Megan Fox’s Misunderstood Horror Movie Gets Major Sequel Update After 16 Years

Jennifer’s Body, the 2009 horror comedy starring Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried, has received a sequel update more than a decade after its original release. Although it has undergone significant critical re-evaluation in that time, the film has not received any updates about a potential follow-up for some time. Now, director Karyn Kusama reveals that we may be closer to seeing Jennifer and Needy again on the big screen.

Fox and Kusama reunited for a Halloween screening of the movie as part of the “monstrous feminine” schedule at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. The director spoke to Deadline about the film’s legacy, saying:

“I’m just so grateful that the film managed to find its audience, perhaps on a different timeline than any of us might have expected or hoped for, but I’m just so thankful that the work continues to speak to people. I’m just so satisfied by that. The idea that Jennifer’s Body would be somebody’s Godfather, that just tickles me all the way down to my toes.”

Although screenwriter Diablo Cody has expressed her interest in making a sequel, especially after the re-appraisal of the film that has happened over the years, there hasn’t been any news on that front. For now, Jennifer’s Body 2 still remains a great idea, and nothing more. However, that may all change very soon, as Kusama also revealed to Deadline that Cody is working on a script for a potential sequel to the movie. Though she did not say if she’s involved as director. She revealed:

“I know she’s working on it right now, and I’m very excited to hear what comes of it. I know some of the bones of it, so I’m not going to give anything away, but it sounds fun and crazy like the first film. And I have no doubt that Diablo will do something absolutely incredible with it.”

The Unprecedented Yet Powerful Legacy of ‘Jennifer’s Body’

20th Century Studios

Jennifer’s Body was far from successful upon release, only grossing around $31 million from a production budget of $16 million. Critics did not connect with the movie, and though it had some positive reactions, it eventually earned a divisive Rotten Tomatoes score of 47%. This reflected an overall disappointment from viewers who felt they had been cheated by a marketing campaign that teased a sexy horror film with Megan Fox and little else.

In reality, Jennifer’s Body is much more. Deemed a feminist cult movie in its re-evaluation, Kusama’s approach to a coming-of-age horror movie is clever and original. It asks the right questions, and presents a conflict led by compelling and well-drawn characters. At the same time, it doesn’t deny that it’s a full-blown horror movie. The result of the re-evaluation is obviously more in tune with Kusama’s original vision:

“There’s something about people saying that it’s an important film to them, it just means so much to me, because I knew, making the film, that I wanted it to be kind of exuberant and fun and crazy and have kind of a bad attitude in a funny way. And I just so appreciate that people understand I was trying to speak to them. It’s cool.”