Jason Voorhees Makes His Animated Debut in New ‘Never Hike Alone’ Short

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More than 46 years after his big-screen debut in the slasher classic “Friday the 13th,” hulking horror icon Jason Voorhees is about to prove that his machete cuts just as deep in animation. The hockey-masked killer returns in “Never Hike Alone: Ghosts in the Fog,” a new 10-minute animated film from independent production company Womp Stomp Films.

Premiering Friday, Nov. 13, at 5 p.m. PT, and streaming for free on the Womp Stomp Films YouTube channel, the story follows an unlucky trio of friends whose relaxing weekend camping trip takes a gory turn when they become lost in the fog surrounding the infamous Camp Crystal Lake.

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Founded in 2016 by filmmaker Vincente DiSanti, Womp Stomp Films has built a devoted following with its ambitious series of “Friday the 13th” fan films. The saga began with DiSanti’s 2017 short “Never Hike Alone,” followed by the winter-set prequel “Never Hike in the Snow” in 2020. The feature-length sequel “Never Hike Alone 2” arrived in 2023, featuring “Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives” actors Thom Mathews and Vincent Guastaferro reprising their original roles as Tommy Jarvis and Sheriff Rick Cologne.

The “Never Hike Alone” films have relied on crowdfunding campaigns to help finance their increasingly elaborate productions. The fan-supported approach has allowed DiSanti and his collaborators to expand the saga while making the finished films available to watch for free online.

Although the “Never Hike Alone” films feature copyrighted characters, settings and storylines from the official “Friday the 13th” franchise, Womp Stomp Films operates independently of the studios that own the Jason Voorhees property. The company follows a set of self-imposed guidelines designed to avoid copyright disputes, including making its films available for free, using crowdfunding exclusively for production expenses and not turning a profit. Each film includes an on-screen disclaimer acknowledging that the rights holders can challenge the production. So far, the franchise owners have not taken action to stop the films.

“Ghosts in the Fog” marks the fourth installment in the Womp Stomp series and its first venture into animation. The short arrives amid a resurgence of activity surrounding the “Friday the 13th” franchise. Peacock debuted its A24-produced prequel series “Crystal Lake,” starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, in October. Meanwhile, it was announced Friday that Steve Miner, who directed 1981’s “Friday the 13th Part 2” and 1982’s “Friday the 13th Part III,” will return to helm the franchise’s 13th feature film, scheduled for theatrical release in 2027. The new movie will mark Jason’s first big-screen appearance since the 2009 reboot.

“Ghosts in the Fog” was produced in collaboration with Mako Animation Studio, a Mexico-based company specializing in 2D animation. Founded in 2015 by Juan Rivera, who co-directed the new short alongside DiSanti, the studio’s previous projects include the animated YouTube series “John Death.”