So what does this additional case mean for the Jason franchise and the generations of fans who love the masked killer? According to entertainment lawyer — and Friday the 13th Part 3 actor — Larry Zerner, took to Twitter to share his thoughts on the case and pointed to some interesting tidbits that hadn’t been previously reported. Zerner, who has been following both cases closely, tweeted that plaintiff Sean S. Cunningham Films, Ltd. and Horror Inc.’s latest case “ONLY concerns profits of the 2009 F13 Reboot,” which the producer alleges he was cheated out of profits and due to “Hollywood accounting.” The new suit focuses not only on a different film than Cunningham’s case with Miller but also on features no other franchise entries.
After going on to describe the suit as “fairly common” in Hollywood, and likely to result in the “defendants paying Sean [Cunningham] some money in the future,” Zerner laid out how this might impact the franchise’s next steps — and when or even if fans will see Jason Voorhees on their screens’ again anytime soon. The lawyer states that it’s difficult to determine whether this new suit will prevent other F13 productions from beginning. Still, it doesn’t have to prevent Cunningham and WB from working together again.
“If things are worked out with Victor Miller (and that’s a big IF), there is nothing stopping Sean and WB from going forward on a new movie,” he tweeted.
In fact, whoever comes out the winner of this most recent lawsuit may end up with more leverage in future negotiations over new franchise installments that fans will hopefully get to see — unlike some of these other F13 storylines. But that leverage and, ultimately, a new movie will only be possible once the Miller case is resolved.
