Could Jennifer’s Body 2 finally be moving in front of cameras? While there’s still no official greenlight from 20th Century Studios, a new listing in Production Weekly has the long-discussed sequel scheduled to begin filming in Vancouver this October. As always, this should be treated as a rumor until confirmed by the studio, but the publication has a solid track record of tracking projects that are gearing up for production.
Released in 2009, director Karyn Kusama’s Jennifer’s Body struggled at the box office, earning $31.5 million worldwide against a reported $16 million budget. In the years since, however, the horror comedy has undergone a dramatic critical reappraisal, becoming one of the most beloved cult films of its era.
Earlier this year, returning screenwriter Diablo Cody confirmed that she had completed the script for the sequel, saying she felt “unleashed” while writing it. Speaking on The Boo Crew podcast, Cody explained:
“It actually is not a typical sequel process, where you’re going ‘here’s what we’re going to protect from the first movie.’ It’s more like all the ways in which I was restrained on the first movie, I’m now unleashed. So it actually is less a feeling of being cautious and more of a feeling of being careless in the best way. Obviously Jennifer’s Body is very important to me. I love it but I actually feel like the culture has caught up with what we were trying to do with that movie. Now it’s like I can really stretch my legs. I really loved writing this script. There was not a moment of it that felt like work, which is unusual for me these days.”
Cody also revealed that the sequel is deeply influenced by the original film’s rediscovery:
“Thematically, the whole movie is a response to that rediscovery. Truly, it was an unusual situation where the fans were able to inspire me back. The whole movie is infused with that love and appreciation and discovery. Every movie is about something, other than what it’s about, but this one is not just about Jennifer and Needy, it’s about me. It was really, really cathartic to write. I felt a lot of gratitude in the writing process, because it wouldn’t be happening if people hadn’t shown so much love for the first movie. I cannot even think of a scenario, and we’ve tried, where a movie flopped critically and commercially and then got a sequel.”
Producer Mason Novick was equally enthusiastic:
“The script is so good and so funny, and it just hits on so many different levels. It honors the first movie; it also sort of makes fun of the first movie. It makes fun of the experience of it. It deals with a lot of things that feel current today that you couldn’t quite talk about in the first one. I love it. I’ve read it a few times. I love it so much and I’m really excited to go make it.”
The original film followed Jennifer Check (Megan Fox), a popular high school student who becomes possessed by a demon after a botched occult sacrifice carried out by an indie rock band. As Jennifer begins feeding on teenage boys to sustain herself, her best friend Needy (Amanda Seyfried) realizes she’s the only one who can stop her.
Seyfried and Fox are both expected to return for the sequel.
At this point, there’s no official confirmation that cameras will roll in October, nor has 20th Century announced a release date. Still, if the Production Weekly listing is accurate, fans may not have to wait much longer for the next major update on one of horror’s most unexpected sequels. We’ll keep you updated as soon as 20th Century officially comments on the project’s status.