HBO Max Picks Up A24’s Friday the 13th Prequel Crystal Lake for EMEA

The regional deal expands the series’ international reach after years of rights hurdles and clears the way for an HBO Max debut later this year.

Overview

Warner Bros. Discovery announced Friday that it has acquired A24’s Crystal Lake for HBO Max across Europe, the Middle East and Africa while excluding the U.K. and Ireland.
Peacock will remain the U.S. home for the series and will release all eight hourlong episodes at once on October 15, 2026.
Brad Caleb Kane is credited as the show’s creator, writer and showrunner after Bryan Fuller left the project in May 2024 over creative differences, and Linda Cardellini stars as Pamela Voorhees.
The eight-episode season features directors Michael Lennox, Celine Held and Logan George, and Quyen Tran, with Callum Vinson playing a young Jason Voorhees and a broad executive-producing team led by A24.
The pickup gives the franchise its widest streaming distribution since lengthy rights disputes, positions the show for festival exposure ahead of streaming, and leaves U.K./Ireland rights still unannounced.