‘Hell of a Summer’ Review: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Finn Wolfhard’s Co-Directing Debut Is a Cut Above

Finn Wolfhard Teases ‘Stranger Things’ Final Season: ‘We’re All Unbelievably Happy with the Finished Product’

Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, and Fred Hechinger talk to IndieWire at the New York City premiere of "Hell of a Summer."

‘Hell of a Summer’ Review: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Finn Wolfhard’s Co-Directing Debut Is a Cut Above

In two decades at Variety, I have reviewed precious few slasher movies. Call me old-fashioned, but I don’t take much pleasure in what Roger Ebert called “dead teenager movies” — and yet, for some reason, this week I am writing about three (and no, that’s not an April Fool’s joke). The clearest explanation I can […]

Fave slashers inspire Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk’s ‘Hell of a Summer’

What’s six years between friends?! That’s how long Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk have been working on “Hell of a Summer,” their “Friday the 13th”-style summer camp massacre thriller opening Friday. The duo, who co-wrote, co-directed, co-star and co-produced, began, Bryk, 25, said in a joint Zoom interview, “When we met on set of ‘Ghostbusters.’ We talked so much about films and films we love.” “Friday the 13th,” which launched a 12-film franchise…

Hell of a Summer Review

PLOT: A group of summer camp counsellors are picked off one by one during an orientation weekend.  REVIEW: Hell of a Summer marks the directorial debut of actors Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk. You can tell both guys, who also wrote and co-star, have a genuine affection for horror staples like Sleepaway Camp (which we featured on 80s Horror Memories) and Friday the 13th and summer camp comedies like Wet Hot American Summer. It’s a mostly painless …

My Journey Co-Directing 'Hell of a Summer'

When I was eight years old my mother showed me a documentary called Nightmare Factory, a biography of the legendary special effects artist Greg Nicotero. I remember being in awe—how could he possibly make a career and life out of making puppets, fake blood, and gore with his friends? This was the start of my love for filmmaking, and of the distraction I needed from my school life. I would cry every day before school and would have to be dragged …