Bryan Fuller Exits A24’s ‘Friday the 13th’ Prequel Series

A24 has parted ways with “Friday the 13th” prequel series showrunner Bryan Fuller, citing creative differences, TheWrap has learned.

Fuller shared the news in a social media post Wednesday, saying that he is no longer leading the project, titled “Crystal Lake” and set for Peacock.

“For reasons beyond our control, A24 has elected to go a different way with the material,” Fuller wrote. “We hope the final product will be something ‘Friday the 13th’ fans all over the world will enjoy.”

An individual with knowledge of the production said that development without Fuller was still underway.

Fuller’s “Hannibal” at NBC earned heaps of praise in its retelling of the grim origin of Hannibal Lecter that led him to events in “Red Dragon” and “The Silence of the Lambs.” He led his “Friday the 13th” announcement by sharing his love for the horror genre and comparing his experience working on his well-loved “Hannibal” series to “Crystal Lake.”

“Adapting classic horror is something I have some experience with. These shows require a vision that elevates and transforms, as well as delivers what audiences have come to expect, which is an ambitious and risky endeavor. It requires people to take the leap with me. When it works, as with ‘Hannibal,’ the results can be powerful for the storytellers and the audience,” Fuller wrote. “I couldn’t be more proud of the work my coshowrunner Jim Danger Gray and I were able to accomplish with our brilliant writing staff despite the challenges we faced.”

Fuller was in the news late last year when he was sued for alleged sexual harassment and sexual assault while executive producing Shudder’s “Queer for Fear” docuseries. Sam Wineman, a producer for the docuseries, claimed from 2020-2022 Fuller “cultivated and maintained a hostile work environment” that included “harassment, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault and retaliation.”

The original “Friday the 13th” film released back in 1980 and starred Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King and Kevin Bacon. The film grossed nearly $60 million on a reported miniscule budget of $500,000. Since the original, there have been 11 other films in the franchise with varying box office success.

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