Could another Jason be the 800lb gorilla who breaks the deadlock? I’m speaking, of course, about Jason Blum, who’s made no secret of his desire for the iconic franchise. Acting as both financier and mediator, does Blum wield enough influence to bring Miller and Cunningham to the bargaining table to unify the franchise under the Blumhouse label? Only time will tell whether Blum’s passion for the franchise provides sufficient motivation, but I would personally be a little disappointed if he didn’t at least try.

[Cunningham] could take Jason … into other far out locales

Until then, however, the ownership remains fractured and the possibility of diverging storylines remains very much a possibility. Bolstered by Judge Underhill’s comments that Cunningham “may be able to stake a claim to have added sufficient independently copyrightable material to Jason in the sequels to hold independent copyright in the adult Jason character,” he could take Jason away from Camp Crystal Lake, into other far out locales. Meanwhile, Miller could create a series of grounded, realistic slashers at Crystal Lake following the revenge of Pamela Voorhees and the consequences of her long night of blood.

And an outside influence may very well be necessary to bring the two sides together. Early reaction from the Cunningham camp suggested that he was prepared to move forward without Miller’s rights. In addition, an article early this week suggested that Cunningham had reached out to discuss a potential settlement, and it was Miller who refused to negotiate. As someone who has spent a career representing owners of Intellectual Property rights, the claim of Miller holding out fails to ring true. That said, the bitterness of spurned efforts and protracted litigation should also not be underestimated. Either way, there has scarcely been a more closely watched IP battle in the horror space, and the show ain’t over yet, folks!