We know, Friday the 13th is our boy Jason’s day. We understand that. But nothing against the big guy; we wanted to provide a list of OTHER horror flicks you might not realize are related to, or happen on Friday the 13th, besides what took place at a camp a long time ago. Each entry has a Friday the 13th tie-in, and the stories mesh well with this auspicious date.
Jason Voorhees has certainly earned his place as the unofficial mascot of Friday the 13th. Every time the calendar lines up with that supposedly unlucky date, horror fans know exactly which movies are making their way into the Blu-ray player. But there’s more to this particular day than hockey masks, machetes, and unfortunate summer campers.
A few other horror filmmakers have incorporated Friday the 13th into their stories, sometimes making it a significant part of the plot. We dug around for some alternatives that deserve a little attention the next time the calendar gives us an excuse to stay home and watch something disturbing.
1. Freaky (2020)
Christopher Landon‘s Freaky gives Friday the 13th a decidedly different kind of body count. Starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton. This was Blumhouse’s take on the old Disney flick “Freaky Friday”. It was a really cool idea and the kills included were downright evil, we dug it a lot. The Friday the 13th connection is built directly into the story, with the date playing a role in the film’s supernatural setup. It’s a particularly fitting choice for this list, especially considering the number of people who wind up on the wrong end of the Butcher’s blade. (Count them as you watch!)
If you’re looking for something that mixes slasher mayhem with a healthy dose of comedy, Freaky is a pretty entertaining way to spend an unlucky Friday.
2. My Bloody Valentine (1981)
While Jason Voorhees has Friday the 13th, Harry Warden has Valentine’s Day. George Mihalka‘s Canadian slasher My Bloody Valentine has become a cult favorite, thanks in large part to its memorable killer, mining-town setting, and rather unpleasant approach to holiday celebrations. The story revolves around the town of Valentine Bluffs, where a Valentine’s Day dance is planned after years of being forbidden. That prohibition stems from a mining disaster decades earlier, when a miner named Harry Warden survived a cave-in after resorting to murder to stay alive. He was eventually institutionalized, but not before warning the town never to hold another Valentine’s Day celebration.
Years later, the warnings are forgotten, the dance returns, and someone begins sending the town a rather bloody reminder of its past.
The Friday the 13th connection is tied to the film’s backstory and the events surrounding Harry Warden’s return. It’s an especially appropriate addition for anyone who enjoys old-school slashers and killers who have a particular problem with holiday festivities.
3. Long Weekend (Thongsook 13) (2013)
Let’s take a trip outside the United States for this one. Thailand’s Long Weekend, also known as Thongsook 13, is a supernatural horror film that makes Friday the 13th a central part of its story. The film follows a group of friends who head to a remote island for a getaway. Among them is Thongsook, an awkward young man who has a fascination with the supernatural. The island has a dark history, and the friends soon discover that their vacation happens to coincide with a particularly dangerous date.
Friday the 13th is associated with a ritual and the release of supernatural forces, turning what should have been a relaxing getaway into a nightmare.
Unlike the familiar American summer-camp formula, this Thai horror production takes its unlucky date in a more supernatural direction. Isolation, local beliefs, and the group’s increasingly desperate situation provide the ingredients for a pretty nasty vacation. It’s also a reminder that Friday the 13th superstitions and horror storytelling aren’t exclusive to American filmmakers. International horror has plenty of ways to make an ordinary date on the calendar feel downright sinister.
4. The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)
For our final entry, we’re going back to Hammer Films and one of the most recognizable mysteries in literary history. Terence Fisher‘s The Hound of the Baskervilles stars Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and Christopher Lee as Sir Henry Baskerville. Based on Arthur Conan Doyle‘s famous story, the film follows Holmes as he investigates the mysterious death of Sir Charles Baskerville and the terrifying legend surrounding the Baskerville family. According to local superstition, a monstrous hound has been stalking the family for generations, and Sir Henry may be its next victim.
The Friday the 13th connection comes through the circumstances surrounding the death that sets the mystery in motion. It’s an interesting addition because this isn’t a traditional slasher or supernatural body-count picture. Instead, it leans into gothic atmosphere, family curses, and the possibility that something monstrous is lurking on the moors.
With Cushing delivering a terrific performance as Holmes and Hammer bringing its signature gothic atmosphere to the material, this is a great choice for horror fans who enjoy a little mystery alongside their monsters.
It might not feature a hockey mask or a machete, but there’s certainly something unsettling about a family being hunted by a creature that supposedly cannot be stopped.
A Little Something Beyond Jason
Friday the 13th will probably always belong to Jason Voorhees. We’re certainly not going to argue with that. But the next time this date rolls around, there are a few other horror stories worth revisiting.
Whether it’s a body-swapping serial killer, a murderous miner, a cursed island in Thailand, or a legendary beast stalking the English countryside, these films offer a few different ways to spend an otherwise unlucky day.
And if none of those sound appealing, there’s always Camp Crystal Lake. Just try to avoid the big guy in the mask.