Finn Wolfhard’s transition from actor to filmmaker took a step forward this year with the release of Hell of a Summer, a horror-comedy he co-wrote, co-directed, and co-starred in alongside Billy Bryk. The film, now in theaters, follows a group of summer camp counselors facing a masked killer over one increasingly deadly night in the woods.
Wolfhard spoke with Yahoo Entertainment about the project and pointed to Jesse Eisenberg as a key influence. After acting in Eisenberg’s 2022 directorial debut When You Finish Saving the World, Wolfhard said he paid close attention to Eisenberg’s process on set. “It was so fascinating to watch him work,” Wolfhard said. “Something that really stuck with me was how light he was on set and how much of a fun environment he created.”
He emphasized how Eisenberg made space for both serious moments and humor during filming. “If we ever wanted to joke around or do something funny, he really gave us the time and ability to do that. He just wanted it to be fun, even though the movie was often quite serious.”
Eisenberg supported Hell of a Summer from its earliest stages, reading drafts and giving feedback. He even visited the production during a road trip with his family. “There’s footage of it somewhere on a handy cam,” Wolfhard said. “But he was always so supportive of the movie, ever since the very beginning.”
Set at a remote camp, Hell of a Summer revolves around counselors gathering for a weekend before the kids arrive. The group’s time together is interrupted when a killer in an old-fashioned devil mask begins targeting them. Bryk plays Bobby, whose exaggerated vanity becomes a running joke. Wolfhard plays Chris, a quieter counselor drawn into the chaos. The film features performances from Fred Hechinger, Abby Quinn, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Pardis Saremi, Rosebud Baker, and Adam Pally.
The production design, tone, and musical choices lean into horror traditions from the 1980s. Jay McCarrol’s synth-heavy score contributes to that atmosphere. The filmmakers also use a story device in which the characters give up their phones, removing digital distractions and pushing the film into a more analog, isolated setting.
Writer and critic Nathan Rabin, who attended a recent screening, described Hell of a Summer as being driven more by character dynamics than elaborate kills. He praised its attention to personality, noting that Bryk and Wolfhard wrote their characters with more intention than often seen in this type of film. Hechinger’s character, Jason, a twenty-four-year-old counselor who feels out of place, was singled out for his awkward presence and comic timing.
Wolfhard and Bryk are also developing a new project based on the 1999 film Idle Hands, with Jason Reitman involved as producer.