In the 25 years since the production of Jeepers Creepers first descended upon the backroads of Marion County, the area’s most commercially successful film has developed a cult following and cemented itself as one of the great horror films of its time.
Filmed during the late summer months of 2000, the horror classic remains a point of fascination for residents of Ocala, Reddick, and Dunnellon, where parts of the movie were filmed.
Jeepers Creepers was filmed between July and September of 2000. The movie officially released in theaters on August 31, 2001. Check out the photo album of the production in Marion County:
The film follows two siblings, played by Justin Long and Gina Philips, who are traveling home from college when they encounter a creature that replaces its own body parts by consuming those of its victims.
Perhaps the most iconic fixture in the movie is the run-down, abandoned church where the siblings first encounter the creature’s “house of pain.”
Located at 3602 SW 110th Avenue in Ocala, the church famously served as the Creeper’s lair.
The building reportedly burned down in the years following the film’s release.
Other key Ocala locations included 15 NE 14th Street, which provided the backdrop for the movie’s haunting final scene.
Outside of Ocala city limits, much of the film’s tension was built on the rural roads of Dunnellon. The opening sequence and several of the high-speed driving scenes were filmed on SW 180th Avenue Road, a stretch now colloquially referred to as “Tiger Trail.”
According to filming records, the specific moment the “Creeper” runs the siblings off the road was shot just north of the intersection of SW 180th Avenue Road and SW County Highway 484.
Other notable Marion County and regional locations used in the film include the former site of Reddick High School, as well as a diner in Lake Panasoffkee that was used for key dialogue scenes between the siblings and psychic “Jezelle Gay Hartman,” who is played by Patricia Belcher.
Last year marked the “23rd Spring” since the movie’s release, an allusion to when the creature in the movie makes his appearances to “eat” his victims.
Upon its release, Jeepers Creepers was a massive commercial hit, grossing over $59 million on a budget of just $10 million.
It spawned at least three sequels, with a fifth installment reportedly in development.
Do you have memories of the filming of Jeepers Creepers in Marion County over 25 years ago? Share your experiences and photos with us, or write a letter to the editor.