Dan Trachtenberg has by now established himself as a filmmaker with the midas touch. The success of "Prey", its animated follow-up "Predator: Killer of Killers" (streaming) and the live-action "Predator: Badlands" helped solidify his reputation as one of the most inventive filmmakers of the current generation. His next project is surprisingly going to be devoid of the cinematic violence and R-rated gore that characterised his recent work.
Trachtenberg has officially announced that he'll direct an animated adaptation of "Freddy the 13th", a Paramount Animation-backed adaptation of Yehudi Mercado's horror comic. A report in Variety says he'll be involved as a co-director with Mercado, rather than helming it all by himself.
Sharing a teaser poster of the project on his Instagram page, Trachtenberg wrote that, for a change, this one will be suitable for all age groups. "I’ve spent most of my career making movies that parents probably shouldn’t show their kids. Happy to announce, along with @supermercadocomics and @paramountpics I’m finally making one…they…can…?"
The graphic novel "Freddy the 13th" is a family-friendly horror-comedy that follows a luckless, horror-obsessed schlub named Freddy Vanwinkle. As the 13th son of a 13th-born son, Freddy fails at absolutely everything in contrast to his highly successful siblings.The plot kicks into gear during a family vacation when Freddy is left to babysit his niece and nephew, Logan and Lola. The situation takes a wild supernatural turn when Freddy accidentally kills the legendary Boogeyman slasher, known as "Nighty Night". By doing so, he inherits the monster's curse and terrifying powers—a premise described by entertainment portal Empire as "Uncle Buck meets The Santa Clause for the Boogeyman."
Trachtenberg is expected to make another "Predator" at some point given how "Predator: Badlands" ended. While it was reportedly the highest-grossing film in the "Predator" franchise, earning a total of $184.6 million worldwide during its theatrical run, it was not a massive success when considering its $105 million budget.
