With the new director of the next Friday the 13th installment being announced as Jonathon Leibesman, it looks like that October 2006 release was just a little too good to be true. Leibesman is also directing the TCM prequel, which is only now wrapping production - so it looks like for Friday to be of any quality, it will have to wait until 2007 for it to be released. Here's the word from Reuters/Hollywood Reporter...
Jonathan Liebesman, director of the upcoming "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" prequel, is in negotiations to direct the remake of horror classic "Friday the 13th" for New Line Cinema.
"Friday" made Jason, the unstoppable hockey mask-wearing killer, a 1980s horror icon, though the serial killer made only a brief appearance in the final frames of the first movie. Jason didn't even don the famous mask until the third movie.
Jason will wear the mask for the remake, written by Mark Wheaton, which will incorporate components of the franchise's films. The setting will be that of the first movie, Crystal Lake.
Liebesman is wrapping production on the untitled "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" prequel, which, like the "Friday" remake, is produced by Platinum Dunes for New Line.
A Friday the 13th does fall in October this year, and there was speculation that the movie would be made quickly to capitalize on that. But Platinum Dunes and New Line already have scheduled the "Texas Chainsaw" prequel for release that month, on October 6. "Friday" will be a 2007 release.