Trachtenberg Sets 'Freddy the 13th' Animated Movie at
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- Dan Trachtenberg is developing "Freddy the 13th" at Paramount Animation, based on Yehudi Mercado's graphic novel about hapless 13th-born son Freddy Vanwinkle; the PG-rated family comedy-horror was unveiled at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in France.
- The film's plot follows a family vacation that turns into a nightmare when fun Uncle Freddy accidentally kills the Boogeyman and inherits his powers, with Paramount promising the movie delivers "laughs to the whole family."
- Yehudi Mercado, who authored the original graphic novel, is co-directing the movie, while Trachtenberg produces alongside Ben Rosenblatt; Trachtenberg quipped on Instagram that he's "finally making one [movie]… they… can…?" watch.
- Trachtenberg recently signed a three-year first-look deal with Paramount Pictures, with his recent credits spanning "10 Cloverfield Lane" (2016), "Prey" (2022), and 2025's animated "Predator: Killer of Killers" and live-action "Predator: Badlands," plus TV work on "The Boys," "The Lost Symbol," and "Black Mirror."
- Paramount Animation, led by newly appointed president Jennifer Dodge, also has a "Survivor" movie featuring animal contestants, a "Naughty List" Christmas adventure from director Robert Rodriguez, and "PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie" opening in August.
Why it matters: Trachtenberg's leap from R-rated Predator action to a PG Boogeyman family comedy — explicitly noted in his own Instagram post about finally making a film parents can show their kids — broadens his Paramount relationship beyond the Predator franchise under his new three-year first-look deal. For Jennifer Dodge's freshly led Paramount Animation division, the project adds a creator-co-directed genre piece to a slate mixing children's IP (PAW Patrol), unscripted adaptation (Survivor), and holiday action (Rodriguez).
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