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Jeepers Creepers (film series)

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Jeepers Creepers
Official film series logo
Directed by
Written by
  • Victor Salva (1–3)
  • Sean Michael Argo (4)
Production
companies
Release date
2001–2022
Running time
383 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$33.2 million (Total of 3 films)
Box office$130.8 million (Total of 4 films)

The Jeepers Creepers film series consists of four American horror movies. The first three movies were written and directed by Victor Salva, and the fourth was directed by Timo Vuorensola. The antagonist in each of the films is the Creeper, a demonic serial killer played by Jonathan Breck in the first three entries and Jarreau Benjamin in the fourth. The first film, starring Gina Philips and Justin Long, was a commercial success at the box office in 2001 and received somewhat positive reviews from critics and a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film. The succeeding entries in the series, consisting of a sequel, interquel, and reboot, were not well received.

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 September 19, 2022 (2022-09-19) 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, 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, leaving Trish depressed and in shock.

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, an elderly Jack awaits for the Creeper, which he kept in his farm as a sideshow attraction, 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.[1]

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 Reborn
2001 2003 2017 2022
The Creeper Jonathan Breck Jarreau Benjamin
Darius "Darry" Jenner Justin Long Justin LongC Mentioned
Patricia "Trish" Jenner Gina Philips Gina PhilipsC
Sergeant Davis Tubbs Brandon Smith Brandon Smith
Kenny Brandon Stand-in corpseC Jordan Salloum
Roach / Coach Dwayne Barnes Tom Tarantini
Jezelle Gay Hartman Patricia Belcher
The Cat Lady Eileen BrennanC
Trooper Robert Gideon Jon Beshara
Trooper Natasha Weston Avis-Marie Barnes
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
Kirk Mathers Ryan Moore
Laine Sydney Craven
Chase Imran Adams
Stu Pete Brooke
Carrie Ocean Navarro
Carrie Ocean Navarro
Jamie Matt Barkley
Michael Alexander Halsall
Madame Carnage Jodie McMullen
Lady Manilla Georgia Goodman
Sam Gabriel Freilich
Marie Dee Wallace
Ronald Gary Graham
DJ Phython Romain Faure

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 Ian Livingstone Simon Rowling Eric Potter Orwo Studios
Black Hangar Studios
Infinity Films 		88 minutes

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,[2] American Zoetrope was originally going to cast A-list actors for the lead roles but executive producer Francis Ford Coppola convinced the studio to hire Gina Philips and Justin Long instead, actors who Salva believed were best for the roles as Trish and Darry Jenner.[3] The role of the Creeper was written specifically for Lance Henriksen.[4] 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; when questioned, he told Salva that the "character wouldn't have hair".[5][6] With Eileen Brennan and Patricia Belcher cast in supporting roles, Salva decided to make a cameo appearance as with most of his films.[7] Using elements from Night of the Living Dead (1968) and Duel (1971),[2] filming took place in Central Florida for two months with cinematographer Don E. FauntLeRoy.[8][9] Produced on a budget of $10 million and using music composed by Bennett Salvay,[10] Jeepers Creepers was released by United Artists and MGM Distribution Co. on August 31, 2001.[11]

In 2002, American Zoetrope and Myriad Pictures announced the development of Jeepers Creepers 2 with Salva and Coppola returning to their respective duties.[12][13] Principal photography took place that same year, with production concluding in July.[14] With Ray Wise cast in a lead role, the production budget for the project was larger than the original at $17 million.[15] Long also returned to the franchise in a cameo, reprising his role as Darry.[16] Jeepers Creepers 2 was released by United Artists and MGM on August 29, 2003.[17]

On September 11, 2015, a third film was officially greenlit to begin production under the working title Jeepers Creepers 3: Cathedral,[18] shortly after Salva shared his intentions in making a film focusing extensively on the return of Philips as Trish Jenner.[19] 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.[20][21] 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.[22]

Prior to the release of Jeepers Creepers 3, Phillips said in an interview that Salva had completed a script for a possible fourth film.[23][24] 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 the first film of a new trilogy.[1] It was released on September 19, 2022.[25]

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 [26]
Jeepers Creepers 2 August 29, 2003 $35,667,218 $27,435,448 $63,102,666 $17 million [27]
Jeepers Creepers 3 September 26, 2017 $2,335,162 $1,682,690 $4,017,852 $6.2 million [28][29]
Jeepers Creepers: Reborn September 19, 2022 $2,033,057 $2,240,044 $4,273,101 [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]
Jeepers Creepers: Reborn 0% (9 reviews)[37]

Accolades

Film Award Date of ceremony Category Recipients Result Ref.
Jeepers Creepers Fangoria Chainsaw Awards July 2002 Best Wide-Release Film Jeepers Creepers Won [38]
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 [39]
Saturn Awards June 10, 2002 Best Horror Film Jeepers Creepers Nominated [40]
Best Performance by a Younger Actor Justin Long Nominated
Sitges Film Festival Awards 2001 Best Film Jeepers Creepers Nominated [41][42]
Jeepers Creepers 2 Golden Reel Awards February 28, 2004 Best Sound Editing in a Feature - Music - Feature Film David Bondelevitch and Victor Salva Nominated [43]
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards May 2004 Best Supporting Actor Ray Wise Nominated [44]
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 [45]

