The Creeper is a fictional character and the main antagonist in the 2001 horror film Jeepers Creepers, its 2003 sequel Jeepers Creepers 2, as well as the 2017 midquel Jeepers Creepers 3. It is an ancient, demonic being who feeds on human beings for 23 days every 23rd spring. It is played by Jonathan Breck.
Specific details regarding The Creeper's origin (i.e. what he is or how he came to be) have not, as of yet, been specified. Director Victor Salva has stated that the creature's nature is, in part, intentionally left ambiguous for thematic effect. In a behind-the-scenes interview on the Jeepers Creepers II DVD, Salva teased that The Creeper has "been around a long time" and that he might have, at one point, "possibly been human" and turned into the Creeeper by another being à la a "vampire", inspiring the vampire legend in-universe.
Appearance and Abilities[]
The Creeper has the ability to regenerate any part of its body by devouring a similar part from a victim. In this manner, it has survived since Biblical times, replenishing his deteriorated body by ingesting human flesh and organs. The ability also works as a form of healing factor, as the Creeper can discard injured or maimed body parts after ingesting a replacement version. In addition to his regenerative powers, the Creeper is quite resilient. He is repeatedly run over by a car in the first movie. In the second film, it is impaled with harpoons multiple times yet retains the ability to move, including several head wounds. The Creeper only stops moving when it reaches its hibernation period.
Physiologically, the Creeper is only partially humanoid. His skin is green and scaly, and he has razor sharp claws and teeth. Hidden under his black duster coat are a pair of enormous, bat-like wings strong enough to lift himself and at least one adult human. In the second film, the Creeper is shown to throttle a pick-up truck off the ground while in flight. The speed at which he can fly is undetermined, but he is seen to match a speeding automobile with little difficulty. The Creeper possesses a third nostril on the bridge of his nose which allows him to smell specific organs (or just the parts that he wants) in his victims. This second sense of smell can only detect essential parts when the being is in a state of fear.
Though never deliberately stated, it can be inferred that The Creeper is quite intelligent. In a deleted scene from the first movie, he has been shown to speak in a western accent and has demonstrated the ability to whistle. He seems to enjoy music, and owns an old phonograph (on which he plays the song which inspired the film's namesake whilst dissecting his victims). He also appears to appreciate and indulge in art, as he creates patchworks, sculptures, and weapon decorations out of any uneaten parts from his victims. The Creeper also takes measures to disguise his actual identity by dressing in human clothing: particularly tattered trousers, a worn duster, and wide-brimmed hat. He also drives a derelict 1941 Chevrolet COE, which he uses to transport bodies to his various hideouts.
Tools[]
The Creeper employs a variety of weapons in his pursuit for food. He commonly carries daggers and shurikens made from the flesh and bones of his victims (and, possibly, himself). He also uses a medieval battle axe in the first film. The Creeper seems fond of throwing weapons, which he uses with deadly pinpoint accuracy, so much so that it creates the illusion that the weapons are moving of their own accord.
The Creeper also drives a very large, old-fashioned, rusted truck equipped with a cow catcher on the front, which he uses to transport bodies (dead or alive) to a cave underneath an old church through a sewer pipe where he sews his victims to the ceiling. It calls this location it's house of pain. He also uses his truck to scare potential victims. The license plate on his truck reads "BEATNGU" ("Be Eating You", commonly confused as "Beating You"). The truck can attain unusually high speeds (at least 100MPH) despite its decrepit exterior.
Trivia[]
- It appears to be based on Springheeled Jack. Springheeled Jack was a devilish character that terrorized England in the 18 hundreds (not to be confused with Jack the ripper), Springheeled Jack was known to traumatize and not kill. Springheeled Jack was named because of his unnatural ability to jump high in the air almost like he was flying. Some fans speculate that The Creeper could be Springheeled Jack himself.
- In the original Jeepers Creepers, the Creeper never directly exposes itself or flies around in sunlight, instead wearing a heavy trench coat and wide-brimmed hat while driving around in its tinted-window rusted metal truck, à la those used by vampires such as Proinsias Cassidy to protect themselves from sunlight, leading some fans to speculate that like vampires, the Creeper was weak to sunlight, with Salva describing the Creeper as an "organ vampire". Despite this, it was later revealed to be able to survive and thrive in sunlight in Jeepers Creepers 3.
- It is unknown, but it might be based on the Jersey Devil.