Finn Wolfhard is not only attracted to acting. Best known for his character of Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things, he has also been itching to try his hand at directing and screenwriting. The proof is that he will soon be getting behind the camera to co-direct Hell of a Summer, a horror comedy for which he has also co-written the screenplay.
His partner in the same duties will be another young actor, Billy Bryk, with whom he has coincided on a couple of occasions, in Ghostbusters: Beyond and the comedy-drama about adolescence When You Finish Saving the World directed by Jesse Eisenberg.
This is in terms of feature films because, in fact, Bryk already starred in Finn Wolfhard’s directorial and screenwriting debut, the short Night Shifts, which won him the award for Best Director at the Atlanta Short Film Festival in 2020, and an audience award at the Fantasia Film Festival for Best Canadian Short Film.
Wolfhard, 19, and Bryk, 22, will be joined in front of the camera by Fred Hechinger, also 22. His CV includes his participation in the Netflix trilogy The Street of Terror, the HBO miniseries The White Lotus and the miniseries Pam & Tommy available on Disney Plus’ Star+ label.
Hell of a Summer will be fully financed by the company 30West and the idea is to start shooting this July in Canadian locations in Ontario. As for the plot, we haven’t said anything, as no details have been released yet. There is not even an official synopsis. But, considering Wolfhard’s experience in the Duffer brothers’ series, who knows if it will also be inspired by the textures and stories of the 80s classics.
However, although this is his first film, it is not his directorial debut. In 2020, he directed the short film Night Shifts, which did not do badly. The audiovisual piece was presented at the Canadian Film Festival and won the award for Best Canadian Short Film. Finn Wolfhard is looking forward to it!
As an actor, he also has a new film coming out, which he will star in with Julianne Moore. When You Finish Saving is the title of the feature film, directed by Jesse Eigenberg and produced by Emma Stone and 30 West. The cast also includes Billy Bryk, her partner in her first venture into co-directing a film.
Lucía Domínguez
