the new age, the people who may not of been familiar with any of the classic Friday films but are horror fans and will go to watch it. Now these crowds have all watched Friday's reboot they may all crave a sequel, that's a big fan base you could please...

The Sequel will also bring new fans -

Following from the previous statement, Friday's reboot brought a new crowd into Jason's world and for the ones who enjoyed it will tell other about it, if a sequel is released within the time frame of 2013-2014 i'm very sure with horror craze still running strong Friday's sequel will easily gain even more new fans, add that to the classic fans and reboot fans you have some cash coming your way New Line.

It's one of the better horror reboots -

Let's compare the competition - 
Nightmare on Elm Street (2010) - Rubbish back story, Freddy was dull and violent instead of brutal and scary and instead of taking it to new directions they had similar characters.
Halloween 1 (2007) - I actually like Halloween 1's reboot, but it's a very marmite film, the back story to Michael to me was clever and once they got to him grown up, I enjoyed the pace of the film. Others are the opposite and hated the back story.  
Halloween 2 (2009) - Halloween 2 on the other hand is god awful, the plot was ridiculous the nod to the original sequel (the hospital) was briefly skipped by and the whole Michael's face getting shown just takes the whole mystery of the killer away. Don't even get me started on the ending of that film either! 
Texas Chainsaw 3D (2013) -  I don't really have much to say expect, over the top violence, boring story and the fact it's a sequel to the 1970's one is stupid. Also the fact 3D is in the title.
Evil Dead (2013) - This again was one of the better reboots, taking the same sort of plot like the original but shifting it to different characters and having different reasons for being at the cabin was cool, plus I enjoyed the little nods to original. You can't beat a good chainsaw attack.

I could carry on with the lists of reboots but looking at the most recent and well known ones like above, the only ones that are in my head as good as Friday's reboot is Halloween 1 and Evil Dead. 

Friday's plot was an obvious nod to the franchise's first 3 films but yet took its own spin on the story (like Evil Dead) to make it their own film. The kills were brilliant in Friday compared to other films. Not only were Jason's kills not to over the top (compared to Texas Chainsaw) they were creative, my personal favourite two of FT13th reboot is the sleeping bag over the fire kill and crossbow on a boat. I also found the cast of Friday easier to watch compared to some, they clicked better as a group.

Reboots do get sequels -

Halloween got a sequel and Evil Dead has one in the works, it goes to show if a reboot gets enough attention and pays the box office you can get your sequel. Now Evil Dead done $26 Million on it's opening weekend. Evil Dead's budget was $17 Million so of course a sequel was going to happen when you surpass your budget in the first weekend. Halloween's budget was $15 Million by the end of its theatrical run Halloween made $80 Million therefore Halloween 2 wasn't far behind.

Now they are pretty decent figures for sequels to be green light, Friday the 13th had a $19 Million budget and made over $90 Million on its theatrical run! Why hasn't this got a sequel out this year is beyond me when it performed just as well as Halloween, to make matters worse Halloween 2 (after the stick and criticism) is still getting Halloween 3D. 

Horror Films are still huge in the film industry -

Whilst horror films don't do Avengers or Dark Knight box office performances of $1 Billion, horror films over the past 10 years have regained a following. If you look over the past few years you have had some big horror franchises breathe life into horror, Saw & Paranormal Activity, plus you got the newer films that are gaining a following; Insidious & Sinister and many more horror films have gained huge crowds of people and the horror genre is as big as it was back in the 1980s. Look at Texas Chainsaw, that sequel has been in development hell for a while, since Paranormal Activity and Saw arrived, studios decided they would give it ago. New Line should have faith and throw Friday The 13th Part II out to the world, the will easily make their budget back. 

The ideas for Part II were sounding awesome -

When the script was announced as complete, Fuller gave away a few teasers of what to expect in Part II. The best thing they said was, JASON IN SNOW! I mean come on imagine a bunch of teens getting attacked by Jason over Christmas, it sounds almost poetic ("Almost"). Another Idea thrown around was having a back story (Halloween Style) in which showing Jason at camp as a boy getting bullied seeing what caused him to snap. Mentioned briefly in the introduction was Corey Fieldman wanting to have Tommy return to take Jason on many many years on, that could be ok if the script can explain the events right (remember Tommy as a young adult already took Jason on again in Part VI- Jason Lives) but if they can get around that or act as part VI never happened it could be interesting. 

If released this year it will be the 13th Film of the franchise on the 13th on 2013 - 

If that isn't a tribute to the film and fans I don't know what is! The Friday 13th's are in October and December, that plenty of time to get things moving. 


Overall -

As far as reboot of the horror genre go, Friday the 13th is one of the more popular ones in slasher/ horror fans eyes. Look on forums or comment sections to FT13th related news people are asking for a sequel. I'm pretty sure they will eventually release one, look at the time it taken Jason X to get made after Jason Goes to Hell was released, it is inevitable whilst horrors are popular and whilst sequels create money. 

I Just wish it was sooner rather than later. 


Let me know what you think of horror reboots and do you want a Friday sequel.

Follow me on Twitter - @AselmanFilmBlog



1 comment:

  1. I agree 100%! I wish they would get off their asses and make a sequel. The remake was very well done in my opinion, and it is way better than the garbage known as JTM, JGTH and JX.... (Those are unwatchable to me.)

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