I’m a big fan of the original Friday The 13th movies — all 11 of them — and since I’m really not big on remakes, I really had NO interest in the Michael Bay-produced Platinum Dunes remake of the classic horror film.

But, Geeks of Doom’s own Movie God made me promise that I’d attend the Friday The 13th panel here at the San Diego Comic Con so I could report back to him about the film, and now I’m glad I did, because I got to see the teaser trailer and I’m definitely impressed.

The film’s producers, Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, appeared on the panel along with the film’s stars Jared Padalecki (Supernatural), Amanda Righetti (The OC), and as the masked killer Jason Voorhees, Derek Meers.

The producers said they were committed to making a new Friday The 13th movie that was based in reality and not in the supernatural. The franchise’s later sequels introduced supernatural elements to it, making Jason — who was actually a little boy who drowned while at sleepaway camp — an invincible super-powered being. The filmmakers wanted their Jason to be believable to today’s audiences.

According to Padalecki, this Jason is “not just the slow-walking guy who’s going to find us, it’s based in reality”; Meers said that the script for the remake was not “dumbed down” and that his Jason is “smart, he’s not just chasing people, he actually sets people up.” He also revealed that the remake brings together the best parts of Friday The 13th Parts 2-4.

The producers stressed that their Friday The 13th is a complete film that has a resolution to it that “stands on its own.” They will explore some of Jason’s childhood, but it won’t be an origin story, but we will understand the psychosis behind his actions and why he is how he is.

Those who know the original know that Jason’s mom, Pamela Voorhees, played a major part in the first film. The remake will have her in a small role (Star Trek: DS9’s Nana Visitor will play Pamela in the remake).

The producers said that there would be no cameos from castmembers of the previous films because they feared it would take audiences out of their film.

As expected, the producers said that they’d “love to go back to Crystal Lake” for sequels, but it would depend on how well the first movie does.

Teaser Trailer Description

Crystal Lake a dusk; a guy and girl young adult walk at night through the woods, they aim their flashlights at a old-looking Camp Crystal Lake sleepaway camp sign. They walk further and see a cabin. Inside, it’s rundown and there are beds where the little kids slept. One of the beds says “JASON” on the head board. There’s something in the wall, the guy goes to investigate it. The guy says “Somebody’s been here” then puts his hand into the wall and pulls out a rotted severed head. They see movement from under the door. Quick flashes to a knife coming out and stabbing the guy three times in the hand and leg. The guy is then pulled through the floor as the girl tries to pull him up, but he’s pulled all the way down. Then Jason comes flying up from the floor. Then there’s quick flashes to action shots of the girl running through the woods calling out for “Mike” and then a lot of people getting killed. Jason crashes through a window to grab a guy. The last scene is Jason running and then hacking with a machete at a girl.