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Jeepers Creepers (film series)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jeepers Creepers
Jeepers Creepers - DVD - Original Trilogy.jpg
Region 2 DVD containing the first three films
Directed by
Written by
  • Victor Salva (1–3)
  • Sean Michael Argo (4)
Produced by
Cinematography
Edited by
Music by
  • Bennett Salvay (1–2)
  • Andrew Morgan Smith (3)
Production
companies
Distributed by
Release date
2001–2022
Running time
295 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Germany (1)
LanguageEnglish
Budget
  • Total (3 films)
  • $33.2 million
Box office
  • Total (3 films)
  • $126.49 million

Jeepers Creepers is an American horror film series originally created by Victor Salva. It consists of Jeepers Creepers (2001), Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003), Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017), and Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022).

The first three films feature the appearance of the Creeper, a demonic creature and mysterious serial killer portrayed by Jonathan Breck. The first film, released on August 31, 2001, stars Gina Philips and Justin Long as brother-and-sister Trish and Darry Jenner, with Eileen Brennan and Patricia Belcher in supporting roles. Produced on a low budget of $10 million, the film received mostly positive reviews, was seen as a commercial success at the box office, and earned a Saturn Award nomination for Best Horror Film.

Jeepers Creepers 2 was released on August 29, 2003, a production with a slightly larger budget starring Ray Wise. It received mixed reviews from critics, who said it fell short of the original in matters of tension and scares, with Dave Kehr from The New York Times writing that "even monsters need more than one dimension to make it in the movies."[1]

A decade later, Jeepers Creepers 3 was released for two one-night screenings in 2017 by Screen Media Films. As a result, the film made a poor impression at the box office and made less than its $6 million budget. Furthermore, the film sparked controversy over the use of child molestation as a plotline, with some comparing it to Salva's past as a convicted sex offender.

A fourth film was announced in 2021 titled Jeepers Creepers: Reborn. Written by Sean Michael Argo and directed by Timo Vuorensola, the project will serve as the first of a new trilogy containing no involvement from Salva. Against budgets totaling over $33 million, the first three films in the series have grossed over $125 million at the box office.

Films[]

Film U.S. release date Director(s) Screenwriter(s) Producer(s)
Jeepers Creepers August 31, 2001 (2001-08-31) Victor Salva J. Todd Harris, Tom Luse, & Barry Opper
Jeepers Creepers 2 August 29, 2003 (2003-08-29) Tom Luse
Jeepers Creepers 3 September 26, 2017 (2017-09-26) Michael Ohoven, Jake Seal, & Victor Salva
Jeepers Creepers: Reborn 2022 (2022) Timo Vuorensola Sean Michael Argo Jake Seal & Michael Ohoven

Jeepers Creepers (2001)[]

Main article: Jeepers Creepers (2001 film)

In Florida, Trish Jenner (Gina Philips) and her brother Darry (Justin Long) are traveling home from college for spring break. On the road, they spot the driver of an old truck dumping several bodies into a large pipe outside an abandoned church. Deciding to investigate, Darry finds a lair containing hundreds of dead bodies. At a diner, the pair receive a call from Jezelle Gay Hartman (Patricia Belcher), a woman who tells them that they are going to be tracked down by the driver, who is revealed to be an ancient demonic creature known as the Creeper (Jonathan Breck) who kills and eats people every twenty-three years for twenty-three days. Searching for help at a police station, the brother-and-sister duo meets Jezelle, who warns them again before the Creeper arrives. After a chase, the Creeper captures Darry and flies away with him, with Trish being picked up by her parents the next day.

Jeepers Creepers 2 (2003)[]

Main article: Jeepers Creepers 2

On its twenty-second day of feeding, the Creeper abducts a young Billy Taggart (Shaun Fleming) to the horror of his father Jack (Ray Wise) and older brother Jack Jr (Luke Edwards). The next day, the Creeper disables a school bus carrying a high school basketball team by blowing its tires with hand-crafted shurikens. After experiencing visions of Billy Taggart and Darry Jenner, cheerleader Minxie Hayes (Nicki Aycox) tells the rest of the students about the Creeper, and that the creature will go into a hibernation state at the ending of its twenty-third day of feeding. Soon after, the Creeper abducts bus driver Betty Borman (Diane Delano) and coaches Charlie Hanna (Thom Gossom Jr.) and Dwayne Barnes (Tom Tarantini), leaving the students stranded. After various students are killed by the Creeper, the Taggarts begin their search for the bus. Once there, Jack manages to shoot the Creeper in the head with a harpoon. However, the Creeper goes into its hibernation state before it can die, leaving Jack unsatisfied. Twenty-three years later, a group of teenagers drives to the Taggart farm, where the Creeper is a sideshow attraction and an elderly Jack waits for the Creeper to return to life for the chance to kill it.

