The 2002 film Jason X marked Kane Hodder‘s fourth and final time playing Jason Voorhees, a legendary run that was originally going to extend beyond the outer space-set sequel. As most horror fans are aware by now, Hodder was set to return for Freddy vs. Jason at one point in time, but he was ultimately replaced in the mashup fight film by Ken Kirzinger instead.
But let’s backtrack a little bit. Speaking with Bloody Disgusting’s The Boo Crew Podcast this week, Hodder reflects on Jason X and the unique experience of playing Jason in space.
“It was the longest shooting schedule we ever had on one of the Friday movies. I think it might be the longest even to this day,” Hodder reflects. “We shot for twelve weeks on that film. And it was in Toronto. When I first was given the script, I thought, ‘Wow, Jason in space… what?! It’s a little bit of a stretch.’ But then I thought, well, I guess it doesn’t really matter the setting where Jason is, as long as *he* is consistent. So that’s how I approached it, thinking, ‘don’t think about the surrounding, just be Jason like you’ve always been.’ And it was such a pleasure to work with Jim Isaac – I wish we hadn’t lost him, he was amazing to work with. And the cast was great, the entire cast was Canadian, other than a couple people.”
Hodder continues, “It was incredibly satisfying to see these amazing sets, because ya know, normally we’re in the woods, at a dumpy house or by a lake. And now all of a sudden we have these massive spaceship sets. Just the whole process was a pleasure.”
Freddy vs. Jason came along just one year after Jason X, with Robert Englund reprising the role of Freddy Krueger. Alas, Kane Hodder was not asked back to play Jason Voorhees.
“Shortly after [Jason X], I was given the script for Freddy vs. Jason, and told I was doing it,” Hodder explains. “We know how that went. That’s the thing. I was told I was doing the film, and then replaced. So that’s worse. I never expected, just because I had done the previous one, that I would do the next one. I was always very happy when they said that, but I never expected it. But when you’re told you’re doing it, then you tend to expect it, and that didn’t work out.”
“I’ve known Robert [Englund] from so long ago, before either one of us were our characters. It would’ve been so much fun to do that film with him. But. Ya know. Who knows. There’s been twelve of them, I can’t imagine not doing a thirteenth,” Hodder adds.
Hodder also notes during the chat that he hasn’t heard anything about Friday the 13th‘s rights issues being cleared up, responding to recent claims from Corey Feldman to the contrary.
You can listen to The Boo Crew’s full interview with Kane Hodder below.