On Friday, March 13, 2026, the world marks the second of three Friday the 13ths this year—a rare and superstitious calendar alignment that has, for centuries, inspired both dread and fascination. Yet for horror movie fans, the date conjures something else entirely: the shadowy figure of Jason Voorhees, the machete-wielding killer who transformed a day of bad luck into a pop culture phenomenon. With a new series, Crystal Lake, on the horizon and a legacy stretching back over four decades, Friday the 13th is as much about cinematic chills as it is about ancient fears.
It all started in 1978, when John Carpenter’s Halloween slashed its way into theaters and changed the horror landscape forever. According to Collider, this landmark film launched a wave of imitators, but none would become as iconic as Friday the 13th. When Sean S. Cunningham and Victor Miller brought the original film to life in 1980, they could hardly have predicted that their story of doomed camp counselors at Crystal Lake would spawn a 12-film franchise and achieve a kind of immortality that even Jason himself would envy.
Yet, for all its popularity, fans have waited since 2009 for a new installment, thanks to a protracted lawsuit that’s kept Jason off the big screen. Hope flickers anew with the announcement of Crystal Lake, an A24 and Peacock series set to resurrect the franchise for a new generation. But as anticipation builds, horror aficionados and the superstitious alike find themselves reflecting on the tangled history—both real and imagined—behind Friday the 13th.
Why does this date inspire such unease? According to History.com, Friday the 13th’s unlucky reputation is rooted in religious and cultural traditions. Thirteen guests attended the Last Supper—Jesus Christ and his twelve apostles—before Jesus was crucified on a Friday. Judas, the infamous betrayer, was the 13th guest, seeding a Christian superstition that dining with thirteen is a bad omen. Combined with the belief that Jesus died on a Friday, the date gained an ominous weight in Western tradition.
The number 13’s reputation isn’t limited to Christianity. In Norse mythology, Loki—the trickster god—was the 13th guest at a feast in Valhalla, bringing chaos and death. As SFGate points out, while 12 is often seen as a number of completeness (think 12 months, 12 zodiac signs, 12 days of Christmas), 13 disrupts this harmony, making it feel unsettling. The superstition deepened after the mass arrest of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13, 1307—a historical event that, some say, cemented the day’s unlucky status.
This year, the calendar has aligned to give us three Friday the 13ths—in February, March, and November—the maximum possible in a single year. According to SFGate, this rare occurrence last happened in 2015 and won’t come again until 2037. There’s even a rarer combination, requiring a leap year starting on a Sunday, that produces Friday the 13ths in January, April, and July. That last happened in 1984 and won’t be seen again until 2040.
Of course, Friday the 13th isn’t just about avoiding ladders or black cats. For horror buffs, it’s a celebration—and sometimes a marathon—of Jason Voorhees’ bloody exploits. The Friday the 13th franchise, as Collider details, has seen Jason evolve from a vengeful child in a lakeside camp to an unstoppable force of nature, even traveling to outer space and battling Freddy Krueger. Each film has its quirks and oddities, with fans passionately ranking their favorites (and least favorites) over the years.
Take Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), for example. Far from being Jason’s swan song, it introduced a supernatural twist—Jason as a demon worm capable of inhabiting other bodies. While New Line Cinema hoped to reinvigorate the franchise, many fans felt the film strayed too far from its roots. "This ain't it though. Friday the 13th works because it's a simple slasher with a masked man hacking up teenagers at a lake," notes Collider. Even a cameo by Freddy Krueger’s glove couldn’t save it from fan frustration.
Then there’s Jason X (2002), which boldly (or perhaps foolishly) sent Jason into outer space. It marked Kane Hodder’s final performance as Jason and embraced its own absurdity, with the killer transforming into a futuristic "Uber Jason." Is it a good movie? "Heck no. Still, it's at least watchable because it accepts what it is and has fun with it," writes Collider. Sometimes, even the silliest entries find their place in fans’ hearts.
Other sequels experimented with the formula. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) replaced Jason with a copycat killer, while Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) pitted him against a telekinetic girl in a supernatural showdown. The 2009 reboot, directed by Marcus Nispel, tried to blend nostalgia with modern horror, giving Jason a new look and a more complex (if controversial) motivation involving abduction and underground lairs.
But for many, the original films remain the gold standard. The first Friday the 13th (1980) played out as a murder mystery, with the killer’s identity hidden until the final act. Betsy Palmer’s chilling performance as Pamela Voorhees—and that unforgettable final jump scare—set the tone for the series. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982) gave Jason his iconic hockey mask, forever changing his image in the public imagination. And with Friday the 13th Part II (1981), Jason himself became the star, albeit with a sack over his head instead of the now-famous mask.
Friday the 13th is also a day for superstition, whether you’re dodging bad luck or seeking good fortune. Common taboos include breaking mirrors (said to bring seven years of bad luck), walking under ladders (which supposedly disrupts sacred triangles), spilling salt (and tossing a pinch over your left shoulder), crossing paths with black cats (linked to witches and omens), and stepping on cracks (folklore warns, "step on a crack, break your mother’s back"). On the flip side, some embrace the day by carrying lucky charms—four-leaf clovers, horseshoes, rabbit’s feet—or knocking on wood, a tradition believed to ward off misfortune.
And for the truly devoted, Friday the 13th means lining up for tattoos or memorabilia. In 2022, Jason Voorhees’ hero hockey mask from Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives went on display at the Propstore in England, with an estimated value of £40,000-£60,000. The mask, a symbol of cinematic terror, remains a coveted artifact for collectors and fans alike.
With one more Friday the 13th yet to come in 2026, the legend endures—on screen, in superstition, and in the hearts of those who can’t help but look over their shoulder when the date rolls around. Whether you’re a die-hard Jason fan or just hoping to dodge a little bad luck, there’s no denying the enduring power of this infamous day.