Friday the 13th' returns

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June 17, 2008

Remaking classic horror flicks has become a cottage industry in Hollywood these days. First, it was the massive hit "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"; then it was "The Amityville Horror" and "The Hills Have Eyes"; and last year, remakes included "The Hitcher" and a forgettable new stab at "Halloween." So, it was no surprise Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes production company, arguably the classiest remake specialists around, is behind the reboot of "Friday the 13th." The Hitlist visited the film's Austin, Texas, set a few weeks ago, and although much of that hot and humid June night of filming remains secret, here are some details that can be revealed now.

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The duo behind the new "Friday" is producers Andrew Forum and Brad Fuller, who have been the face of Platinum Dunes since Bay helped them escape indie-film purgatory eight years ago by backing their 2003 "Chainsaw" remake. "Friday" has reunited them with director Marcus Nispel, whose sleek, commercial look made the first "Chainsaw" a hit with critics and audiences (he didn't return for the sequel, instead wasting some years on the dreadful "Pathfinder"). For Fuller, it was hard to resist bringing the "Friday" franchise into the 21st century.

"After 'Chainsaw,' we did get some calls about different titles. This was one that we all always loved," Fuller says. "For us, to work with an iconic villain like Jason Voorhees is a dream come true. So when [they] came to us, we said 'Yes,' right then and there. Obviously, it wasn't a discussion."

This "Friday" isn't an origin story, however; it's more of a reboot along the lines of "The Incredible Hulk" with Jason already on the loose and young people spending way too much time alone in desolate areas. Putting on Jason's iconic hockey mask for the first time is long-time stuntperson and actor Derek Mears, who said he loves the challenge of bringing more depth to the character.

"In my head, this Jason is a mixture of John Rambo from ['First Blood'], a little bit of Tarzan and the Abominable Snowman from Looney Tunes," Mears says. "You really see Jason thinking and planning in this one, setting people up, and in my opinion it's very similar to 'First Blood' where he's been wronged, people invade his space and he fights back. It's just brutal, but you also understand why he's doing it. You have sympathy for the character."

One cast member who clearly knows where he stands in the movie's pecking order is leading victim, um, man Jared Padalecki. The "Supernatural" star is convinced moviegoers wants to see Jason and his imaginative kills more than character development among his intended victims.

"It's funny because we had to do a photo shoot for the movie two weeks ago," Padalecki recalls. "I was like, 'No one wants to see a picture of me! The poster is going to be Jason and his mask. No one wants to see Jared!'"

Yes, but perhaps the promise of Jared getting killed will make them buy a ticket? Just a thought ...


movies.msn.com/movies/hitlist/06-17-08