Diablo Cody’s New Movie Might Have a Subtle Connection to Her Most Underrated One
Welcome to the Codyverse?
Can a movie even be called a success if it doesn’t spawn a franchise? From sequels arriving decades later to remakes that expand the universe they’re set in, seemingly every movie now has the opportunity to become an entire cinematic world. The latest movie to get this treatment is a 2009 cult classic, which finally got a spiritual successor that may also be a secret prequel.
In conversation with Deadline at the premiere of her recent film, Lisa Frankenstein, screenwriter Diablo Cody made it clear the film exists in the same universe as her previous teen horror flick, Jennifer’s Body. “I am just declaring that this movie takes place in the same universe,” Cody said. “I have decided that. I will not say that you’d see any overt references to that, but I’m saying it.”
If that’s true, then Lisa Frankenstein is technically a prequel to Jennifer’s Body, even if Cody is just having a bit of fun connecting them.
Jennifer’s Body is firmly set in 2009, flip phones and all.
There’s no real way for the movies to directly connect, as Lisa Frankenstein is set in the 1980s, and Jennifer’s Body is firmly set in the world of 2009 it was released in. But a recent quote from Cody hints at a future film that could tie both movies together.
Cody told Inverse she would consider any possibility for a Jennifer’s Body follow-up movie, even a prequel. Lisa Frankenstein director Zelda Williams also expressed interest in directing a prequel. Considering the time gap between Jennifer’s Body and Lisa Frankenstein, a prequel to Jennifer’s Body could even be a sequel to Lisa Frankenstein, tying the two stories together into a twisted teen horror tale spanning decades.
A Lisa Frankenstein sequel could double as a Jennifer’s Body prequel.
While these two movies have different tones, directors, and even distributors, establishing the Codyverse could mean a new and subtle approach to franchise horror. Fans have been clamoring for a Jennifer’s Body follow-up for years, and maybe the answer is now hiding in plain sight. And even if Cody’s comments were a bit tongue-in-cheek, once Lisa Frankenstein hits theaters it will still be a lot of fun to look for any connections... and if it does well enough, maybe we’ll finally get a more official prequel.
