Paramount Animation locked in Friday the 13th, October 2028, as the release date for Dan Trachtenberg's untitled animated horror-comedy adaptation of Yehudi Mercado's indie comic "Freddy the 13th." The timing slot feels deliberate. Trachtenberg, who directed the Predator prequel Prey for Hulu in 2022, helms the project with a co-director announced separately.
The property represents Paramount's push into animated horror-comedy territory, a genre space that's expanded significantly in recent years with projects like Bad Guys and other PG-13 horror-adjacent content targeting family audiences. The studio teased the film at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival last month, positioning it as a family-friendly horror-comedy rather than a straight adaptation of slasher conventions.
Mercado's comic provided source material that apparently leans into comedic beats alongside scares. Trachtenberg's involvement signals Paramount's confidence in the project. The director built momentum with Prey, which found critical praise on the streaming platform and proved his ability to handle action sequences and genre material with contemporary sensibility.
The October 13, 2028 release date banks on horror's cyclical popularity and positions the film for Halloween season without competing against major tentpole releases typically scheduled in early-to-mid October. This gives Paramount over three years for production, animation refinement, and marketing buildup. The studio controls significant animation infrastructure and distribution reach to support an unconventional title aimed at younger demographics seeking horror-adjacent content.
The project demonstrates how legacy studios leverage indie comics for animated adaptations, similar to how Sony's Spider-Verse expands through properties like Kraven and Madame Web. Paramount tests the appetite for horror properties that appeal beyond traditional adult genre audiences. Success here could establish a template