Jeepers Creepers 3 (2017)[]

Main article: Jeepers Creepers 3

At night, Kenny Brandon (Jordan Salloum) watches as a man manages to cut the Creeper's hand off before being taken away. Twenty-three years later, Sheriff Dan Tashtego (Stan Shaw) and Sergeant Davis Tubbs (Brandon Smith) begin an investigation on the Creeper after the abduction of Darry Jenner. The next day, Kenny's mother Gaylen (Meg Foster) sees a vision of Kenny, who was killed by the Creeper. He warns her to move away due to the Creeper searching for its severed hand, which contains information about its identity. Meanwhile, Gaylen's granddaughter Addison (Gabrielle Haugh) is captured by the Creeper to the dismay of her friend Buddy Hooks (Chester Rushing). Ignoring the warning, Gaylen touches the severed hand, learns about who the Creeper is through visions, and gives the hand to Tashtego and Tubbs, who inspect it with other authorities. While the Creeper kills various police officers along with Tashtego, Addison manages to escape from the Creeper's truck, reuniting with Gaylen and Buddy. The next day, Buddy leaves for a high school basketball game on the same bus later attacked by the Creeper shortly before its hibernation.

Jeepers Creepers: Reborn (2022)[]

Main article: Jeepers Creepers: Reborn

In Louisiana, the Horror Hound festival holds its first event in the state. Among the attendees include Chase and his girlfriend Laine, who begins to experience disturbing visions associated with the town's past and the Creeper. As the festival begins and the entertainment builds to a frenzy, Laine believes that something unearthly has been summoned.[2]

Cast and crew[]

Cast[]

List indicator(s)
  • A dark grey cell indicates the character has not appeared in that medium.
  • A O indicates an appearance as an older version of a pre-existing character.
  • A C indicates a cameo appearance.
Character Jeepers Creepers Jeepers Creepers 2 Jeepers Creepers 3
2001 2003 2017
The Creeper Jonathan Breck
Darius "Darry" Jenner Justin Long Justin LongC Mentioned
Patricia "Trish" Jenner Gina Philips Gina PhilipsC
Jezelle Gay Hartman Patricia Belcher
The cat lady Eileen BrennanC
Sergeant Davis Tubbs Brandon Smith Brandon Smith
Trooper Robert Gideon Jon Beshara
Trooper Natasha Weston Avis-Marie Barnes
Roach / Coach Dwayne Barnes Tom Tarantini
Jack Taggart Ray Wise
Deaundre "Double D" Davis Garikayi Mutambirwa
Scott "Scotty" Braddock Eric Nenninger
Minxie Hayes Nicki Aycox
Izzy Bohen Travis Schiffner
Chelsea Farmer Lena Cardwell
Andy "Bucky" Buck Billy Aaron Brown
Rhonda Truitt Marieh Delfino
Bus Driver Betty Borman Diane Delano
Coach Charlie Hanna Thom Gossom Jr.
Dante Belasco Al Santos
Jake Spencer Josh Hammond
Kimball "Big K" Ward Kasan Butcher
Jonny Young Drew Tyler Bell
Jack "Jackie" Taggart Jr. Luke Edwards
Jon PowellO
Billy Taggart Shaun Fleming
Sheriff Dan Tashtego Stan Shaw
Gaylen Brandon Meg Foster
Addison "Addi" Brandon Gabrielle Haugh
Buddy Hooks Chester Rushing
Kenny Brandon Mentioned Jordan Salloum
Kirk Mathers Ryan Moore

Additional crew and production details[]

Film Composer(s) Cinematographer Editor(s) Production companies Distributor(s) Running time
Jeepers Creepers Bennett Salvay Don E. FauntLeRoy Ed Marx American Zoetrope
Cinerenta-Cinebeta
Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG 		United Artists
MGM Distribution Co. 		91 minutes
Jeepers Creepers 2 Myriad Pictures
American Zoetrope 		104 minutes
Jeepers Creepers 3 Andrew Morgan Smith Misty Talley Infinity Films
Myriad Pictures 		Screen Media Films 100 minutes
Jeepers Creepers: Reborn TBA Simon Rowling Eric Potter Orwo Studios
Black Hangar Studios
Infinity Films 		TBA

Production[]

The Jeepers Creepers film series originated from Victor Salva, who wrote and directed the original film of the same name. Financed by the German companies Cinerenta-Cinebeta and Cinerenta Medienbeteiligungs KG,[3] American Zoetrope was originally going to cast "big-name actors" for the lead roles but was convinced by executive producer Francis Ford Coppola to hire Gina Philips and Justin Long instead, actors who Salva believed were best for the roles as Trish and Darry Jenner.[4] The role of the Creeper was written specifically for Lance Henriksen.[5] After Henriksen dropped out of the project, Jonathan Breck was cast mainly for his audition, which stood out to Salva because Breck unexpectedly attended it with a shaven head after sending the film crew various head shots of himself with hair and simply telling Salva that "this character wouldn't have hair" when questioned.[6][7] With Eileen Brennan and Patricia Belcher cast in supporting roles, Salva decided to make a cameo appearance as with most of his films.[8] Using elements from Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Duel (1971),[3] filming took place on location in Central Florida for two months with cinematographer Don E. FauntLeRoy.[9][10] Produced on a budget of $10 million and using music composed by Bennett Salvay,[11] Jeepers Creepers was released by United Artists and MGM Distribution Co. on August 31, 2001.[12]

