If You Loved 'Crystal Lake,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch Next

Jeff Somers Jeff Somers Freelance Writer ExperienceJeff Somers is a freelancer who has been writing about writing, books, personal finance, and home maintenance since 2012.Jeff has published nine novels and more than 70 short stories; his story Ringing the Changes was selected for inclusion in The Best American Mystery Stories 2006. In 2018, Jeff published the book Writing Without Rules: How to Write & Sell a Novel Without Guidelines, Experts, or (Occasionally) Pants. He holds a bachelor’s degree in English and previously worked in medical publishing as a production editor. When not writing, Jeff spends his free time fixing up his old house. He has tackled a wide range of DIY projects, including remodeling a bathroom entirely on his own in two weeks, and building a roof deck that hasn't fallen down yet. You can find him on Bluesky. Read Full Bio October 26, 2026 Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google We may earn a commission from links on this page. Linda Cardellini and William Catlett in “Crystal Lake” Credit: Courtesy of Peacock. This is Streamalikes, where you can find a curated list of recommendations to stream based on what you already like. Table of Contents Peacock’s Crystal Lake is an unexpected treat in a lot of ways, taking one of horror’s most iconic figures—Jason Voorhees of the Friday the 13th franchise—and digging into the universe’s background by focusing on his mother, Pamela. Famously the actual serial killer in the original film, Pamela’s development into a psychotic killer who inspired her son to become the psychotic killer of all time is the engine that drives Crystal Lake, finding the damaged humanity behind the terror. If you’ve burned through all eight episodes of Crystal Lake’s first season, and you’ve worked through the streamalike series with similar DNA, it’s time to check out some movies—starting with the perfect companion film, 2022’s Pearl.Pearl (2022) The second film in Ti West’s X trilogy (starting with X and concluding with 2024’s MaXXXine) is the ideal film to watch after Crystal Lake. Like the series, it explores a female serial killer’s backstory and recontextualizes your understanding of their motives and psychology. It also requires that you be familiar with the original story—while you can certainly watch Crystal Lake or Pearl without having seen the Friday the 13th films or X, you’ll be missing out on a lot if you do.In X, a group of young people descends on a dilapidated old farm to film an adult movie in Texas in 1979, and by the end of the film most of them are dead, killed by the farm’s elderly couple Howard (Stephen Ure) and Pearl (Mia Goth), with Pearl presented as the most deranged and dangerous of the two. It’s a riveting update to the classic splatter movie template, and Goth nails her dual role as the Final Girl Maxine and the psychotic, murderous Pearl. The prequel, Pearl, jumps back to 1918, when Pearl (Goth again) was a young woman living with her strict mother and paralyzed father. Pearl has big dreams of being an entertainer, but her mother tries to trap her to ensure she’s there to care for her parents and work the farm. Pearl’s lonely unhappiness and frustration (both mental and, er, physical) inspire a slow boil of tension as her grip on sanity frays, and her anger toward her parents curdles into something frightening. Like Crystal Lake, Pearl takes a killer who seems fairly one-dimensional in their original presentation and gives them a deeper back story and psychological framing. Pamela Voorhees wasn’t just crazy—she was driven to madness by the horrible things that happened to her and her son, and the awful way she’s treated by her fellow humans. Similarly, Pearl is a hopeful and innocent young woman who is slowly molded into a killer by the events of her life. Both the series and the film serve as reminders that monsters are rarely born—they’re made. And it’s usually the casual cruelty of the people around them that does the making. If you loved Crystal Lake’s fresh take on Pamela, Pearl is the perfect choice for a movie night. Stream Pearl on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video. More movies to check out if you liked "Crystal Lake" Need more serial killer movies that hit the Crystal Lake vibe? Never fear—here are some other excellent choices to pair with the series.Friday the 13th (1980) If you’ve never actually seen the original Friday the 13th (or if it’s been a while), this is a must-watch for fans of Crystal Lake. Although the series takes some liberties to update the timeline, it’s still intended as a glimpse into the events that shaped both Pamela and Jason Voorhees into inhuman (and somewhat supernatural) monsters. Initially given savagely bad reviews, the film was a surprise blockbuster and is now regarded as a classic of a genre it helped to create in the first place; rewatching it today not only helps contextualize Crystal Lake, it puts the entire slasher genre into perspective. Stream Friday the 13th on Netflix or rent it on Prime Video. Sleepaway Camp (1983) The success of Friday the 13th led to a rush of copycat films, of course. Most of those weren’t particularly good or even interesting, but Sleepaway Camp is an exception (although it was similarly savaged by critics at the time). Now a cult classic, Sleepaway Camp has two things that recommend it to fans of Crystal Lake and Friday the 13th: a weird sensibility that gives it an otherworldly atmosphere that enhances the sense of dread, and what is probably the most unexpected twist ending in the history of slasher films (and it’s probably a Top 10 twist in general). Stream Sleepaway Camp on The Roku Channel, Kanopy, or Tubi, or rent it on Prime Video. What do you think so far? Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) One reason Crystal Lake exists is the enduring power and influence of slasher films in general and Friday the 13th specifically. Few recent films have tapped into that dreamy nightmare feel like Jane Schoenbrun’s Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. As with most of Schoenbrun’s work, the film delves into themes of identity, subverting queer tropes, and the malleable nature of reality itself. If you’re looking for a slasher story that’s less straightforward than Crystal Lake while dealing with some similar themes of transformation and destiny, this is it. Stream Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma on Mubi. The Burning (1981) If you’ve seen all the Friday the 13th movies and want more slasher horror with a bit more edge, check out The Burning. Is it a great film? Not really. Combining the straightforward slasher thrills of Friday with some of the villain motivations of fellow classic franchise A Nightmare on Elm Street, The Burning dials the blood and guts up to 11 (and beyond) and remains notoriously gory even by today’s standards. But if your fave part of Crystal Lake is the frequently over-the-top gore and violence, this is an ideal movie choice. Stream The Burning on The Roku Channel or Kanopy.May (2002) Want a slasher film that explores the psyche of a female killer the way Crystal Lake deconstructs Pamela Voorhees? Check out May. A fragile young woman, May struggles to find connection with the people around her, and slowly descends into a fantasy world that inspires her to literally make her own ideal friend. What makes May so interesting is the depth of the exploration of May’s personality that’s similar to how Pamela is handled in Crystal Lake, tracing each step of her stumble into a bloody hell. Stream May on Tubi or rent it on Prime Video.