Freddy vs. Jason

Lore & Background

The film is a sequel to both Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), taking place before the events of Jason X (2001). After being trapped in Hell, Freddy Krueger finds himself weakened and forgotten, as the residents of Springwood take medication to suppress their dreams. To regain his power, he resurrects Jason Voorhees to spread fear, but Jason proves uncontrollable, leading to a violent clash between the two killers. The plot follows teenager Lori Campbell and her friends as they become caught in the conflict, ultimately devising a plan to force Freddy and Jason to fight in the real world at Camp Crystal Lake.

Reader's Guide

Freddy vs. Jason was released by New Line Cinema in the United States on August 15, 2003. Despite negative reviews from critics, the film grossed $117 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film in the Friday the 13th franchise and the second highest-grossing in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, behind the 2010 remake. The film marks Robert Englund's final portrayal as Freddy Krueger and was the last released film in each franchise's continuity before their respective remake and reboot. A sequel and crossover with the Evil Dead franchise, Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash, was planned but later repurposed as a comic book limited series, along with a follow-up subtitled The Nightmare Warriors. The film's development involved multiple studios and writers over many years, with New Line spending a reported $6 million on script development alone.

Did You Know?

• Evangeline Lilly had a walk-on role as a high school student.
• New Line Cinema studio chief Robert Shaye played the school principal, credited as L.E. Moko.