In 2002, it was announced that a sequel titled Jeepers Creepers 2 would be produced from American Zoetrope and Myriad Pictures, with Salva writing and directing, and Coppola returning as an executive producer.[13][14] Principal photography for the project took place that same year, with production concluding in July.[15] With Ray Wise cast in a lead role, the production budget for the project was larger than the original at $17 million.[16] Additionally, the film featured a cameo appearance from Long, who returned to his original role as Darry Jenner, and the appearance of Tom Tarantini, who portrayed a prisoner named Roach in the original, and Coach Dwayne Barnes in the second film.[17][18] In 2003, Jeepers Creepers 2 was released by the same companies who distributed the original film, United Artists and MGM Distribution Co., on August 29.[19]

On September 11, 2015, a third film was officially greenlit to begin production under the working title Jeepers Creepers 3: Cathedral,[20] shortly after Salva shared his intentions in making a film focusing extensively on the return of Philips as Trish Jenner.[21] However, his original script was rewritten, and the film was released in 2017 by Screen Media Films as simply Jeepers Creepers 3 on one-night screenings on September 26, and on October 4, with Phillips making a cameo appearance instead.[22][23] Along with mixed reviews from critics, the film sparked controversy over a joke about child molestation, due to Salva's past as a convicted sex offender, which was later removed from various screenings.[24]

Prior to the release of Jeepers Creepers 3, Phillips said in an interview that Salva had completed a script for a possible fourth film.[25][26] However, the project from Salva did not move forward, and on February 24, 2021, it was announced that a fourth film, containing no involvement from Salva, would be released as Jeepers Creepers: Reborn by Screen Media Films. Written by Sean Michael Argo and directed by Timo Vuorensola, the film serves as a "restart" to the series and as the first film of a new trilogy.[2]

Reception[]

Box office performance[]

Film U.S. release date Box office gross Budget Ref(s)
U.S. and Canada Other territories Worldwide
Jeepers Creepers August 31, 2001 $37,904,175 $21,467,128 $59,371,303 $10 million [27]
Jeepers Creepers 2 August 29, 2003 $35,667,218 $27,435,448 $63,102,666 $17 million [28]
Jeepers Creepers 3 September 26, 2017 $2,335,162 $1,682,690 $4,017,852 $6.2 million [29][30]

Critical and public response[]

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore[31]
Jeepers Creepers 46% (114 reviews)[32] 49 (24 reviews)[33] D
Jeepers Creepers 2 24% (127 reviews)[34] 36 (29 reviews)[35] C+
Jeepers Creepers 3 17% (6 reviews)[36]

Accolades[]

Film Award Date of ceremony Category Recipients Result Ref.
Jeepers Creepers Fangoria Chainsaw Awards July 2002 Best Wide-Release Film Jeepers Creepers Won [37]
Best Supporting Actor Jonathan Breck Won
Best Makeup/Creature FX Brian Penikas Nominated
International Horror Guild Awards April 13, 2002 Best Movie Jeepers Creepers Nominated [38]
Saturn Awards June 10, 2002 Best Horror Film Jeepers Creepers Nominated [39]
Best Performance by a Younger Actor Justin Long Nominated
Sitges Film Festival Awards 2001 Best Film Jeepers Creepers Nominated [40][41]
Jeepers Creepers 2 Golden Reel Awards February 28, 2004 Best Sound Editing in a Feature - Music - Feature Film David Bondelevitch and Victor Salva Nominated [42]
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards May 2004 Best Supporting Actor Ray Wise Nominated [43]
Best Makeup/Creature FX Brian Penikas Nominated
Worst Film Jeepers Creepers 2 Nominated
Saturn Awards May 5, 2004 Best Horror Film Jeepers Creepers 2 Nominated [44]

References[]

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  2. ^ a b Lang, Brent (February 24, 2021). "'Jeepers Creepers: Reborn' Sells to Screen Media, Gets 2021 Release (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Kaye, Don (August 2001). "Jeepers Creepers Summer Sleeper?". Planet of the Apes. Fangoria. pp. 22–25. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  4. ^ Salva, Victor (July 6, 2010). "The Creeper Still Circles His 3rd And Biggest Film". Retrieved February 24, 2021. Check |archive-url= value (help)
  5. ^ Kaye, Don (September 2001). "Meet the Creeper". Jeepers Creepers. Fangoria. pp. 22–23. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2021.
  6. ^ Young, Neil (January 2003). "Interview With Jonathan Breck". Neil Young's Film Lounge. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  7. ^ Halen, Adrian (January 4, 2010). "Interview: Jonathan Breck (Jeepers Creepers 1, 2)". Horrornews.net. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  8. ^ Salva, Victor (January 8, 2002). Jeepers Creepers [Director's audio commentary track; DVD]. MGM Home Entertainment.
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  10. ^ Campbell, Ramsey (July 20, 2000). "2 previous movie projects faded away". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. 18. Retrieved February 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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External links[]

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