There’s a Reason Why The Worst Friday The 13th Movie Isn’t Franchise Canon

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While not every film in the Friday the 13th series is great, one stands out as particularly terrible – so much so that many fans pretend it doesn’t exist. The original Friday the 13th from 1980 was quickly made to take advantage of the growing popularity of slasher movies, and it unexpectedly became a huge franchise that had a big impact on the horror genre.

Following the original film, Jason Voorhees, the imposing killer, became the face of the series and continued to haunt new groups of young adults in numerous sequels. While the franchise experienced varying degrees of success throughout the 1980s, it remained a long-standing favorite among horror fans. However, when the series was refreshed in the 1990s, one particular sequel was completely left out of the continuation.

Why Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan Isn’t Canon

While there’s never been a definitive storyline for the Friday the 13th series, Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan is often overlooked. It was the final film made with Paramount and features Jason unexpectedly traveling to New York City by yacht, where he causes chaos throughout the city.

The film Jason Goes to Hell did something unexpected: it completely disregarded everything that happened in the previous installment, Part VIII. While the Friday the 13th series often bent the rules, each new movie usually acknowledged what came before. If Jason died in one film, the next one would explain how he returned. But Jason Goes to Hell didn’t even try to rewrite the definite ending of Part VIII.

Look, Jason Voorhees has taken a beating over the years, but his supposed death in Part VIII felt different. It wasn’t just a physical thing; it felt like they were actually trying to end his story by dealing with his soul. They could have easily come up with some crazy explanation to bring him back, but they didn’t even try. Honestly, it really seems like they just pretended that whole trip to Manhattan never happened – like they wanted to erase it from the timeline.

Despite its departure from established continuity, Jason Goes to Hell didn’t completely disregard everything that came before. It still included key details, like the iconic axe wound Jason received in Part III. While Jason’s body was dissolved in toxic waste in Part VIII, he appeared surprisingly undamaged in the next film. Considering how deteriorated he’d become over the course of eight movies, this was somewhat unexpected.

The strongest proof that Jason Takes Manhattan isn’t considered part of the official Friday the 13th storyline comes from Sean S. Cunningham, the original producer and director. He had specific instructions for Jason Goes to Hell, telling filmmakers to disregard everything that happened in Part VIII (as he stated at ComicCon). Although this wasn’t formally confirmed, the plot of the ninth film implies his wishes were followed.

Jason Takes Manhattan Is The Worst Friday The 13th Movie By Far

Choosing the worst Friday the 13th film is almost as difficult as choosing the best, but Jason Takes Manhattan is generally considered the weakest. It’s not the most confusing of the series (that would be Jason Goes to Hell), but it’s the least imaginative. The movie starts with a promising setup, but ultimately doesn’t follow through on any of its potential.

While Jason Voorhees appears briefly in New York City, most of the movie takes place on a boat. The creative kills aren’t enough to save it, as the film lacks any real tension, making the violence feel meaningless. It received very poor reviews, scoring only 11% on Rotten Tomatoes, and has earned the least amount of money of any film in the Friday the 13th series.

The film was so disappointing that Paramount decided to stop making movies in the franchise – that’s the biggest sign of its failure. While the established history of Friday the 13th isn’t crucial, it’s safe to say Jason Takes Manhattan won’t impact any future installments. Despite its devoted fans, this eighth film is best remembered as a relic of the past.

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2025-11-01 20:13