From Jigsaw to Leatherface to Amityville: The Awakening, this Halloween season will soon present horror fans with an embarrassment of riches as theaters across the globe begin hosting all sorts of cinematic ghosts and ghouls.
But if there’s one movie that was quietly shunned by distributors, it’s Jeepers Creepers 3 (for good reason, too, but more on that later). Yes, after years spent languishing on the brink of development, Victor Salva’s threequel faced another uphill battle when many of America’s major theater chains dropped it like a hot potato. Only a small handful of companies stood firm, leading to an exclusive one-night-only screening via Regal Theaters.
Such pent-up demand led to Jeepers Creepers 3 securing a second theatrical showing (October 4th), but other than that, the film’s distribution is about as limited as they come. Leave it to Syfy, then, to step in and secure JC3‘s TV premiere. According to the network’s Facebook page, Salva’s shunned horror pick will now take flight on the small screen later this month – October 28th, to be exact – with a Blu-ray release to follow on December 26th.
As for why Jeepers Creepers 3 has been left out in the cold by most major theater chains, the film’s controversy can largely be traced back to writer-director Victor Salva, a convicted pedophile who included a molestation subplot in the movie. And no, we’re not making that one up.
Both his victim and The Creeper actor Jonathan Breck are of the belief that Salva deserves a shot at redemption, though we imagine JC3 will still struggle to find much of an audience. So don’t count on a fourth film materializing anytime soon.
Here’s the official logline for the threequel known as Ravenous:
A sergeant and his task force embark on a mission to destroy the Creeper on its last day of feeding. The Creeper soon fights back when they get close to discovering its mysterious and dark origins.
Also starring Brandon Smith, Meg Foster, Gina Philips, Stan Shaw, and Ray Wise, Jeepers Creepers 3 will now swoop onto Syfy later this month and if it’s more coverage you’re after, look no further than our review. Fair warning, though, it’s pretty damning.