In the pantheon of cult movies that deserved better, Jennifer’s Body is right up there. Underserved by its promotion, the demonic horror ate dirt on first release, gradually accruing an audience through word of mouth. One of the stars, Amanda Seyfried, still laments how the film was treated in 2009.
During a career retrospective with GQ, she talked up the work everyone put into Jennifer's Body and what a special production it is. "I can't critique this movie. It's, to me, a perfect movie," she says. "It's got balls. [Writer] Diablo Cody was outspoken and beautiful and smart and funny, and we were expressing a certain angst in a very specific, comedic way, in a specific genre."
But while everyone behind and in front of the camera was on their A-game, Seyfried calls out the PR. "The marketing sucked, it just did, and we all agree," she states. "The marketing cheapened it, like it was just a gory romp. I think they ruined it, and I think that Karyn [Kusama, director] and Diablo were a really good team, and Megan [Fox, co-star in Jennifer’s Body] and I are a really good team."
Seyfried portrays Needy in the film, a bookish high school student who becomes concerned when her popular friend, Jennifer, starts behaving erratically after they attend a disastrous local rock show. As it turns out, Jennifer become possessed by an evil force and eventually starts literally consuming other students.
It's a transgressive, funny teen horror film, touching on a myriad of relevant topics. The posters and trailers focused largely on Fox, even though Seyfried is the narrator and protagonist, and seemed more aimed at teenage boys than anything else, contributing to low box office returns. Thankfully, the picture found its audience on home media, and is now extremely well regarded, leading to discussions of a follow-up. Seyfried is keen, at the very least.
"I'm looking forward to a sequel," she adds. "They're working on it. I've already said, 'Thumbs up, whenever you're ready I'm ready.'" Cody has openly expressed her desire to come back for Jennifer’s Body 2. She reopened the door to that world in Lisa Frankenstein, a recent project of hers set in the same universe as Jennifer’s Body.
It seems like a matter of when, not if, and you can be sure the publicity campaign will have a different energy this time around. Have a look at our list of the best horror movies on Netflix for other hidden gems.
