Mike Flanagan Mourns Bryan Fuller’s ‘Crystal Lake’ Series After Brad Caleb Kane Takes Over

As another Friday the 13th came and went, Mike Flanagan shared some bittersweet camp memories.

The Life of Chuck director shared praise for Bryan Fuller‘s version of the Friday the 13th prequel series Crystal Lake, from Peacock and A24, after the project found a new showrunner in Brad Caleb Kane.

“On this Friday the 13th, can’t help but to reflect on the CRYSTAL LAKE series that almost was,” wrote Flanagan on X. “@BryanFuller was onto something terrific. Will just wait with bated breath for his excellent DUST BUNNY…”

Fuller, who also created Pushing Daisies an Hannibal, previously announced his departure in May after Peacock gave Crystal Lake a straight-to-series order in 2022 with Fuller as writer, executive producer and showrunner.

“For reasons beyond our control, A24 has elected to go a different way with the material,” he wrote at the time. “We hope the final product will be something Friday the 13th fans all over the world will enjoy.”

Last month, A24 appointed Kane in his place. “From the moment I watched Jason Voorhees squeeze a guy’s eyeball out of its socket (in glorious 3D!) at the tender age of 8 years old, I knew my creative path was someday destined to converge with The Man Behind The Mask,” he shared in a statement. “Nothing defined my childhood more than growing up in the golden age of the slasher flick, and nothing’s defined the genre more than Friday The 13th. I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to contribute a chapter to this iconic franchise, particularly with such fearless partners as Peacock and A24.”

Other EPs include original Friday the 13th (1980) writer Victor Miller, his copyright attorney Marc Toberoff, Robert M. Barsamian and Robert P. Barsamian. The project marks A24’s first major IP-driven project amid a recent commercial push. Plot details are being kept under wraps.