Unappreciated at the time of its release, despite being one of the best horror movies of the 2000s, Jennifer’s Body has become a cult classic in the world of horror movies. The screenwriter of the Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried-led horror-comedy Diablo Cody has returned to the genre with a new film called Lisa Frankenstein. Surprisingly enough, she says that Fox’s film takes place in the same universe as her latest work, and my mind is blown.
The 2009 horror comedy that Diablo Cody wrote follows a high school student who becomes demonically possessed following a sacrifice and subsequently kills her classmates and eats their flesh in order to survive. While promoting Lisa Frankenstein, the acclaimed screenwriter told Deadline that while there might not be any “overt” references to the cult classic in her latest movie, they take place in the same shared universe. As she tells it:
I am just declaring that this movie takes place in the same universe. I have decided that. I will not say that you’d see any overt references to that, but I’m saying it.
The upcoming horror movie Lisa Frankenstein puts a fresh, goth twist on Mary Shelley’s 1818 iconic novel. It stars Kathryn Newton as a teen who zaps a Victorian corpse (Cole Sprouse) back to life, with the aim to DIY her dream guy. It’s so interesting to think that it could take place in the same world where Jennifer Check created all of that carnage. This is a weird (and dangerous) fictional universe, to say the least, but one that could be quite fascinating.
While chatting up her latest flick, Diablo Cody has actually been getting asked questions regarding a Jennifer’s Body sequel or reboot, and she has seemed hyped over the prospect. She’s banking on the hype to kickstart that dream into gear, she continued:
I hope this gives me the final push that I need to actually make it happen. It’s hard to get things made these days.
As great as it would be to see another installment that would theoretically expand this supposed shared universe, the comments are a bit surprising. I can’t help but wonder why the Juno writer would return to the genre, considering she, Megan Fox, and her castmates received a lot of flak when Jennifer’s Body was released. The scribe expounded on her decision to return to the genre:
I was nervous to get back into that, and then this magical thing happened the last few years where that movie [Jennifer’s Body] found an audience and people began to really appreciate it. And it gave me the confidence to say, ‘You know what? I never lost my passion for that world and I want to do another one.’ So, I’m here.
My questions aside, I certainly can’t deny that it would be pretty exciting to see a crossover of the two cinematic horror worlds if a follow-up to the Megan Fox’s cult classic flick materializes. However, seeing as how the 2009 production is technically a Disney movie following their purchase of 20th Century Fox and Lisa Frankenstein is owned by NBC Universal, it might not be a team-up that’s in the cards. But, then again, stranger things have happened. If anything though, I just remain enthused by the knowledge that Diablo Cody sees these flicks as occurring in a single world.
Lisa Frankenstein hits theaters on February 9 as part of the 2024 movie release schedule. Also, you can revisit Jennifer’s Body, which is streaming. All you need is a Max subscription.