Back in October of 2018, it was reported that Roy Lee’s production company Vertigo Entertainment and NBA star LeBron James’ production company SpringHill Entertainment were teaming up to produce a new entry in the Friday the 13th franchise… which didn’t make much sense at the time, because original Friday the 13th producer/director Sean S. Cunningham and screenwriter Victor Miller were still neck-deep in their copyright lawsuit at that time. The lawsuit has since come to an end, with Miller being awarded the copyright to the first Friday the 13th in the United States… and now Roy Lee and Vertigo might be preparing to move forward with their Friday the 13th plans.
When asked about his involvement with Friday the 13th, Lee told our friends at Bloody Disgusting,
That one is something that I would love to talk about. You may be hearing something by year’s end… on that front.”
Bloody Disgusting doesn’t have any further information, but Lee’s comment caused them to wonder, “Has Vertigo managed to make some magic happen?” And it definitely does seem like a new Friday the 13th moving forward by the end of the year would be a magical event. While Miller’s lawyer feels that Miller now has the right to “license a remake, prequel or even sequel motion pictures”, Cunningham has said he’s ready to take Miller back to court if he tries to make anything Friday the 13th without his permission. These guys have to reach an agreement with each other before a Friday the 13th can be made without more lawsuits being filed, and just three months ago Cunningham said that both sides of the argument are “really dug into foxholes. They’re not going to throw any grenades, but I don’t think anyone is going to call for peace talks.”
Has Lee been in contact with Miller, Cunningham, or both? Has he convinced them to make a deal with each other so a new movie can be made? We’ll have to wait and see. The year’s end isn’t very far away.
Vertigo Entertainment productions have included the American versions of The Ring, The Grudge, Dark Water, The Eye, Shutter, and Oldboy, the [REC] remake Quarantine, the Poltergeist remake, The Strangers, Blair Witch, Polaroid, Doctor Sleep, It, and It: Chapter Two.
Would you want to see a Friday the 13th from Vertigo Entertainment? Let us know by leaving a comment below.