Jennifer’s Body

Jennifer’s Body is a 2009 dark comedy and horror film written by Diablo Cody. The film, described as similar in tone to Heathers,will be directed by Karyn Kusama, and stars Megan Fox as the title character, Amanda Seyfried as her best friend Needy, and Adam Brody as the antagonist Nikolai. The movie is named after a song by Hole.

A cheerleader with the perfect life becomes the girl from hell when she gets possessed and begins killing boys in a small town.

Jennifer’s Body movie poster (click to enlarge) 

Jennifer’s Body is the follow-up to writer and producer Diablo Cody and Jason Reitman collaboration efforts on Juno. In October 2007, Fox Atomic pre-emptively purchased the rights to Cody’s script with Megan Fox in negotiations to star. Peter Rice, who oversees both Fox Searchlight and Fox Atomic, brought in the project as Fox Searchlight had previously distributed Cody’s film Juno. Mason Novick and Reitman’s producing parter Dan Dubiecki signed as producers in November 2007 with plans to produce the film under Hard C, which is housed at Fox Searchlight. Reitman commented, “We want to make unusual films, and anything that turns a genre on its ear interests Dan and I. Karyn Kusama was announced as director in January 2008.

In February 2008, a cease and desist was given to a writer at CC2K.com after they posted an advanced script review for the film. The Latino Review also posted an advanced review. At the time CC2K.com received their cease and desist order, questions were raised why Latino Review’s largely positive script review was allowed to stay posted while CC2K was being forced by Fox Searchlight to remove their mainly negative coverage. Although Latino Review was later asked to remove their review, numerous other websites and blogs have published their own critiques of the script.

Megan Fox was in negotiations to star as Jennifer, the perfect possessed cheerleader, since the film was announced in 2007, and was officially cast in October 2007. In February 2008, Amanda Seyfried was cast as Needy, the “plain Jane” best friend to Fox’s character. Chud.com reported on the casting of Nikolai that the filmmakers were looking at actual rock band members Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and Joel Madden of Good Charlotte. Also considered was actor Chad Michael Murray. In March 2008, actor Johnny Simmons was reportedly cast as the male lead Nikolai Wolf. However, Adam Brody was officially cast in the role of Nikolai, while Simmons was then given the role of Chip.

In late 2007, Fox Atomic had plans to film Jennifer’s Body before a possible writer’s strike. However, when the Writers Guild of America strike began, shooting was then moved to March 7, 2008 in Burnaby, British Columbia, specifically at Robert Burnaby Park near Cariboo Hill Secondary School. Some of the scenes, particularly those situated in a school setting, were filmed in local Vancouver-area schools, such as Vancouver Technical Secondary School, Langley Secondary School and University Hill Secondary School.

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