LeBron James knows what the people want. In recent years, the star athlete has pivoted into producing film and television under his SpringHill banner, gradually ticking off the boxes on the heavy-hitter bingo card: a prestige TV series (Madam C.J. Walker, starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer), a big nostalgia play (Space Jam 2, which James will also star in). Now he’s getting into true box-office Teflon territory by landing his first horror film. But not just any horror film! According to Variety, James is reportedly working on acquiring the rights to a Friday the 13th reboot.
It’s a strong, safe move for James and SpringHill, given that franchise’s popularity and the easy nostalgia factor. It doesn’t hurt that another classic horror franchise, Halloween, just crushed at the box office, breathing new life into the series and upholding the genre’s reputation as fairly inexpensive, but highly lucrative fare.
Per Variety, it’s still early days for the project. A writer and director are not yet attached, so it’s unclear what direction the film will take. Warner Bros., which signed SpringHill to a content deal back in 2015, will likely distribute the film. The studio also released the most recent Friday the 13th installment, a prequel that came out in 2009. Though that film was roasted by critics, it ended up performing well with fans, setting a record at the box office with its $42 million opening weekend; it ultimately picked up $91 million worldwide. If Warner Bros. gets the next reboot right, the studio could easily land another blockbuster—and establish James as a true power player in the film space.
Friday the 13th will mark James’s first major foray into horror—unless you count the time he went as Pennywise the Clown for Halloween. Best of luck getting that terrifying visual out of your head!
