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Friday the 13th: LeBron James puts on another new jersey

By Luke Lucas

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NBA players try to outdo each other with their Halloween costumes. Matthew Lillard dressed up as Stone Cold Steve Austin. Victor Oladipo wore a full Black Panther suit. LeBron James showed up as an axe wielding Jason Vorhees.

Last week we learned that LeBron James’ Springhill Entertainment is set to produce a new chapter of the Friday the 13th series per a report from Variety.

On Halloween, James arrived to The Staples Center dressed as Jason Voorhees.

LeBron James, Hollywood Player

In September, Springhill Entertainment announced that James would star in the next Space Jam movie. According to the same ESPN report, James was personally involved in recruiting Ryan Coogler (Black Panther) to produce the film.

Shut Up and Dribble, a three part documentary series, premieres Nov. 3rd on Showtime. It’s also a Springhill Entertainment production. The focus will be on how NBA players cultivate their brand and enact social change in their communities.

LeBron James — Courtesy of Getty Images

Springhill Entertainment is a production company that James runs with long-time business collaborator, Maverick Carter. It’s been speculated by many outlets, including ESPN, that James’ move to the Los Angeles Lakers was made, in part, to bolster his entry in the entertainment world. He’s going to retire from basketball someday.

A Sunny Day at Camp Crystal Lake

As a fan of the Friday the 13th movies, James’ involvement gives me a lot of hope for the future of the franchise.

Based on the ESPN report and all of his recent moves, James is showing that he doesn’t want to just be a part of Hollywood. If that was the case, he would likely be content to play the athlete on a pedestal as he did in Trainwreck. Or, he’d just lend his voice to animation as he did with Smallfoot.

James wants to be involved in the productions where he’ll act. That’s a level of control that ensures James will be able to cultivate and grow his brand the way he wants. He’s shown that he’ll keep a project in development until he finds the players he wants on his team.

Team Voorhees

It’s no mistake that James showed up for a home game dressed as Jason Voorhees. His involvement with Friday the 13th is not just a money grab.

Sure. A horror franchise is always a good asset for a production company to have. Producers can slash budgets to ensure profits. But, the box office results for Halloween are leading many to forecast a resurgence in slasher films. Why not take a shot at one of the most recognizable slasher franchises out there?

Friday the 13th-Jason Voorhees-Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

More from Friday the 13th

Again, I don’t believe James got involved just to be able to include Friday the 13th on his resume. I believe he wants to produce something that could grow into a new series of films. Of course, he’ll want them to be profitable. But I believe he’ll look to get the right people involved instead of just slashing the budget to hedge his bets against the box office results.

Plus, this is a sexy move for Vertigo Entertainment and Warner Bros. They didn’t sign a deal with a bunch of entertainment lawyers high-fiving themselves in a Sheraton conference room. They signed a deal with LeBron James. It’s cool, man. It’s already creating buzz, and the movie is years away from hitting movie theaters.

This project will be watched by LeBron’s fans and haters alike. This may seem like an unorthodox move to some. But, if you would have told me 10 years ago that Danny McBride would co-write and co-produce a successful Halloween sequel, I would not have believed you.

LeBron James put on another new uniform on Halloween. I hope he takes Friday the 13th all the way.

Next. Michael Myers and the rando hermit who loved him. dark

What do you think of LeBron James dressing up as Jason Voorhees? Do you think his involvement in Friday the 13th is a good thing? Let’s discuss in the comments!