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ a b Kaye, Don (August 2001). "Jeepers Creepers Summer Sleeper?". Planet of the Apes. pp. 22–25. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2021. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  3. ^ Salva, Victor (July 6, 2010). "The Creeper Still Circles His 3rd And Biggest Film". Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  4. ^ Kaye, Don (September 2001). "Meet the Creeper". Jeepers Creepers. pp. 22–23. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2021. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  5. ^ 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. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; June 12, 2018 suggested (help)
  6. ^ 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.
  7. ^ Salva, Victor (January 8, 2002). Jeepers Creepers [Director's audio commentary track; DVD]. MGM Home Entertainment.
  8. ^ Moore, Roger (July 22, 2000). "Central Florida to see lots of action, film-wise". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. 2. Retrieved February 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. ^ Campbell, Ramsey (July 20, 2000). "2 previous movie projects faded away". Orlando Sentinel. Orlando, Florida. p. 18. Retrieved February 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ Thomas, Kevin (August 31, 2001). "Clever Jeepers Creepers Pushes Too Far". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  11. ^ "Jeepers Creepers". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on January 3, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  12. ^ Graves, Alden (January 17, 2002). "Jeepers Creepers: Where'd you get that plot?". Bennington Banner. Bennington, Vermont. p. 11. Retrieved February 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ Beck, Marilyn (May 31, 2002). "Washington, Smith big on Ocean Park". Poughkeepsie Journal. Poughkeepsie, New York. p. 3C. Retrieved February 24, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ Jones, Alan (October 8, 2002). "Feature: Jeepers Creepers 2 | A Shivers exclusive set report". Shivers. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; January 12, 2021 suggested (help)
  15. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 2". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  16. ^ Lloyd, Christopher (August 29, 2003). "Creepers 2 a guilty, gory pleasure". Gainesville. Archived from the original on January 8, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  17. ^ Seymour, Gene (August 29, 2003). "Unnecessary sequel creeps in once again". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  18. ^ McNary, Dave (September 11, 2015). "Jeepers Creepers 3 in the Works From Producer Francis Ford Coppola". Variety. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  19. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 3 Is Finally Happening". MovieWeb. September 11, 2015. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  20. ^ Cotter, Padraig (March 28, 2019). "Everything You Need To Know About Jeepers Creepers 4". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  21. ^ Lindahl, Chris (September 12, 2019). "Fathom Events Re-Releasing Jeepers Creepers 3, Despite Director's Child Sex Abuse Conviction". IndieWire. Archived from the original on January 7, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; October 28, 2020 suggested (help)
  22. ^ Kennedy, Michael (November 23, 2019). "Why Jeepers Creepers 3 Was So Controversial". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  23. ^ Westwood, Emma (May 18, 2017). "Don't Fear the Creeper: An Interview with Gina Philips". Diabolique Magazine. Archived from the original on January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  24. ^ Scott, Ryan (May 23, 2017). "Jeepers Creepers 4 Script Has Already Been Written". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  25. ^ McClelland, Timothy (July 20, 2022). "Jeepers Creepers 4 Trailer Brings The Creeper Back For Blood". Screen Rant. Retrieved July 20, 2022.
  26. ^ "Jeepers Creepers". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  27. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 2". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  28. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 3". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  29. ^ "Initial Certification Search". Fastlane NextGen. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; January 26, 2021 suggested (help)
  30. ^ "Jeepers Creepers: Reborn". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  31. ^ "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on August 9, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2021. Each film's score can be accessed from the website's search bar.
  32. ^ "Jeepers Creepers". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; January 6, 2021 suggested (help)
  33. ^ "Jeepers Creepers". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; January 6, 2021 suggested (help)
  34. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 27, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  35. ^ "Jeepers Creepers II". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  36. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 3". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  37. ^ "Jeepers Creepers: Reborn". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  38. ^ "The 11th Fangoria Chainsaw Award Winners". Fangoria Halloween Resurrection. Fangoria Publishing. July 2002. p. 10. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2021 – via Internet Archive. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  39. ^ "IHG Award Recipients". International Horror Guild. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; August 15, 2020 suggested (help)
  40. ^ B., Brian (June 13, 2002). "The 2001 Saturn Awards". MovieWeb. Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  41. ^ "34ed. Festival Internacional De Cinema De Catalunya" [34th International Film Festival Of Catalonia] (in Catalan). Sitges Film Festival. Archived from the original on January 4, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  42. ^ "Jeepers Creepers | Awards & Festivals". Archived from the original on January 6, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  43. ^ Graser, Marc (January 19, 2004). "Pirates reels in most MPSE noms". Variety. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  44. ^ "The 13th Fangoria Chainsaw Award Winners". Fangoria Dawn of the Dead. Fangoria Publishing. 2004. p. 14. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved February 26, 2021 – via Internet Archive. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  45. ^ "Jeepers Creepers 2". MoviePlayer (in Italian). Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
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