Movie fans of a certain age will remember a time when nearly every popcorn flick got a tie-in novelization—you’d see them while you were in line at the grocery store, displayed alongside the latest V.C. Andrews drop and the current issue of Weekly World News. Crystal Lake showrunner Brad Caleb Kane is a product of that era, and he’s bringing it back for his new Peacock series, which is getting a novelization from Bram Stoker Award-winning author Tim Waggoner.
The Friday the 13th prequel series focuses on Pam Voorhees, Jason’s mother, in the time right after his tragic drowning at Camp Crystal Lake. While slasher maniacs know her grief inevitably turns murderous, as seen in 1980’s Friday the 13th, exactly how she goes from mourning her son to slicing up camp counselors is uncharted territory Kane’s show will eagerly explore.
To avoid the obvious problem of spoilers, Waggoner’s book won’t be out until October 15, which is the day Crystal Lake premieres on Peacock. A24 Books did share a few glimpses of the text as part of a press release announcing the book, though.
Waggoner has also written novelizations from other franchises, including Alien, Halloween, and A Nightmare on Elm Street, so he’s bringing plenty of spooky experience to Crystal Lake.
In the press release, Kane recalls discovering the novelization of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial as a kid and how it became a sort of gateway drug into collecting similar novelizations of his favorite movies. “I loved how the thoughts of the characters were extrapolated and expanded upon, how new scenes were written beyond what was shown on screen,” he said. “I would rewatch these movies I loved with friends, but only I knew what the characters were really thinking and what their lives had been like before the events of the story.”
As you might guess, he treasured the previous Friday the 13th tie-in novels and was thrilled by the idea of Crystal Lake joining the tradition. He calls Waggoner’s book “a true full-circle moment” and “a perfect companion piece to the show and, frankly, catnip for the Friday the 13th fans like me—a fathoms-deep dive into Voorhees lore.”
The Crystal Lake book hits retailers on October 15, the same day the show arrives on Peacock.
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