In the late 2000s, Megan Fox rose up the Hollywood A-list thanks to her starring role in the blockbuster Transformers. A handful of months after the 2007 tentpole became a hit, she signed on for a very different kind of film: the comedy horror movie Jennifer’s Body, which was released in 2009. Fox portrays the titular role of Jennifer Check, a popular high school student who becomes possessed and embarks on a killing spree, hunting down the school’s boys. At the time of its premiere, Jennifer’s Body didn’t leave much of an impression. Reviews were mixed and the film underwhelmed at the box office ($31.5 million worldwide against a $16 million budget). In the years since, however, its reputation has improved, and now it’s a streaming hit.
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For the week of May 4th-10th, Jennifer’s Body was the No. 6 movie on Netflix globally. During that time, it accumulated 3 million views and was watched for a total of 5.1 million hours. It beat out the likes of Mother’s Day and The Proposal to secure its spot on the chart. This was the first week Jennifer’s Body placed in Netflix’s top 10.
Nearly Two Decades Later, Jennifer’s Body Is Finally Getting a Sequel
Jennifer’s Body wasn’t a major hit in its day, but it’s since been reappraised and is now considered a cult classic. Particularly in the wake of the #MeToo movement, the film earned itself a reputation of being a strong feminist work, as it tells the story of an attractive young woman who’s essentially used as an object by men in an attempt to secure fame and fortune and then gets her revenge. In the years since Jennifer’s Body was re-evaluated, there’s been high demand for a sequel. Fortunately, such a project appears to be taking steps forward. Last year, director Karyn Kusama shared that writer Diablo Cody has been working on the Jennifer’s Body 2 script.
Additional details, such as plot specifics, a production timeline, or a release window, are currently unknown. This means it could still be a bit of a wait before Jennifer’s Body 2 comes to fruition. Obviously, it’ll all depend on how quickly the screenplay comes together, and Cody should take all the time she needs there. It would be a shame if the long-awaited sequel disappointed the first film’s passionate fan base, so it’s best to not rush something in the hopes of capitalizing on Jennifer’s Body‘s newfound popularity. The sequel will come with expectations to deliver a wild and memorable experience like the first film.
Ideally, 20th Century Studios has learned important lessons from the way the original Jennifer’s Body was handled. One of the reasons why that movie struggled at the box office was an ill-conceived marketing campaign that tried to appeal to a young male audience by heavily emphasizing Fox’s looks. This time around, the studio should have a better understanding of the core target demographic and be able to craft promotional materials that are geared more towards the female viewers that helped transform Jennifer’s Body into a modern cult classic. Hopefully, that would fuel a successful box office run for Jennifer’s Body 2.
One thing to consider is that even when an original film becomes a cult classic and gains a passionate following, it doesn’t mean the follow-up will be a massive hit. Blade Runner 2049 underwhelmed commercial even though it earned widespread acclaim and its predecessor is hailed as one of the most influential sci-fi films of all time. Still, you can’t fault the studio for giving Jennifer’s Body 2 a chance. Clearly, the original continues to resonate with viewers, so a convincing argument can be made there’s very much an audience for a follow-up.
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