Finn Wolfhard’s horror-comedy and directorial debut, Hell of a Summer, has landed a digital release date. Wolfhard is best known for playing Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things, but he’s also starred in the horror movies It and It Chapter Two, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, and Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World. Wolfhard made his own directorial debut, co-writing and helming the horror-comedy Hell of a Summer alongside Billy Bryk, which follows a group of counselors at a summer camp who are terrorized by a mysterious masked killer.
Now, shortly after its theatrical release on April 4, Neon has announced that Hell of a Summer will be available for digital purchase and rental at home beginning tomorrow, April 22. The movie will also be released on Blu-ray and DVD on July 8. All purchase formats will include special bonus features, including feature commentary with stars Finn Wolfhard, Billy Bryk, and Fred Hechinger, a blooper reel, a fireside chat, and much more.
Hell of a Summer will likely become available for streaming on Hulu due to Neon’s exclusive deal with the streaming service.
What Hell Of A Summer’s Digital Release Means For The Movie
Can It Find A Larger Audience?
Hell of a Summer premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival way back in September 2023, but struggled to secure theatrical distribution due to Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk’s young age and inexperience. It was eventually released in theaters by Neon earlier this April and, as expected, struggled to make much of an impression at the box office, overshadowed by the mᴀssive success of A Minecraft Movie. Hell of a Summer just managed to make back its small $3 million budget at the box office, grossing around $3.1 million.
Reviews recognize that the horror-comedy displays some promising creativity from Wolfhard and Bryk in their directorial debuts, though its inconsistent tone suggests there’s still some room for growth from the young directing team. Other critics were harsher, such as ScreenRant‘s Mary Kᴀssel, who, in their Hell of a Summer review writes, “Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk craft a missable addition to the slasher genre that relies on references and dated humor to make up for its hollow heart.” These mixed reviews account for its middling 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Our Take On Hell Of A Summer’s Digital Release
It Might Be Best To Wait Until It’s Streaming On Hulu
Despite its buzzy debut at TIFF and Finn Wolfhard’s familiarity among audiences, Hell of a Summer hasn’t been enough of a critical or commercial success to truly stand out in the crowded home media market. Its small budget, modest box office returns, and lukewarm reception place it firmly in the niche category, appealing to only the most diehard fans of the creators or the genre. For everyone else, it might be best to wait until Hell of a Summer is streaming on Hulu to see what the summer camp slasher has to offer.
Source: Neon
