Reflecting on 45 Years of the Friday the 13th Franchise

The iconic slasher series has evolved through 12 films, shaping horror trends despite mixed critical reception.

The Friday the 13th franchise began in 1980 with a low-budget film inspired by the success of Halloween and has since become a defining slasher series.
Jason Voorhees, the series' central killer, wasn’t the original antagonist but became an iconic figure starting with the second film.
Critical reception of the franchise has been largely negative, with only the 1980 original receiving a 'fresh' rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
The series is known for its evolving tone, from early serious horror to later entries incorporating humor and self-awareness, such as Jason Lives and Jason X.
Despite its title, only four of the films actually take place on a Friday the 13th, with timeline inconsistencies contributing to fan discussions.