Paramount+ is no one’s favorite streaming service, and Jeepers Creepers is no one’s favorite horror franchise. Streaming provides unloved or lesser-known works of art with a new audience. Films that flopped at the box office can become social media sleeper hits on Netflix or Hulu. This is not a case of a hidden gem finally being uncovered. It is, however, one of the strangest C-tier horror franchises in modern memory, and Paramount+’s audience is enjoying a treat.
Jeepers Creepers Dominates Paramount+’s Horror Selection
I was about seven years old when I first learned of Jeepers Creepers. A kid on the playground regaled me with the tale of a winged demonic murderer who plucked the eyes of his victims. I remember being scared by the idea much more than by the film. Jeepers Creepers is something of a cult classic with endless defenders and lifelong fans. People like me grew up with the idea and the vivid nightmares that stuck with them. The Creeper can’t stand in the same building as Freddy, Michael, or Jason, but he’s probably closer to the entrance than Pumpkinhead. People remember the first movie and just kind of naturally assume there were more. His decent first outing made enough money to create two vastly inferior sequels and the worst horror reboot of modern memory.
Right underneath The Whale and Top Gun: Maverick sits three of the four Jeepers Creepers movies. Jeepers Creepers: Reborn is Paramount+’s third most popular film right now. Jeepers Creepers III takes fourth place, and the original earns fifth. Latin America is responsible for the horror series’ Paramount+ prominence. Reborn‘s popularity is particularly impressive. It raked in $6 million from a brief theatrical release, earning the coveted 0% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The lore of the franchise was a mess before the reboot. Shockingly, starting over didn’t fix anything. The answer as to why Jeepers Creepers is doing so well is oddly familiar. It’s either nostalgia or curiosity.
RELATED: Criminal Minds Revival Greenlit at Paramount Plus
If you’re scrolling through Paramount+ tonight looking for a horror film, you could do worse than 383 minutes of Jeepers Creepers. What else does the service have in the genre? The new Pet Sematary prequel? Sometimes, dead is better. How about the entire Scream franchise? It’s an improvement, but every horror fan has seen it already. Anyone seeking a scary movie that’s funny more than half the time will love most of the Jeepers Creepers franchise. The Creeper should enjoy his spotlight while he can.
