Crystal Lake casts Jason Voorhees with Callum Vinson

The infamous Friday the 13th universe is about to be expanded with a new prequel series titled Crystal Lake, and the creators have now found their young Jason Voorhees. Young Jason will be played by Callum Vinson, known for SyFy's Chucky and Peacock's Long Bright River. He joins a cast that also features Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees—Jason's mother and the original face of the murderous madness surrounding Camp Crystal Lake.


Callum Vinson

In this new interpretation, Pamela is portrayed as a former singer who gave up her career to care for her special needs son. When she loses Jason, her grief turns to revenge, leading to the bloody events familiar to fans of the franchise.

In addition to Cardellini and Vinson, a new generation of actors joins the cast. Nick Cordileone plays Ralph, possibly a younger version of Crazy Ralph from the original films—the eccentric resident of Crystal Lake who constantly warns of the camp's curse.

Joy Suprano plays Rita, while Danielle Kotch plays Claudette, likely inspired by Claudette Hayes, one of Pamela's first victims in the original film series. Phoenix Parnevik plays Barry, possibly based on Barry Jackson, Pamela's first victim in the original Friday the 13th.

Whether these characters will follow their classic storylines or be reinterpreted remains unclear—the series could offer them a fresh perspective or further explore their tragic fates.

The cast is further bolstered by William Catlett, Devin Kessler, Cameron Scoggins, and Gwendolyn Sundstrom, each playing a role in building this dark history.

While Jason isn't central to Crystal Lake, his role as son, victim, and ultimately perpetrator casts a shadow over the series. His traumatic childhood—he drowned in the lake as a child and then witnessed his mother being decapitated by a camp counselor—lays the foundation for the horror that unfolds later in the franchise.