Joan Jett film Bad Reputation set for September release

(Image credit: Dia Dipasupil - Getty)

The documentary focusing on Joan Jett's life and career titled Bad Reputation will be released in cinemas from September 28.

The Kevin Kerslake-directed film premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and charts Jett’s career and rise to stardom and features interviews with artists including Debbie Harry, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, Iggy Pop and Pete Townshend, along with a wealth of archive footage.

The synopsis reads: “Joan Jett became mega-famous from the no.1 hit I Love Rock N Roll, but that’s only part of the story. 

“That fame intensified with the music video’s endless play on MTV, world tours and many hits to follow like I Hate Myself For Loving You, but that staple of popularity can’t properly define a musician. 

“Jett put her hard work in long before the fame, ripping it up onstage as the backbone of the hard-rock legends The Runaways, starting her record label out of the trunk of a car after being rejected by 23 labels, and influencing many musicians – both her cohort of punk rockers and generations of younger bands – with her no-bullshit style. 

Bad Reputation gives you a wild ride as Jett and her close friends tell you how it really was in the burgeoning 70s punk scene and the rocky road to rock stardom decades on. 

“Their interviews are laced with amazing archival footage. The theme is clear: Even though people tried to define Jett, she never compromised. She will kick your ass, and you’ll love her all the more for it.”

Bad Reputation (opens in new tab) was written by Joel Marcus and produced by Peter Afterman and Carianne Brinkman. Watch a trailer for the film below.

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers and magazines as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. After initially joining our news desk in the summer of 2014, he moved to the e-commerce team full-time in 2020. He maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott grew up listening to rock and prog, cutting his teeth on bands such as Marillion and Magnum before his focus shifted to alternative and post-punk in the late 80s. His favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Ned's Atomic Dustbin and Drab Majesty, but he also still has a deep love of Rush.