Since bursting into the hearts of horror movie enthusiasts in the 1980 classic Friday the 13th, Jason Voorhees has become a notorious figure, with his kill count estimated to be anywhere between 163 and a staggering 20,000 across his 12 cinematic escapades. This chilling journey has seen the iconic, hockey mask-clad machete-wielder slaughter countless groups of unruly teenagers, clash with the infamous Freddy Krueger, and venture into the bustling streets of New York City, outer space, and even the depths of hell itself. Here, we delve into the most thrilling, terrifying, and sometimes humorous tales behind all twelve installments of the Friday the 13th franchise.

Discover the Origins of the Iconic Horror Franchise: Friday the 13th (1980)

Released on May 9, 1980, the inaugural Friday the 13th film was a bold attempt to replicate the holiday-themed horror success achieved by 1978’s Halloween. It turned out to be a massive box office triumph, raking in nearly $60 million on a modest budget of under $600,000. However, critical reception was far from positive, with film critics expressing their disdain, notably Gene Siskel, who made headlines by breaking conventional review standards in an effort to undermine the film’s success:

Read More: How Gene Siskel Tried to Sabotage the Original ‘Friday the 13th’

Unveiling the Sequel: Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)

Given the overwhelming box office success of the original Friday the 13th, it came as no surprise that a sequel was rushed into production, with Part 2 hitting theaters less than a year later. Interestingly, Jason Voorhees was not the primary antagonist in the initial film, and there were discussions about leaving him out of the sequel as well. Sean S. Cunningham, who produced and directed the first installment, envisioned a completely different narrative filled with new characters for the follow-up. However, studio executives had other plans:

Read More: How Jason Almost Wasn’t the Villain in ‘Friday the 13th Part 2’

Jason’s Iconic Transformation: Friday the 13th Part 3 (1981)

Despite Part 2 earning only a third of its predecessor’s revenue, it still generated a whopping profit, prompting the release of the 3-D sequel Part 3 the very next year. This installment marked the debut of Jason’s now-iconic hockey mask, replacing the burlap sack from Part 2. Nevertheless, the franchise’s formula began to feel stale. The decision to film in a controlled studio environment and focus heavily on 3-D effects rather than authentic performances took a toll on the film’s overall quality:

Read More: How Jason Took a Big Wrong Turn With ‘Friday the 13th Part 3’

Jason’s Reign of Terror Continues: Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)

By the time the fourth installment, dubbed the supposed final chapter of the Friday the 13th saga, hit cinemas in 1984, Jason Voorhees had firmly established himself as one of cinema’s most notorious villains. However, the actor behind the mask displayed a surprising act of heroism when one of his co-stars found herself in a perilous situation orchestrated by the filmmakers:

Read More: How Jason Saved the Girl in ‘Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter’

Reinventing the Franchise: Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

Despite the continuing financial success of the Friday the 13th franchise, some actors involved in the production of 1985’s A New Beginning expressed surprise and disappointment upon realizing that the film they had auditioned for was not titled Repetition, but rather the fifth installment in the beloved horror series:

Read More: How Actors Were Tricked Into Starring in a ‘Friday the 13th’ Movie

Resurrecting Horror: Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)

Fan reception was lukewarm towards the unexpected twist of a “fake” Jason being behind the murders in A New Beginning. As a response, 1986’s Jason Lives resurrected the real Jason in a spectacular “lightning meets grave” rebirth sequence, effectively delivering a quintessential monster movie that many fans regard as the pinnacle of the series:

Read More: Why ‘Friday the 13th Part VI’ is the Best Jason Movie Ever

Introducing New Powers: Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)

The seventh installment of the Friday the 13th series, produced within a mere eight years, sought to inject fresh energy into the franchise by giving one of Jason’s typically defenseless victims the capability to fight back. Enter Tina, a young woman with dormant telekinetic abilities reminiscent of Stephen King’s Carrie:

Read More: When Jason Met Carrie in ‘Friday the 13th Part VII’

Jason’s New Adventure: Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)

At this point, the franchise begins to stray significantly from its roots. In the first of three ill-fated departures from his usual Crystal Lake territory, Jason embarks on a cruise ship bound for New York City. Unfortunately, budget constraints hindered director Rob Hedden’s ambitious plans, resulting in Jason only spending a fraction of the film in the iconic metropolis. “It’s not ‘Jason Takes Manhattan,’ it’s ‘Jason Takes a Cruise Ship,” he later admitted:

Read More: How ‘Friday the 13th’ Wasted Jason’s Trip to New York City

Breaking the Mold: Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

When does a Jason movie become something entirely different? When the titular character is obliterated in the first seven minutes and makes a reappearance only five minutes before the credits roll. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday opts for a plot where Jason’s malevolent spirit possesses various unsuspecting victims, resulting in one of the most fragmented and unsatisfying entries in the franchise. However, the final moments tease a much-anticipated horror crossover:

Read More: Why ‘Jason Goes to Hell’ Was ‘A Disaster’

Venturing into the Future: Jason X (2001)

After adventures in hell and New York City, where else could a mass murderer go? How about outer space and the distant future, as depicted in Jason X? In this installment, our infamous antagonist receives a notably cheesy cybernetic upgrade in a film that was so outlandish that the studio kept it on the shelf for two years before finally releasing it:

Read More: How Jason Got Stranded in Space

The Ultimate Showdown: Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)

After 16 years of development and a staggering 18 script revisions costing around $6 million, Jason finally confronted A Nightmare on Elm Street villain Freddy Krueger in one of the most eagerly awaited horror movie matchups in recent memory. Thankfully, the final product justified both the lengthy wait and the substantial investment:

Read More: Why ‘Freddy Vs. Jason’ Was Worth a 16-Year Wait

Reimagining a Legend: Friday the 13th (2009)

Nearly three decades after his cinematic debut, Jason’s saga received its first-ever reboot. The 2009 version of Friday the 13th functions as a reimagined greatest hits compilation, fast-tracking through the essential moments of the franchise’s history. The film showcases Jason’s transformation from an innocent child to a burlap sack-clad killer and ultimately to the hockey mask-wearing icon fans know today. Additionally, Jason is portrayed as significantly more intelligent, agile, and seemingly more sadistic than in previous films:

Read More: ‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot Makes Both Jason and His Story Faster