Screenwriter Diablo Cody says Jennifer’s Body 2 will explore more of the loneliness and emotional pain behind Megan Fox’s Jennifer Check, a character whose transformation into a demon has sometimes overshadowed the vulnerability she displayed in the original 2009 horror film.
During a recent appearance on the Petticoat Revolution podcast, Cody discussed her feelings about Jennifer and explained how the sequel will give her an opportunity to explore more of what the character has endured. She explained (with thanks to our friends at Bloody Disgusting for the transcription),
“Jennifer is a sympathetic character for me, before and after the transformation. I mean, she is very isolated, she’s very lonely, she’s very insecure. Everybody remembers Jennifer when she’s like, ‘I am a god,’ or when she’s at her most radiant and at her most powerful. But people forget about these moments in the movie where she’s like a shell of herself, she’s just exsanguinated almost. And to me, Megan played both of those sides of Jennifer so well.”
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Cody went on to tease how she has approached the upcoming sequel:
“And one fun thing — I can’t talk about it too much — but you know we’re doing a sequel to this movie, like imminently, and I felt like in the new movie, I was able to explore even more about why Jennifer is sympathetic and what she’s been through. And there is absolutely, to me, a loneliness and a poignancy to that character that people don’t always recognize.”
Directed by Karyn Kusama, Jennifer’s Body was released in 2009, with Cody writing the screenplay. The film stars Megan Fox as Jennifer Check, a high-school student who is sacrificed by a band called Low Shoulder during a ritual intended to help the musicians achieve success. The ritual goes horribly wrong, leaving Jennifer possessed by a demon who must feed on boys to survive. Amanda Seyfried co-stars as Jennifer’s best friend, Needy Lesnicki, who discovers what has happened to Jennifer and struggles to protect her boyfriend, Chip Dove (Johnny Simmons), from her increasingly dangerous friend.
Jennifer’s Body 2 Is Inspired by the Original Film’s Cult Following
The sequel represents a surprising development for a film that initially struggled to find a wide audience. Despite its eventual cult status, Jennifer’s Body was not a major commercial success upon its original release. Over the years, however, audiences have increasingly embraced its horror, humor, themes, and exploration of friendship.
Cody previously discussed that changing reception during an appearance on The Boo Crew podcast, explaining how the response to the original film influenced her approach to the sequel.
“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 described the sequel as a response to the renewed appreciation for the original film.
“Thematically, the whole movie is a response to that rediscovery [of the first film]. 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 also praised the script’s humor and its willingness to reflect on the original film.
“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.“
What Do You Want to See in Jennifer’s Body 2?
With Cody returning to write the sequel, fans can look forward to another story rooted in the character dynamics and dark sensibility that made the original stand out. What would you most like to see in Jennifer’s Body 2? Let us know in the comments below.
