‘Friday The 13th’ Prequel Series: See NJ Filming Locations

Summer camp counselors may want to tread with caution, because horror icon Jason Voorhees is reportedly lurking in New Jersey, for the “Friday the 13th” prequel series, anyway.

“Crystal Lake,” a Peacock original series, is being filmed in New Jersey, and residents are getting a blast from the past 45 years after the original horror flick scared audiences nationwide.

The 1980 slasher sparked a 12-movie film franchise, toy production, comic books, video games, and more, making Jason Voorhees not just a horror icon but a pop-culture phenomenon.

Residents across New Jersey are seeing their towns turn into the eerie town of Crystal Lake for the series’ production. Blairstown, Warren County, for example, plans to close down Main Street to accommodate filming of the show.

A "Friday the 13th" fan site's social media posted photos of some "Crystal Lake Police Department" activity in Hawthorne, Passaic County. (We imagine the Crystal Lake PD will be quite busy once Jason comes to town.)

“Crystal Lake” writer and producer Brad Kane has also shared some photos documenting the production of the upcoming series.

Shooting has also taken place further south, as streets were closed in Atlantic Highlands, Monmouth County, to accommodate the show’s production in late June.

According to police, Mother Teresa School in Atlantic Highlands was used for filming. Maybe we can expect a young Jason Voorhees working diligently on his studies? Or perhaps some teens finishing up their school year before starting their ill-fated jobs as summer camp counselors?

We’ll see in 2026, when the series is expected to stream on Peacock.

The prequel is returning to its roots, as the original "Friday the 13th" movie was filmed in and around Blairstown, including at a Boy Scout camp called Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick Township.

Filming is also reportedly taking place in Hope Township and Clifton.

“Crystal Lake” — What We Know

The prequel series, codenamed “Mama’s Boy,” will feature a young Jason Voorhees, before (and after?) he donned his iconic and terrifying hockey mask.

Portraying a young Voorhees is Callum Vinson, who horror fans might recognize from another slasher reimagining - “Chucky” (the 2021 series on SyFy).

Zachary Branch, a New Jersey native, will portray an adult Jason Voorhees.

Linda Cardellini (“Freaks and Geeks,” “Scooby Doo”) will be playing Jason’s murderous mother, Pamela Voorhees. Their, let’s say, “complicated” relationship is the namesake for the series’ codename.

Other cast members include Danielle Kotch, Nancy Nagrant, and Phoenix Parnevik.

A blunt IMDb description of the show says the series “follows a doomed small town where camp counselors come to die.”

IMDb also listed the titles for the series’ first two episodes: “The Great Pretender” and “Are You Experienced?”

The show is being produced by A24, known for films like “Hereditary,” “Everything, Everywhere, All At Once,” and “Midsommar.”

The series is directed by Michael Lennox and written/produced by Kane and Karl Taro Greenfeld.

Filming is expected to wrap in October, with the series streaming on Peacock in 2026.