Friday the 13th is a series of recorded works.
Friday the 13th (franchise) . The original film was written by Victor Miller and was produced and directed by Sean S. Cunningham . The first film was created to cash in on the success of Halloween ( 1978 ) , and its own success led Paramount Pictures to purchase the full licensing rights to Friday the 13th . Frank Mancuso , Jr. , a producer of the films , also developed the television show Friday the 13th : The Series after Paramount released Jason Lives . 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 .