Where Was Jeepers Creepers Filmed? Every Real-Life Location Revealed

It's been 23 years since "Jeepers Creepers" first hit theaters, and the monstrous Creeper (played by Jonathan Breck in the original trilogy) has haunted us ever since. His near-invincible appearance — complete with devilish wings and Predator-like appendages on his face — makes him a formidable opponent one can only defeat by surviving his reign of terror. And even then, if you do manage to escape his demonic claws, he promises to return with a vengeance.

But even if the horror flick gave you nightmares, it's nothing compared to some of the behind-the-scenes events that contributed to making "Jeepers Creepers," or the events that inspired it. If you ever wondered where this cult-classic horror story was filmed (or if any of the locations were particularly haunted), then wonder no more. There are plenty of secrets to uncover in the fictional Poho County, some that may even chill you to the bone. Just beware of that titular tune ...

But what is "Jeepers Creepers"? Well, it's one of the freakiest creature features out there. The original film follows brother and sister Derry (Justin Long) and Trish Jenner (Gina Philips) as they drive through the country on their way home from spring break. As they travel across miles of farmland, the Jenner siblings realize that they're being followed by a mysterious truck shortly before it nearly runs them off the road. As they drive by the abandoned church that serves as the creature's home, it notices them and gives chase more. From here until the end of the film, the Creeper sets his sights on the Jenners, pursuing them relentlessly until he catches his prey.

Along the way, the Jenners find others who try to aid them in escaping the creature's grasp, namely Jezelle Gay Hartman (Patricia Belcher), a psychic who knows the truth about the killer monster. She warns the siblings that one of them will suffer a deadly fate when they hear the old 1930s jazz tune, "Jeepers Creepers." You may have forgotten exactly what happened in "Jeepers Creepers," but revisiting this scene will surely make your skin crawl.

The original film, which was directed by Victor Salva, spawned a trilogy of Creeper-centric horrors, all of which take place within the same week of the creature's murder spree. They have to, after all, as the Creeper only comes out to play once every 23 years (which doesn't bode well for us...). A reboot, titled "Jeepers Creepers: Reborn," was released in 2022, though none of the creative team from the original trilogy returned, prompting many fans to deem it nothing more than a cheap knock-off.

Although "Jeepers Creepers" feels like it takes place in the heartland of middle America, the horror flick was actually shot in central Florida, specifically Marion and Lake Counties. The old church — aka the Creeper's lair — was located at 3602 SW 110th Avenue in Ocala, Florida before it burned down over a decade ago, some believe due to an annoyed neighbor sick of people asking where to find it. "Who would burn down a classic, even historical old church that had been part of the state's history for so many years," director Victor Salva wondered in a 2010 Blogspot post. Salva didn't believe the rumor to be true, and suspected some other vandals must've been the real cause.

There were also other rumors about the locations seen in the 2001 creature feature, namely the stretch of road Derry and Trish find themselves on in the beginning of the film. All of the driving sequences were filmed on an apparently haunted portion of road called Tiger Trail, which is just northeast of Dunnellon, Florida. It's said that the ghosts of three young children who were killed on the highway can sometimes be seen early in the morning. Talk about spooky.

Additionally, the Poho County Sheriff's Office was shot at the Reddick Public Library in the neighboring town of, well, Reddick, while the Opper's Diner location (named after the film's producer Barry Opper) stood not far from Rutland. The public school that the Jenners find themselves hiding out in was actually three separate locations scattered across Dunnellon. However, filming at the schools caused quite a controversy, as initial plans to have media students visit the film set were canceled once the schools learned about Salva's prior conviction as a sex offender.

One thing you may not know about "Jeepers Creepers" is that it was actually inspired by a true story. No, there's no demonic figure who hibernates in the Florida countryside, but there was a brother and sister who were nearly run off the road by a killer dumping a body. On Easter Sunday in 1990, Ray and Marie Thornton were driving down Snow Perry Road in Coldwater, Michigan, playing a game where they made up sentences based on the license plates of cars that passed. When they spotted a "GZ" plate, Marie noted, "Geez, he must be in a hurry." Turns out, he was. As the pair drove past an abandoned schoolhouse, they witnessed the truck's driver unloading a bloodied sheet, presumably with a body inside.

Concerned, the Thorntons drove onward in search of a phone, but the truck tailed them. Eventually, it turned away, and they kept on. But, hoping to get the full license plate number for the authorities, they soon turned back. Passing the halted truck, they saw the man remove his license plate and spotted blood all over the back seat. The killer, Dennis DePue, had killed his ex-wife, Marilynn, after a heated argument concerning their children. After a particularly nasty divorce, the kids didn't want anything to do with their father, so he beat his former spouse to death in front of them.

Dennis told the kids he was taking Marilynn to the hospital, but he buried her instead. After being caught by the Thorntons, Dennis became a fugitive, sending letters back to friends and family in the weeks after to justify his actions. Amazingly, it was a 1991 episode of "Unsolved Mysteries" that finally exposed the killer, who had reinvented himself as a man named "Hank." After a gunfight with the Michigan State Police, DePue killed himself. He would not be buried with his ex-wife.