Key Takeaways:
– Actor Finn Wolfhard makes directorial debut with Hell of a Summer, co-directed by Billy Bryk.
– The film is planned for a theatrical release by NEON in 2025.
– The film features a horror-comedy-slasher plot situated at a camp.
– Wolfhard and Bryk aimed to upend Gen Z stereotypes in their film.
– The cast includes Fred Hechinger, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Abby Quinn, and Pardis Saremi.
Finn Wolfhard, well-known for his roles in Stranger Things and Ghostbusters: Afterlife, is now stepping into the director’s shoes. He makes his feature directorial debut with a horror-comedy called Hell of a Summer, co-directed by actor Billy Bryk. If you’ve heard of Bryk, you probably caught him in Ghostbusters: Afterlife too. The film had a mixed reception at the Toronto International Film Festival, pulling a middle-of-the-road 5/10 review, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying a fun fright.
A Big Move by NEON
Here is big news for all you horror-comedy enthusiasts. Variety reports that Hell of a Summer has officially snagged a U.S. distribution deal with NEON. If you’re not familiar with NEON, they’re the genius distribution company behind films like Longlegs and Cuckoo. What this means is NEON will be bringing Wolfhard and Bryk’s movie to theatre screens across the U.S. by 2025.
Revealing More about the Movie
We got a few hints at what Hell of a Summer might be even before the official announcement. Wolfhard voiced his intentions to do a “horror-comedy-slasher movie that takes place at a camp”. And guess what? That is precisely what they made. The plot follows some counselors at Camp Pineway. They’re getting the camp ready for campers when a masked killer starts to stalk and kill the staff. Somehow, Wolfhard and Bryk wrote the film to challenge usual Gen Z stereotypes, which sounds intriguing.
Meet the Cast
Now, who’s actually in the film? Apart from Wolfhard and Bryk serving as stars and directors, the movie lines up a host of talented actors. Fred Hechinger, who we loved in the Fear Street trilogy, is joined by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai from Reservation Dogs, Abby Quinn of Mad About You, and Pardis Saremi from Career Opportunities in Murder and Mayhem.
Behind the Scenes Production Details
30West, the big-hearted financier, also serves as an executive producer for Hell of a Summer. Hechinger, alongside Aggregate Films, Parts and Labor Production, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, Drew Brennan, and Jay Van Hoy, contributed for the production. The entire shooting happened in Ontario, Canada, with 30West and CAA Media Finance jointly handling the U.S. rights.
Well, that’s all about Hell of a Summer we have for now. Are you excited to catch Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s brainchild in theaters by 2025? Do you enjoy the thrill of horror comedies tingling down your spine like Friday the 13th, Sleepaway Camp or Fear Street Part Two: 1978? Let us know in the comments below. It’s always great to share thoughts, and who knows? You might just find others who think the same way too!
