2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the release of one of the most popular horror movies ever made, Friday the 13th, the movie that launched my favorite franchise, and one that I feel is underrated, as it’s a great film that often gets overshadowed by its sequels. Last year, the Friday the 13th franchise rights holders at Horror Inc. announced that they were launching the Jason Universe, which would encompass “new Friday the 13th activations that will span a wide range of platforms from entertainment, games, immersive experiences, merchandise and more to be announced @JasonUniverse13 on social media or by visiting the official Jason Universe website.” One of the projects they’re working on is a collaboration with Angry Orchard Hard Cider that includes a 13 minute vignette called Sweet Revenge, which will be released through the Jason Universe YouTube channel and through a site hosted by Angry Orchard Hard Cider on August 13th. You can watch the trailer for Sweet Revenge in the embed above – and while we wait for that short film to drop online, Angry Orchard has welcomed us to freaky season by launching the Halloween page on their website, revealing the Jason Universe products they’ll be selling from now through Halloween.
Products featured on their website include a Jason Universe hoodie, cup, glass, and koozie. Angry Orchard Thriller Packs will be found in stores, and they contain four different flavors, including Blood Orange, which has Jason Voorhees’ hockey mask on the can. These thriller packs will also glow in the dark, and one part of the packaging that glows in the dark is the image of Jason’s mask. The Jason Universe logo and Jason’s mask will also be on limited edition cans of the Crisp Apple flavor. In August, Angry Orchard will also be launching their Jason-themed Freaky Season Snapchat lens.
At EventBrite, fans can buy tickets to the Sweet Revenge premiere party, which will be held at the Angry Orchard Cider House in Walden, New York on August 13th. The cast and crew will be there, there will be specially-crafted ciders, food, an axe-throwing set-up, FX artists doing makeup on guests, a Tarot card reading with Priscilla from Hudson Valley Psychics, boozy ice cream, and kettle corn.
Mike P. Nelson (the Wrong Turn reboot and the Silent Night, Deadly Night remake) teamed with Horror Inc. and Angry Orchard to write, direct, and produce (through his Rockford Road Pictures banner) the “bloody short-form vignette” Sweet Revenge, which has this official description: Fans will drop into a chilling weekend in the woods filled with blood-soaked surprises only Jason can deliver.
Nelson provided the following statement: “I am so grateful that the team at Horror, Inc. saw something in Sweet Revenge and wanted it as a part of the Jason Voorhees story! And to think 30 years ago I was trying to secretly watch these movies on VHS when no one was looking. To have the opportunity to write and direct one of these stories is surreal – not to mention having an amazing team led by Chad Villella and Brianna Lee Johnson help me bring it to life! Not only is the vignette a new take on the beloved IP, it is a comforting, gory hug, reminding us why we fell in love with these movies. Much gruesome fun awaits you!” Friday 13th LLC’s Marc Toberoff added, “Jason has always been a force in pop culture, and the 45th anniversary felt like the perfect moment to do something truly unexpected. Partnering with Horror, Inc. and Angry Orchard who share our passion has opened up a new way to engage fans. It’s exciting to see the franchise evolve with such creativity while staying true to what makes Jason iconic.” And Horror, Inc. chief marketing officer Sheri Conn had this to say: “We were beyond excited when Mike Nelson came on board and Angry Orchard sponsored production to help us bring this to life in a wickedly unexpected way. Even in a short vignette, Nelson will masterfully capture our shared vision–honoring the heritage of the franchise while delivering something fresh and thrilling for a new generation.“
Are you looking forward to Sweet Revenge, and will you be buying any of Angry Orchard’s Jason Universe products? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
