Hell of a Summer

Hell of a Summer is a 2023 comedy-horror film written and directed by Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk (in his directorial debut). It stars Fred Hechinger, Abby Quinn, Bryk, Wolfhard, Pardis Saremi and D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai.

It premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023.

Premise
As the counselors are getting Camp Pineway ready the night before the campers arrive, a masked killer begins killing the staff.

Cast

 * Fred Hechinger as Jason
 * Abby Quinn as Claire
 * Billy Bryk as Bobby
 * Finn Wolfhard as Chris
 * Pardis Saremi as Demi
 * D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Mike
 * Krista Nazaire as Shannon
 * Matthew Finlan as Ezra
 * Julia Lalonde as Noelle
 * Daniel Gravelle as Ari
 * Julia Doyle as Miley
 * Susan Coyne
 * Rosebud Baker
 * Adam Pally

Production
Hell of a Summer was announced in July 2022 with Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk writing, directing and starring in the film, making it Bryk's directorial debut. Fred Hechinger joined the cast and also produces with Aggregate Films' Jason Bateman and Michael Costigan, and Parts and Labor's Jay Van Hoy. Wolfhard (who was 20 years old at the time) told Entertainment Weekly that he initially struggled to find a financer for the film, with potential investors often citing his age as the reason. Inspiration for the film came from Edgar Wright's Shaun of the Dead (2004).

Principal photography began in July 2022 in Ontario, Canada and wrapped that August. By December, the film was in the editing process and in post-production by February 2023.

Release
Hell of a Summer premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023, where it was named second runner-up for the People's Choice Award for Midnight Madness.

Reception
Valerie Complex of Deadline Hollywood gave the film a positive review. She praised Wolfhard and Bryk's direction, saying "they craft a distinct cinematic piece that is both a tribute to and a reinvention of the slasher genre". She wrote the film's lighting was an issue, which causes some of the nighttime scenes to be dimly lit. She ended her review writing that the film "is a delightful mix that strikes the right balance of '80s horror nostalgia and fresh, modern creativity. While it occasionally stumbles in its visual execution, the clever narrative and sharp societal insights ensure it’s a movie worth watching".

Jourdain Searles from The Hollywood Reporter ended her review saying, "The biggest problem with Hell of a Summer is that there's really not much to say about it. Watching it is like being in a freshman film class in which the professor is asking everyone to come up with detailed notes on how to improve the film. But making a film is still an achievement in itself, paving the way for more polished work in the future. Maybe it's enough that Hell of a Summer leaves us eagerly wondering what Bryk and Wolfhard will make next".