Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s Directorial Debut ‘Hell of a Summer’ Sells to Neon

Rebecca Rubin
·2 min read

Neon has nabbed U.S. rights to Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s “Hell of a Summer,” a horror comedy that premiered at Toronto Film Festival in 2023.

Wolfhard, the star of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” and Bryk, who appeared in the indie drama “When You Finish Saving the World,” directed the film in their feature debut. They also star in the movie alongside Fred Hechinger (“Thelma,” “Gladiator 2”). A specific date has yet to be announced, but Neon has slated the movie for a theatrical release in 2025.

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“Hell of a Summer” follows counselors who are getting Camp Pineway ready the night before campers arrive when a masked killer begins slaughtering the staff. Wolfhard and Bryk have said they wrote the film with a goal of upending Gen Z stereotypes.

“Our No. 1 conversation was how annoying it is to see new teen movies and how badly our age group is represented,” Wolfhard told Variety last year at TIFF. “And we’re like, ‘Why don’t we just do it?’”

“Hell of a Summer” was fully financed and executive produced by 30West. Fred Hechinger served as a producer with Michael Costigan of Aggregate Films, Jason Bateman, Drew Brennan, and Parts & Labor’s Jay Van Hoy. The deal was negotiated by Jason Wald on behalf of Neon with 30West and CAA Media Finance.

Neon’s recent titles include the breakout horror hit “Longlegs,” which has grossed $100 million globally to date; “Cuckoo,” a mysterious thriller starring Hunter Schafer and Dan Stevens; and “Immaculate,” a twisted religious tale led by Sydney Sweeney. Up next, the indie distributor will unveil Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The End,” a golden-age musical featuring Tilda Swinton, as well as Sean Baker’s “Anora,” which won the Palme d’Or at Cannes.

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