The fictional Camp Miasma franchise in Jane Schoenbrun's new film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, serves as a meta-commentary on the cyclical nature of horror sequels and the enduring, often absurd, legacy of IP.
Within the film, Hannah Einbinder plays a director tasked with reviving the dormant Camp Miasma series. Her journey to recruit the original "Final Girl," portrayed by Gillian Anderson, becomes a deep dive into the franchise's invented history. This history is meticulously laid out in the film's opening credits, which Schoenbrun revealed were filmed on the very last day of production. "So the whole time we were making the movie, they were essentially building a museum," Schoenbrun told Polygon. "It was almost like a second movie. They were making up all this merch. That's just a testament to having people who are in it for joy and love."
The extensive lore presented includes VHS tapes with titles like Camp Miasma Part V: The Final Chapter, Camp Miasma Part VI: New Beginning, and the particularly ambitious Miasma 3000 (the outer space installment). Beyond the films themselves, the opening sequence showcases a wealth of Camp Miasma merchandise, including an arcade cabinet, a Halloween costume, and a fully functional board game, alongside various posters, articles, and online forum discussions dedicated to the franchise.
Crafting the Camp Miasma Universe
Schoenbrun and their creative team devised many of the sequel titles during a single brainstorming session, drawing inspiration from established horror franchises. "Some of it was in the script, but much of the actual detail work of that scene came through right before production," Schoenbrun explained. "It was like a pop-up writers’ room."
The primary antagonist, Little Death—characterized by a large vent over its head and a penchant for impaling victims with an oversized spear—is central to the franchise's identity. The film uses the Camp Miasma universe to satirize both the inherent absurdity and the relentless commodification of modern entertainment. Schoenbrun noted the cultural familiarity with the tropes of horror franchises, stating, "The language of the franchise is something we all culturally understand, but we don't realize how fun it is to play with." The endless cycle of reboots and sequels, as seen in franchises like Halloween, provides fertile ground for comedic and critical exploration.
Specific nods to existing films include Part VIII: Little Death Takes Manhattan, a clear reference to Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan, and the Part V to Part VI transition mirroring the Friday the 13th series' pattern of subtitling. The title Little Death vs. Sleepy Man emerged from a writers' room discussion, inspired by crossover films like Freddy vs. Jason and Alien vs. Predator.
Miasma 3000 directly references horror films that venture into space, with Schoenbrun citing Jason X and Leprechaun 4: In Space as particular influences. The opening sequence also humorously reveals that Psychic Warriors received a Razzie Award for worst picture, prompting Schoenbrun to reflect on the franchise's uneven quality. "I think that's up for debate," Schoenbrun said when asked about the worst installment. "Psychic Warriors, some would say, is the nadir of the series. The Christmas-themed one might also be pretty bleak."
Camp Miasma's Extensive Merchandising
The props and production teams were instrumental in bringing the Camp Miasma franchise to life through a variety of merchandise. Schoenbrun lauded their efforts, calling them "literal magicians." This included custom movie posters, a Little Death wind-up toy, and a detailed board game complete with a rulebook, which Schoenbrun insisted be included in the film even if only for a fleeting moment. "Even if we only see it for one frame, that deserves to be in the movie because someone literally wrote these rules," they said.
A subtle nod to the infamously difficult 1989 Friday the 13th NES video game is also present. A particularly inventive gag parodies off-brand Halloween costumes, featuring a costume labeled "Air Vent Man" due to the fictional inability to secure rights for a "Little Death" costume.
Fake newspaper headlines and blog posts further flesh out the world. One notable headline references a canceled "Little Death Day" at the Chicago Zoo, while another humorously points to the cancellation of a Camp Miasma spinoff for the short-lived streaming service Quibi, a nod to the prevalence of fleeting internet trends.
Future Iterations of Camp Miasma
While Schoenbrun has not yet produced a sequel to Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, they expressed enthusiasm for future expansions of the franchise. "I want to make a cartoon," Schoenbrun stated. "Like an ABC Saturday morning cartoon called Toonage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. That's the next iteration."