March 24, 2025 – Linda Cardellini has been officially cast as Pamela Voorhees in A24 and Peacock’s highly anticipated Friday the 13th prequel series, Crystal Lake. The news, confirmed by Deadline and shared via a post by @Austin_Medzz on X at 18:27 UTC on March 24, 2025, marks a significant milestone for the series, which has been in development since 2022. Cardellini, known for her roles in Scooby-Doo and Brokeback Mountain, will portray the iconic mother of Jason Voorhees, delving into the origins of the horror franchise’s infamous villain.
Linda Cardellini will officially star as Pamela Voorhees in A24’s ‘FRIDAY THE 13TH’ prequel series pic.twitter.com/mKaGVaoY9r
— Austin Medeiros (@Austin_Medzz) March 24, 2025
Crystal Lake, produced by A24, aims to explore the backstory of Pamela Voorhees, whose vengeful actions in the original 1980 Friday the 13th film set the stage for Jason’s reign of terror. According to Deadline, Cardellini’s Pamela is depicted as a mother who abandoned a singing career to care for her special needs child, taking a dark turn after losing her son. The series, under the direction of showrunner Brad Caleb Kane, has undergone a creative overhaul since Bryan Fuller’s departure in 2024, with Kane bringing his experience from the It prequel series Welcome to Derry.
The casting news follows months of speculation, with initial reports in February 2025 suggesting Cardellini was in talks for the role. A24 and Peacock are reportedly aiming for a Halloween 2025 release, with filming potentially taking place in Australia later this year, as hinted by director Victor Cunningham at Silver Scream Con. Cardellini’s involvement adds star power to the project, which seeks to deconstruct the early Friday the 13th films while offering a fresh perspective on Pamela’s descent into madness. Horror fans are eagerly awaiting this new chapter in the franchise’s storied history.
