NBA star LeBron James is reportedly in talks to produce a Friday the 13th reboot. As the basketball icon approaches the end of his playing career, he's looking to make a splash in the entertainment realm. Part of the reasoning behind his signing with the Los Angeles Lakers this past summer was to increase his profile in Hollywood, as James is the co-founder of a production company that continues to pick up projects, such as a House Party reboot.
Most notably, James is heavily involved with the new Space Jam movie, which allegedly begins production during the 2019 NBA offseason. While there's much excitement surrounding that, it isn't the only famous cinematic property James is looking to bring back. If he gets his way, he'll spearhead a new take on one of horror's most legendary figures.
Related: Friday the 13th Really Shouldn't Be This Hard to Reboot
Bloody Disgusting reports James is in talks to produce a Friday the 13th reboot under his Springhill Entertainment banner. The franchise has been absent from the big screen since 2009, due in large part to legal issues concerning distribution rights. Despite interest in more Friday the 13th films, the property has stayed in development hell.
While it remains to be seen what happens with the lawsuit involving Victor Miller (who wrote the original film and created the character of Jason Voorhees), it wouldn't be surprising if a new Friday the 13th finally got off the ground in the near future. Horror is in the midst of a new golden age and experienced a banner year in 2017 with hits such as Get Out and IT. The genre's popularity remains strong, as the newest Halloween just posted October's second-highest opening weekend ever. With interest so high to see the return of Michael Myers, audiences would probably enjoy getting reacquainted with Jason at some point. The financial incentive is definitely there, and James reads as a strong choice to produce. He's shared his love for Jason multiple times on social media, so he'd approach a reboot from the perspective of a fan. Jason Blum would like to get his hands on Friday the 13th, but it looks like this is James' horror franchise to lose.
It's worth keeping in mind this is not an officially done deal yet, so things could fall apart as the talks continue. Having said that, James has the clout to make the Friday the 13th reboot happen, especially if he's passionate enough about the material and has a good story idea in place. It's been a long time coming for Jason's return to theaters and after several ups and downs, there may finally be some light at the end of the tunnel.
More: Why Friday the 13th's Reboots Keep Getting Canceled
Source: Bloody Disgusting
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