Friday the 13th is series of films.
Friday the 13th (franchise) . While the franchise was owned by Paramount , four films were adapted into novels , with Friday the 13th Part III adapted by two separate authors . When the franchise was sold to New Line Cinema , Cunningham returned as a producer to oversee two additional films , in addition to a crossover film with character Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street film series . Although the films were not popular with critics , Friday the 13th is considered one of the most successful media franchises in America -- not only for the success of the films , but also because of the extensive merchandising and repeated references to the series in popular culture . The franchise 's popularity has generated a fanbase who have created their own Friday the 13th films , fashioned replica Jason Voorhees costumes , and tattooed their bodies with Friday the 13th artwork . A media franchise is a collection of related media in which several derivative works have been produced from an original creative work , such as a film , a work of literature , a television program or a video game .