Lisa Frankenstein Means The Reboot Of A 2009 Cult Horror Comedy Could Finally Happen

If the upcoming Lisa Frankenstein performs well, it could be the gateway to seeing an underrated 2009 horror comedy receive a proper reboot. Written by Diablo Cody, Lisa Frankenstein sees the titular Lisa reanimate a Victorian-era corpse in an effort to make him the man of her dreams. While the trailer leans more into the comedy elements than the horror genre’s classic tropes, Lisa Frankenstein will be the first big monster movie of the year, despite balancing its horror elements with the narrative structure and storytelling that would be perfectly suitable for a coming-of-age romance story.

While Lisa Frankenstein looks like a unique blend of horror and comedy, it isn’t the first movie under Cody’s belt to blend the two genres. Cody’s style and sensibilities as seen in movies like Juno, Young Adult, and Tully center around complexly written women who not only express themselves better than what is typically seen by female characters written by men, but also highlights many pertinent issues that women face. With Lisa Frankenstein hitting theaters in February, it won’t be long before the movie proves that a reboot of a 2009 Cody cult classic can work.

What Lisa Frankenstein Could Mean For A Jennifer’s Body Reboot

Lisa Frankenstein’s success could see Jennifer’s Body rebooted with modern sensibilities and popular actors.

Considering that Lisa Frankenstein and Jennifer‘s Body both center around misunderstood women going to extreme lengths to express themselves and their feelings about romance, it isn’t a stretch to assume that Lisa Frankenstein will contain similar themes and even aesthetics to the 2009 cult classic. Like Lisa Frankenstein, Jennifer’s Body is also a comedic coming-of-age story centering around women and supernatural elements. With Cody confirming that Lisa Frankenstein and Jennifer’s Body exist in a shared universe, this only increases the chances of Jennifer’s Body seeing a reboot in some capacity.

While Jennifer’s Body 2 is already a possibility, the success of Lisa Frankenstein would justify another stab at the poorly received predecessor since it didn’t get the proper recognition it deserved. Now, the original Jennifer’s Body has been recontextualized and is a true cult classic. However, as exciting as Jennifer’s Body 2 sounds, it is important to highlight why Jennifer’s Body performed poorly among critics back in 2009.

Jennifer’s Body Flopped When It Came Out In 2009 (But Has Since Become A Cult Classic)

Jennifer’s Body was poorly marketed, but has since been reevaluated as a clever movie about female autonomy.

Although recently earning the esteemed distinction of being a cult classic, Jennifer’s Body was panned by most critics upon release in 2009, with many writing it off as an overly sexualized, mediocre comedy. However, with streaming proving to be a haven for underrated movies to find new life, Jennifer’s Body has since been reexamined as an important movie in the coming-of-age genre as director Karyn Kusama, writer Cody, and stars Fox and Seyfried expertly handled the sensitive yet important themes and issues. Even star Adam Brody recently expressed that poor marketing hurt Jennifer’s Body upon release.

In addition to Jennifer’s Body experiencing new life partially on account of streaming, the wake of the #MeToo movement helped illuminate many of the issues explored in the 2009 horror comedy. While the movie’s marketing poorly misrepresented Jennifer’s Body as a highly sexualized fantasy for straight teen boys, the movie contains much more substance, tackling issues of women’s sexuality, self-image, and, most importantly, the misconception that most men are entitled to women’s bodies. With the positive reexamination of Jennifer’s Body sparking interest in a reboot from Cody herself, now is the perfect time for Hollywood to revisit a Jennifer’s Body reboot.

Why The Time Is Right For A Jennifer’s Body Reboot

The subjects covered in Jennifer’s Body would bode well in today’s more open-minded climate.

Although Jennifer’s death in Jennifer’s Body complicates a sequel, it doesn’t entirely rule out the possibility of audiences seeing the character once again either on the big or small screen. As is common in today’s entertainment climate, reboots, prequels, spin-offs, and multiverses are at an all-time high, which suggests that Cody could bring Jennifer back in another capacity outside a direct sequel. If Cody were to continue the franchise directly with a sequel, the movie could focus more on Seyfried’s Needy character, since she’s also crucial to getting across the movie’s themes.

Regardless of the approach, a Jennifer’s Body sequel is perfect for today’s audiences, since the sensibilities since 2009 have changed dramatically. Whereas the lackluster depictions of women in movies like Michael Bay’s Transformers were accepted in the mid-late 2000s, today’s audiences prefer work about women that’s challenging and engaging. As seen with critical successes like Lady Bird, Little Women, and The Hate You Give, there is a market for more challenging work about women – something Jennifer’s Body already is. If Lisa Frankenstein is successful, audiences just might get a reboot of the overlooked 2009 horror comedy.