Warner Deal Could Push Friday The 13th Sequel Forward
Friday The 13th fans have been waiting patiently, and sometimes impatiently, for any positive news pertaining to a new sequel developing for our beloved film franchise. The rebooted franchise enjoyed a healthy financial return to cinemas back in February 2009 with a final domestic U.S. total gross of $65 million (rounded figure) and an overall worldwide gross of $91 million (rounded figure) for Friday The 13th 2009. This is a Friday The 13th film, folks, and for it to come anywhere near the nine figure mark in total dollars grossed is astonishing. With a reported budget of $19 million, this was a huge win for Warner Bros. So the question is, why hasn't another film been given the go ahead for production? One major factor is probably that $19 million budget.
Last September it was leaked that Warner Bros. was possibly looking into taking Jason Voorhees into the ultra-popular "found footage" arena that all studios are using as a go-to method for creating large profit margins for their film releases. It is a smart decision as these kind of films are cheap to create and make back at least twice their budget in the first weekend. Warner Bros. has been slow to get into this type of filmmaking, but with the success of their first "found footage" style movie Project X released last weekend, it looks as though the studio is ready to go all in with this profitable way of making films. In fact, they already ordered up a Project X sequel to go into production. So, where does this leave the Friday The 13th film franchise? We think it leaves the prospects of a sequel very good, and here is why.
Reported yesterday by Deadline New York, Warner Bros. has set up a first look deal with Primal Pictures, for which the company is charged with developing low budget films for big studio distribution, i.e. Warner Bros. In this situation, it looks as though we are in the midst of a resurgence of what Horror fans remember happening in the early 1980's, where big studios ordered up cheap slasher films for theater distribution in the hopes of bringing in large profits. This is the business model Paramount Pictures used to create the Friday The 13th film franchise and launch a new way of creating films in Hollywood.
If Warner Bros. was serious about looking at "found footage" for a Friday the 13th sequel in hopes of avoiding another $19 million budget like the 2009 film, then their new partnership with Primal Pictures could be a solution to help propel a budget friendly sequel into production without much risk. Time will tell, but these types of deals are worth looking at and being aware of as they usually lead to Horror fans getting to see something they love on the big screen once again.
Source: Deadline New York, Box Office Mojo
Reported yesterday by Deadline New York, Warner Bros. has set up a first look deal with Primal Pictures, for which the company is charged with developing low budget films for big studio distribution, i.e. Warner Bros. In this situation, it looks as though we are in the midst of a resurgence of what Horror fans remember happening in the early 1980's, where big studios ordered up cheap slasher films for theater distribution in the hopes of bringing in large profits. This is the business model Paramount Pictures used to create the Friday The 13th film franchise and launch a new way of creating films in Hollywood.
If Warner Bros. was serious about looking at "found footage" for a Friday the 13th sequel in hopes of avoiding another $19 million budget like the 2009 film, then their new partnership with Primal Pictures could be a solution to help propel a budget friendly sequel into production without much risk. Time will tell, but these types of deals are worth looking at and being aware of as they usually lead to Horror fans getting to see something they love on the big screen once again.
Source: Deadline New York, Box Office Mojo
This is really interesting and a great read! I really hope that this deal gets Warner to finally look at putting together a new movie.I don't why they spent 19 million on the last movie anyways? Go back to making them for a few million and we the fans will come out and support the series!
ReplyDeleteI have no problems with a low budget friday film but the idea of the found footage seems already kinda dated.They definetely should do it in the style of the first movies(cast of unknowns,first time directors,low budget)but I'll probably go see it 5-6 times in theatre even if it's a found footage Jason movie.
ReplyDeleteFound footage or not i don't see why a sequel has to cost 19million. Black Swan only cost 7million and there were major stars in it.
ReplyDeleteHave the studios gotten so big they don't know HOW to make a smaller film.
Not to knock Jason, but its a guy, a mask and some woods...lol... why would it cost so much.
No matter what the plot I think if they got the right young hard working team it would cost under 10mill
Apparently, they don't know how as they have to partner with a production team to be able to find projects that cost less.
ReplyDeleteThey really have to give it to a smaller company... cause its just silly. A good example is Rob Zombie's Halloween and Halloween 2 - Now regardless if you like the story or how it changes Michael (I know many people hate it) BUT, cosidering ONLY the production side, there are way more locations, bigger effects, car crashes, cop cars, helicopters, much larger cast) etc etc. but Halloween cost 19mill and H2 cost 15mill, yet were twice, maybe even 3 times as big in every way... yet cost the same as F13 remake. So that means based on the script WB used the same company that made Halloween (Weinstiens) could have made the F13 remake for 8mill (half of 19)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure some group out there could make a F13 sequel EASILY for under 10mill without the 'found footage' idea.
I agree that an almost $20 million dollar budget for a Friday the 13th film is outrageous. Even Jason X was way less than that and they were making a science fiction film! Regardless, we just need Warner Brothers to do whatever it makes them to do to get us a new Friday movie pronto!
ReplyDeleteI think the found footage idea needs to be dropped the Devil Inside and Apollo 18. Are proof enough that found footage is becoming unpopular it may work for Paranormal Activity. But it doesn't belong with Friday the 13th just lower the film budget.Throw in a young cast at camp crystal lake,add some drinking,sex,drug,rock and roll,Jason Voorhees. Maybe even throw in a cameo of Clay and Whitney and i'll be happy.
ReplyDeleteYea, if they can lower the budget, then I don't see a need for found footage in a Friday film! Bringing back Clay and Whitney is a must, otherwise you're looking at just another reboot or stand alone movie for a sequel!
ReplyDeleteNO FOUND FOOTAGE!!!!! It is played out and lame. It will ruin Jason.
ReplyDeleteNo found Footagte!!!!!!!!!!! That idea should have died with Blair Witch BS
ReplyDeletePlease don't ruin FRIDAY 13TH with "found footage" It's not going to work.
ReplyDeleteno found footage!!!! all the friday films have been profitable and have zero reason to be dropped due to budget. I WANT TO SEE JASON IN THE SNOW AT CRYSTAL LAKE!!!!! We've seen him everywhere else I think the imagery would be awesome.
ReplyDeleteHell yea jason in the snow sounds good
ReplyDeleteI am the biggest F13 fan but if the next movie is found footage they will have to " find " somebody else to replace me at the movie theater. Found footage is garbage hate
ReplyDeleteHate it i meant to write
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't need to cost that much money. We're not casting Will Smith and Johnny Depp as leading roles here. All we need is Derek Mears (he said he wants to come back) and some no name actors who can act.
ReplyDelete