Finn Wolfhard To Write, Direct And Star In Horror Comedy Hell Of A Summer With Ghostbusters: Afterlife Co-Star
Finn Wolfhard, the young actor who gained fame as Mike on "Stranger Things," is making moves behind the camera. The young star, known for his roles in Andy Muschietti's "It" films and "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," will be making his feature directorial debut, co-directing the film "Hell of a Summer" alongside his "Ghostbusters: Afterlife" co-star and friend Billy Bryk, with whom he also wrote the script. The two have previously collaborated on their movie podcast, "Finn and Billy's Lackluster Video," but "Hell of a Summer" seems like a much bigger deal.
Many of the "Stranger Things" kids have grown up to be incredibly talented performers and creators, so it will be interesting to see what Wolfhard's feature directorial debut will look like. The press release describes the film as a horror-comedy, which seems pretty on-brand for Wolfhard, so the potential for greatness is definitely there.
An up-and-coming creative force
Wolfhard isn't even old enough to legally drink yet, but he's already directed a short film called "Night Shifts," which won the Silver Audience Award for "Best Canadian Short" at Fantasia Film Festival in 2020 and was screened at the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival. "Hell of a Summer" will be financed and executive produced by 30WEST, with principal photography beginning this month in Ontario, Canada. Wolfhard, Bryk, and Fred Hechinger ("The White Lotus") will star in the film. Plot details are being kept tightly under wraps. Hechinger, Aggregate Films, and Parts and Labor will produce.
In a statement, Wolfhard shared his joy over the news:
"I am so excited to be co-directing my first feature film. I get the chance to work with an incredible cast and crew, and to work with a company like 30WEST and Aggregate is a real dream."
Wolfhard and Bryk are both staying busy and have plenty of other projects coming out in the meantime. Wolfhard will co-star alongside Julianne Moore in the A24 film "When You Finish Saving the World," written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg. He's also lending his voice to Guillermo Del Toro's stop-motion animated "Pinocchio" for Netflix, and starring in the A24 fantasy epic "The Legend of Ochi" opposite Willem Dafoe. Seriously, Wolfhard is working a lot. Bryk also stars in "When You Finish Saving the World," which debuted at Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
Of course, Wolfhard's fans can also see him in the fourth season of "Stranger Things," now streaming on Netflix, with season 5 on the way sometime in the near future.