Brad Caleb Kane Discusses Casting Linda Cardellini for 'Crystal Lake' Prequel

Showrunner Brad Caleb Kane has revealed that Linda Cardellini was his unequivocal choice to portray Pamela Voorhees in the upcoming "Crystal Lake," a prequel to the "Friday the 13th" franchise. The series is set to premiere on Peacock on October 15.

Kane stated in an exclusive interview that finding the right actress for Pamela Voorhees was not a difficult decision. "I knew from the beginning that the only person that I wanted was Linda Cardellini," he told The Post, expressing his gratitude that she accepted the role. "I didn't know what I would do if she hadn't!"

"Crystal Lake" delves into the story of Pam Voorhees in the 1970s, following the drowning of her son, Jason. Convinced that her son is still alive because his body was never recovered, Pam's narrative forms the core of the prequel.

Kane cited Cardellini's "effortless likability" as a key factor in casting her. He explained that this quality makes her a character audiences can connect with, even as she navigates the dark path ahead. "It makes her somebody that – despite all of these terrible things that Pam has to do to survive – you want to take that journey with her."

The series aims to capture the visceral nature of the original "Friday the 13th" films, which spanned twelve installments from 1980 to 2009. Kane described the prequel as being filled with "gallons of blood" to emulate the franchise's signature slasher elements. "We do spend a lot of time on character, on nuance, on an emotional journey. But when we have the kills, I wanted them to be really visceral and gory," Kane said. "I wanted the audience to go, ‘Oh, there’s my Friday the 13th!’ For that, you needed gallons and gallons of blood."

Kane emphasized that while the show features extreme violence, it is carefully crafted. "You have to go to extremes, because these do come from hack and slash movies," he explained. "You want the audience to be thrilled, the same way that they are in the theater…You want them to marvel at the creative ways that the killer kills." The kills are described as being fresh and creative, aiming to provide emotional impact rather than being random.

Kane, who also serves as an executive producer on HBO's "It: Welcome to Derry," discussed the upcoming second season of that series. He noted that Season 2 is set 27 years before the events of the first season, taking place in Depression-era America with new characters and an unchanged Pennywise. He anticipates the new season will be as terrifying, if not more so, than the first.

"Crystal Lake" will be available on Peacock starting October 15.