Crystal Lake, Peacock’s highly anticipated Friday the 13th prequel series, screened its first two episodes at Beyond Fest 2026 ahead of its October 15 premiere. Horror Press was there to see Jason’s first on-screen appearance since 2009, and hear showrunner Brad Caleb Kane reveal what’s ahead for the franchise.

Note: This article contains no major spoilers for the first two episodes of Crystal Lake, but does discuss characters, franchise connections and details revealed during Brad Caleb Kane’s post-screening Q&A.

Beyond Fest has already been a treat for fans of horror icons, with the Egyptian Theatre hosting a rare screening of the original It miniseries alongside special screenings of Green Room, The Sixth Sense, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma and more. But the return to Crystal Lake was something else entirely. That’s right: Jason Voorhees is back.

What Is Crystal Lake About?

Crystal Lake follows Linda Cardellini as Pam Voorhees, exploring the time in between Jason’s iconic drowning and her blossoming into the iconic slasher. The first two episodes are set on capturing the vibe of the first four original films with lots of blood, humor, and a lot of surprises that we won’t be going into.

After the screening, the series’ incredibly charismatic showrunner and Friday mega-fan, Brad Caleb Kane, joined for a Q&A. He was grateful enough to not only share insight into these premiere episodes, but also hint at the future of the series.

Crystal Lake Brings Back Characters From the Original Friday the 13th

One of the most notable things about the prequel series’ early episodes are how attentive they are to the quirky small-town characters of the original movie. Not only do they capture the spirit of the characters, but several notable characters make their first appearance since the original. Officer Dorf and Steve Chrissy are fan favorites that show up, as well as some of the series’ very first victims. Overall, the episodes make a point to try to fully recreate that sleepy New Jersey lakeside village. Who else can we expect, or not expect, though?

Creighton Duke Won’t Man an Appearance

Disappointingly, we have personal confirmation that Creighton Duke, the Jason hunter from Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday, will not be making an appearance. For all those fans of Part 9, my heart goes out to you…you’re not alone. In addition, there are said to be no returning elements of lore from this controversial entry.

While the central counselors of the original Friday the 13th are not to be seen quite yet in the series, showrunner Brad Caleb Kane did mention that certain scenes from the original may make a reappearance. The new cast will reenact iconic moments from the first Friday. While not confirmed, this could hint at more incoming returning characters…

Jason Voorhees Could Get a New Mask

Naturally, Jason does not get that hockey mask until Part 3, and the bag mask until Part 2, Kane did mention in his intro for the episodes that there may be a mask at some point in the series. Could it be a new mask? Will it be just an easter egg, or a bigger part of the franchise? It is unclear for now, but it seems everyone has their fingers crossed for a certain piece of hockey paraphernalia to show up.

Crystal Lake Will Eventually Become a Full-On Slasher

While Friday the 13th is horror at its core, Brad Caleb Kane discussed drawing inspiration from the paranoid thrillers of the 1970s for Crystal Lake. Since the series is set in the 70s, Kane namedropped movies like The Parallax View as being a basis for the series’ suspense elements. It is not clear how far the show will push these conspiracy elements, or to what extent, but I personally am on the edge of my seat. Some other Friday fans may not love this angle, but after there being worm-demons in Jason Goes to Hell, I think we can all accept stretching the mythology a bit.

Now, given this news, some of those same fans might be disappointed the show is not a full-on slasher, beginning to end. However, Kane tells fans not to worry. The show will build back into total slasher territory, and he promises lots of blood, and lots of kills.

Thanks so much to Brad Caleb Kane for the Q&A, and to Beyond Fest, American Cinematheque, and the Egyptian Theater for such a great night.

When Does Crystal Lake Premiere on Peacock?

Crystal Lake premieres on Peacock on October 15th.

Wake up, babe—the first announcements for Halloween Horror Nights 2026 just dropped, and they’ve got us hyped! This year marks the 35th installment of the premiere Halloween season event, and to celebrate the anniversary, HHN is bringing back not one but two of its biggest icons: Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow!

Universal Creative made the announcement at this weekend’s MEGACON Orlando “Behind the Screams: Crafting 35 Years of Fear at Universal Halloween Horror Nights” panel, followed by an X post clarifying that “the forces of horror are BACK. Jack The Clown and Dr. Oddfellow return to wreak havoc together at this year’s Halloween Horror Nights” The team also revealed the name of the first house: Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control. 

What does the return of these two icons—historically bitter rivals—mean for guests, and what can we expect to see in the house? Read on for everything we know about HHN 35 so far, and a quick primer on the lore for the uninitiated! 

Credit: Universal Halloween Horror Nights / Inside The Magic

Who is Jack the Clown?

Debuting at Halloween Horror Nights X in the year 2000, Jack the Clown was HHN’s first original icon. In the real world, he’s the result of a series of surveys conducted by the Universal team that consistently revealed clowns to be visitors’ biggest fear. But his lore within the universe of HHN is much more complicated—and sinister.

