Jason Voorhees not a villain." Jason Voorhees went from deceased child to full-grown man for "Friday the 13th Part 2", and Warrington Gillette was hired to play the role. Gillette auditioned for the role of Paul; that role eventually went to John Furey. Under the belief that he had attended the Hollywood Stuntman's School, Gillette was offered the role of Jason Voorhees.<ref name="Cast/Design">Bracke, pp. 60–65</ref> Initially Gillette was unsure about the character, but the idea of starring in his first film grew on Gillette, and he also thought the role was amusing. It became apparent Gillette could not perform the necessary stunts,
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday conceived by co-writer and director Marcus under Cunningham, producer/director of the first film. After low box-office sales for "Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan", Paramount Pictures sold the character rights of Jason Voorhees to New Line Cinema, who distributed "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday." Cunningham approved of the story co-written by first-time writer-director Marcus, who was hired to direct the project. "Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday" premiered in the United States on August 13, 1993, and grossed $15.9 million at the box office. Several film critics denounced Marcus's script and direction, and the film polarized fans of