Never Hike in the Snow: A Friday the 13th Fan Film, the winter-set follow-up to the popular Friday the 13th fan film Never Hike Alone, has wrapped principal photography. Post production for the new fan film is now under way, and an official release date is expected to be announced soon by the production company Womp Stomp Films. Because no "official" Friday the 13th movie will be hitting theaters anytime soon with the rights still tied up in a legal battle, these kinds of fan films are helping to fill the void in the meantime and have proven to be very popular with Jason Voorhees fans.

Big Friday the 13th fans can also expect to see some familiar faces in Never Hike in the Snow. Those who've seen Never Hike Alone will know franchise star Thom Mathews reprised his Jason Lives role as Tommy Jarvis in the first fan film, and he'll be back in this upcoming sequel to play Tommy for the third time. His Jason Lives co-star Vinny Guastaferro will also be back as the police officer Rick Cologne, so Never Hike in the Snow will serve as a mini-reunion for the two. Also starring in the new fan film are Courtlan Gordon, Anna Campbell, Bryan Forrest, and Vincente DiSanti.

Never Hike in the Snow is described as a prequel to Never Hike Alone, taking place three months prior in the wintertime near the abandoned campgrounds of Camp Crystal Lake. The story follows Mark Hill, a young local who was last seen going for a hike in the dead of winter only to never be seen again. Given what Friday the 13th fans know about the history of Crystal Lake and the man in a hockey mask who lurks in the brush of the forest or in the depths of the lake, we can presume Jason Voorhees has something to do with the disappearance. Exactly how that plays out will be seen in the upcoming movie.

One of the most interesting aspects of Never Hike in the Snow is that it's finally bringing winter to Friday the 13th. As most of the movies take place at a summer camp, the movies typically take place during the warmer months with no hint of snow on the ground. Only in fan-made projects has Jason ever traversed through a winter wonderland, and Never Hike in the Snow will give us the most we've ever seen yet of the pop culture icon in the snowy season. While retaining many of the elements fans of the series love - such as the location, guest stars, and the trademark hockey mask - putting Jason in the snow is an interesting way of making the upcoming movie feel fresh.

We're expecting an official release date for Never Hike in the Snow to be announced soon, now that principal photography for the project has been completed. For now, the crowdfunding campaign is still open for fans to get a chance to back the movie, which can nab exclusive perks including a Blu-ray release. The campaign appropriately closes on Mar. 13, which is, of course, a Friday. You can find out more information and donate to the cause over at IndieGogo.

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