Born in the late 1800s, Jack “the Clown” Schmidt started life as a performing clown, eventually finding his way to Dr. Oddfellow’s Carnival of Thrills in the early 1900s. When local authorities realized that the traveling carnival was leaving a trail of missing children in its wake and began closing in, Jack confided his crimes to his boss, who didn’t take the news well. Not wanting the police at his door, Oddfellow murdered Jack and stuffed his body into a box, hiding him (and the dead kids’ corpses) inside a sideshow attraction. 

Who is Dr. Oddfellow?

Dr. Rich Oddfellow is a fascinating character even outside of his connection with Jack. Long before getting entangled with the kiddie killer, Oddfellow was obsessed with the Zodiac, believing it held the potential to grant him power and immortality—and he wasn’t afraid to commit some twisted, ritualistic murders of his own to unlock its secrets. His quest led him deep into the jungle, where he uncovered a crystal skull that he used to create his Cane of Souls. 

During their struggle, Jack managed to gouge a chunk out of his boss’s face, leaving Oddfellow with a distinctive scar on his cheek. Oddfellow would later attempt to shapeshift to hide his identity, but that scar always remained, serving as a clue for eagle-eyed park visitors. More importantly, the scuffle spilled some of Oddfellow’s immortal blood on Jack’s face, imbuing him with some of Oddfellow’s powers. This led to Jack’s resurrection when, in the 1980s, a BBC production crew unwittingly released Jack from the music box holding his spirit captive, allowing Jack to pursue a bloody path of carnage and revenge. 

Halloween Horror Nights Most Long Awaited Showdown

There’s a lot more to the backstory than that, and you can find some of it on the Discover Universal Blog if you want to bone up before the event. What’s important is that Jack has appeared frequently at HHN events, often on anniversary years, with Oddfellow finally getting his lore explored in depth at HHN 32 in 2023. But the two icons have never gone head to head—until now!

What Is the “Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control” House at HHN 35?

We’re still in the early days of HHN 35 announcements, but here’s what we know right now about a clash of titans 25 years in the making!

According to the official announcement from HHN, “Jack & Oddfellow: Chaos & Control” will allow guests to “witness Jack the Clown’s unholy origins, then enter Dr. Oddfellow’s wickedly twisted universe where two of the most powerful forces in horror will face off in a deathmatch of chaos versus control.” The original house will be just one part of the Infernal Carnival of Nightmares (or I.C.O.N. for short, get it?) that visitors will experience once they step through the front gates of the park. 

“The haunted house is going to be wild because … basically you’re going into the box,” said Mike Aiello, Universal Orlando Resort’s senior director of Entertainment Creative Development, in an interview with USA TODAY. “You’re experiencing what Jack experienced when he got killed and shoved in there, and essentially you’re going into a realm that we call the Oddverse. And it’s in this realm that Jack and Oddfellow have this immense, epic battle.”

What starts as a feverish fight will ultimately culminate in Jack the Clown and Dr. Oddfellow teaming up to, presumably, terrorize a common enemy: us. “You’ve got a cerebral end of the spectrum [Oddfellow] and you’ve got a visceral end [Jack]—two great ideologies there in how they can affect a guest,” Aiello added. “And that is a lot of the content that we’ll be presenting this year, is under that infernal banner.” 

Will Jack and Oddfellow kiss and make up at Halloween Horror Nights 35? Only time will tell. 

Photo courtesy of Samantha McLaren.

When is Halloween Horror Nights 2026, when do tickets go on sale, and how much will it cost?

HHN 35 will run on select nights from August 28 to November 1, 2026. The full event calendar has yet to be released, but if previous years are anything to go by, you should expect HHN to fall Wednesday through Sunday most weeks during its run. So, if you’re planning to spend a full week at Universal Orlando or Universal Hollywood for Halloween Horror Nights, consider using Monday and Tuesday as a rest day. After all, all those late-night hikes through the Scare Zones can be hard on the old tootsies! 

Halloween Horror Nights 2026 Tickets, Add-Ons, and Planning Tips

Tickets for HHN 35 have not yet been released. Based on last year’s event, we anticipate that single-night tickets and add-ons will drop sometime in late May or early June, with multi-night tickets following a few weeks later, so keep an eye on the official Halloween Horror Nights social accounts and your credit card at the ready. While exact pricing is not yet available, single-night tickets for the 2025 event at Universal Orlando Resort started at $82.99 per person, with multi-night passes starting at $199.99.

Remember: Halloween Horror Nights is a separately ticketed event, so your daily park admission or annual pass does not grant entry. You also have the option to purchase extras like Express Passes, RIP Tours, and Behind-the-Screams: Unmasking the Horror tours, all of which can enhance your experience if you’re willing to part with the benjamins. Check out our ultimate Halloween Horror Nights guide to help you start planning your 2026 trip. 

HHN 35 Rumors: Potential Houses and Scare Zones for 2026

As for the other houses and Scare Zones, we can only speculate. Perhaps we’ll get another Stranger Things house to celebrate the series’ official conclusion. And with Insidious 6 scheduled to hit theaters this August, another trip into The Further may be in the cards. Watch this space, and be sure to check back for our super-scientific house rankings once the event gets underway. 

We’ll see you in the fog this fall!