Overview
- Finn Wolfhard makes his directorial debut with the comedic slasher film Hell of a Summer, co-directed alongside Billy Bryk.
- The film is set at a nostalgic summer camp, incorporating humor to balance its eerie atmosphere.
- Despite being just 22 years old, Wolfhard passionately defends his directorial capabilities, with the film scheduled for release on April 18, 2025.
Fans of Stranger Things should mark their calendars; the trailer for Finn Wolfhard’s whimsical horror film Hell of a Summer has just dropped, offering a fresh take on the slasher genre.
Co-directed by Wolfhard and fellow filmmaker Billy Bryk, who is also involved in a remake of the 1999 cult classic Idle Hands, Hell of a Summer features Fred Hechinger as Jason Hochberg, a 24-year-old camp counselor apprehensively anticipating the summer ahead. However, the situation escalates dramatically when he learns of a lurking serial killer.
This film, produced by NEON, provides a generous mix of comedy and horror, ensuring that laughs abound despite the imminent danger. A clever exchange occurs when Jason quips to his mother about the number of summers he can spend at camp, leading to comedic moments as he and his fellow campers face the unexpected threat of a serial killer. Throughout the film, Jason’s age becomes a humorous point of contention, as one camper jokingly suggests that he might be too old for summer camp fun. Hell of a Summer joins the lineage of clever slasher comedies akin to Bodies Bodies Bodies and features the enchanting yet terrifying backdrop of a summer camp, a classic setting in horror films such as the iconic Friday the 13th, recently revived in the upcoming series Crystal Lake.
Watch the Trailer
The script for Hell of a Summer was co-written by both Wolfhard and Bryk, who also take on roles in the film as characters Chris and Bobby. The talented cast includes Susan Coyne, Julia Lalonde, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Matthew Finland, Abby Quinn, Pardis Saremi, Rosebud Baker, Krista Nazaire, Julia Doyle, and Daniel Gravelle.
In addition to his work on Hell of a Summer, Wolfhard is set to conclude his character arc as Mike Wheeler in the final season of Stranger Things, which will premiere in 2025 on Netflix. He also stars in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, slated for release in 2024, and plays Pedro in the upcoming film The Legend of Ochi due out in 2025.
While Jason’s age is a humorously recurring theme in Hell of a Summer, Wolfhard shared with Entertainment Weekly that some financiers were hesitant due to his youth, stating:
“That’s what everyone said when we tried to get money for this movie. They’re like, ‘You’re a little young to be directing a movie.’ I’m like, ‘Yep.’ We’d like to let the film speak for itself. I don’t think age defines filmmaking in any way. I think everyone has stories to tell, and if you have the chance to do it, then do it.”
Promising to be a thrilling addition to the horror landscape of 2025, Hell of a Summer is among several notable upcoming titles from NEON, which also include adaptations of Stephen King’s The Life of Chuck by Mike Flanagan and The Monkey by Oz Perkins. Don’t miss out—Hell of a Summer will hit theaters on April 18, 2025, promising a delightful combination of humor and horror.
Leave a Reply