Peacock is bringing the world of Friday the 13th back to the spotlight with an immersive “Crystal Lake” interactive experience at New York Comic Con (NYCC) 2026. The activation serves as a physical prelude to the upcoming prequel series, which is scheduled to premiere all eight hour-long episodes on October 15, 2026.
The interactive installation will be located at Booth 1359 within the Javits Center. Running throughout the duration of NYCC from Thursday, October 8, through Sunday, October 11, the experience allows fans to engage with the property in an official live-action capacity for the first time since the 2009 franchise reboot. The activation is designed to reflect the 1970s setting of the show, bridging the gap between the convention floor and the series’ specific timeline.
NYCC Panel and First-Look Screening
On the opening day of the convention, October 8, Peacock will host a dedicated panel at 6:30 PM on the Empire Stage. This session will include an exclusive first-look screening of the series’ premiere episode. The panel is expected to provide further insight into the production, which saw a leadership shift during development when Brad Caleb Kane took over as showrunner and executive producer following the departure of Bryan Fuller.
The series, titled Crystal Lake, is set in 1972, approximately one year after the drowning of young Jason Voorhees. Unlike previous entries that focused on the adult slasher, this prequel centers on the grief and psychological descent of his mother, Pamela Voorhees, played by Linda Cardellini.
According to reporting from the Haunted Attraction Network, the production aims to explore the origin of the camp’s curse through a period-accurate lens. By dropping all eight episodes simultaneously on October 15, the streaming service is positioning the title as a central fixture of its Halloween programming block. Fans attending the NYCC activation will be among the first to see how the new creative team has reimagined the iconic horror setting for a modern audience.
